What happens now, if anything, to Mike Sullivan?
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37 Comments
Ok why not Corey Perry, sign for million. Theres our net front peice. And he not afraid to hit. Letang getting pummeled out there. . It's sad pens are way better then them r frustrating
Here’s the problem.
The 3 Amigos have done a lot, they’ve won a lot, and they’ve earned a lot of latitude.
And now they think they know better than everyone else, especially re: the PP.
The Pens have a PP Guru in EJ at home games and a PP specialist in EK65…….and it’s obvious those two aren’t getting a voice on the matter.
Until the 3 Amigos get some effing HUMILITY, nothing will change. They will ride off into the sunset on donkeys of their own choosing.
Why no criticism for Sid. It’s time for him to be a vocal leader not a quiet one! It starts with him.
After 35 years of loving this team I have ABSOLUTELY no words anymore!!!!😶
They changed the bottom six.
They changed the backup goalie
They changed the 3rd pairing D
They changed half of the top 4D
They brought in Smith and Rakell
They changed the GM
They even changed the ownership
Besides all that, this team is pretty much stale since, i'd say, that loss to Montreal.
It's time to change coaches or to get rid of the Core. To me, it is quite easy who I would show the door to. Sully has to go
There’s 0 cups left here.
Not even a playoff team anymore.
They blow.
Rebuild, get it over with. Rip the bandaid off. 2 bad 4 sid tho, as always,he's just unbelievably great.
Trade Malkin and Letang with a goalie to Edmonton for McJesus already.
I feel for Sullivan. It's not really his fault, but is it really ever the coaches fault when a veteran team that knows better what is wrong, still can't translate that into on ice results? This team has gotten so stagnate and stale with it's entitled "look at all this talent" attitude and "we got this" approach that it's starting to mold. The leadership in the locker room isn't the type to create an atmosphere of accountability, let alone enforce it. It's new coach time for the Penguins not because it's the right thing to do, but because that's the only remaining option and the players have no one to blame but themselves. I feel sorry but not bad for Sullivan becuase he'll be paid through the 26-27 season regardless, so that's a good 11-years of collecting a paycheck as head coach for one team, with at least two being well deserved severance pay for helping bring two cups to the organization. How many NHL coaches are that fortunate? Plus, I'm sure he'll be scooped up by another team looking to take the next step and needs a cup experienced and well respected coach to lead them. Good for him. Good for them.
Did anyone else see when they had the goalie pulled and actually sent two players to the front of the net, Crosby, instead of just getting a shot on net, tried to thread a pass across to Karlsson? WTF?
DK you’re underselling how bad that 5 on 3 was. It was a 5 on 2 for a good bit after dude broke his stick. It was really terrible
When Dubas traded for Karl, I assume it was because he saw how dominant he was last season, and how he could help Crosby, Malkin, and company elevate the offense. Let me ask you all, does this stylistically look like the way Karlsson has typically played throughout his career? It takes a very special coach to have Erik Freaking Karlsson on his team and not utilize his skating and stickhandling skills at all. How many times has Erik actually skated past centre ice with the puck this year? It happened early on I'm sure and then Sully probably took him aside in practice and said "no risk, no creativity, we need you to play more like Kris Letang." Except Dubas didn't trade for Kris Letang, did he? Damn mindboggling. I am not saying EK should be joining or leading every rush, or that he should play like a 4th forward, just that he acttually be given the freedom to do what he's best at.
Here's an idea for the PP … have one of the most gifted skaters and stickhandlers in the league take the puck up and bring it in. Here's not a great idea: utilize him as a forward on the PP where he has NEVER played before in his professional career. Throughout his long career there have been stretches where the offensive execution has been off – that's pretty normal – but I've never seen him look as uncomfortable as he is right now. He looked more comfortable a month ago which makes me think Sully is at play in neutering his skills and trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. If you have EK and all you want from him is to send stretch passes up and take one-timers from the point, yo are doing hockey wrong.
Just breathe Kyle….. (that's my name, not referring to Dubas haha)
I believe there is better from this team, but they need a new coach that will get them playing with more speed and cohesion. Malkin isn't that slow once he gets going but the problem is that he doesn't get going because most breakouts and entries are stagnant. Generally speaking, the goaltending has been pretty good, and the defensive structure isn't that bad. This is a faster game now than when Sullivan won the two Cups, and the lack of speed they have is exacerbated by the way they play – without any kind of acceleration, speed, or net-drive. The over-passing is a symptom of the coach, too, being so hard-wired to play a pretty possession game. Going back to Karlsson, you have one of the best shot generators ever. It's about time to use him for that as well.
Really…..I think this can all be traced back to the decision to keep the core together at least partially due to sentimentality. Not only are they not quite what they used to be (except maybe Sid) but it also reinforced the idea that they are really the ones who are running things, not Sullivan. I have a feeling that they, and by extension some others, are going to pretty much do whatever they want regardless of what the coach may be telling them.
I liked Tyler Kennedy's idea that when given a PP, the Pens should just play 4 on 4. That or they should ditch the PP units and just roll their regular lines as clearly putting all their bestest eggs in one basket is backfiring.
The one resounding thing I keep seeing is how slow and flat footed Geno is after entering the offensive zone. His 21 points is far overshadowed by his inability to back check and the crazy amounts of offensive chances that are given up when he’s on the ice. It’s just depressing to watch. This team reminds me of the 15/16 unit under Johnston, just a whole lot slower.
Have we become the Rockford Ice Hogs?
Sullivan should have been gone years ago.
He'll be a Penguins hall of famer forever. He'll go to another franchise and win again, and I'll be happy for him. But he hasn't been the right coach for THIS team for a while now.
I don't see any net front presence at all. No one is blocking the sight range of the Goalie and no one seems to want to go into the paint and mix it up in the spirit of Hornvquist and Artie and others through the years. Couldn't Sully just go into a team meeting and say: "I need two volunteers to stand in front of the net. Any volunteers?"
Sully is a great coach.. the good players here are old, the younger ones aren't very good at hockey. The defense isn't good at defending, the goalies are decent. The end.
Wouldn't that be something if MT AND SULLIVAN get fired all in the same season !
When you keep all the old guys and trade away good draft picks. We will be bad for years.
Sullivan is not a bad coach, but his time with the Pens has become stale.
Pens had 6 shots in the first 30 minutes of the game. Time for Sully to go.
another thing getting overlooked is how poor the bottom six is inside the offensive zone. 32 points in a collective 161 games played between the rotating door of cast members. sure, if the PP was performing as it should be, they'd make the playoffs… but a participation trophy is as far as they'd go with such a weak bottom six.
The PP is not just a personnel issue. The structure they’ve used for years and it’s predictable. It’s on Sullivan for not doing anything about it. Sullivan puts it on the players because he’s feeling the heat. Anyone who can’t see that Sullivan has to go is wearing blinders, like you, DK
Maybe it’s the fkn dump and chase crap that is proving to be ineffective and easy to stop. Teams are too fast and goalies are too good at handling the puck. It’s freakin pot luck offense. What’s even crazier…. They have EK!?!? Will you let that stud carry the puck!?!? Wtf did you get him for? They’re playing demolition derby with fkn Ferrari’s. It’s annoying and frustrating to watch and they are squandering what they still have. Change the system and if the head coach won’t do it change the head coach
The pens are garbage.. they wont make the playoffs this year (again). They need to blow it up make huge changes, they basicly need to rebuild at this point. Too old.
Appreciate you DK. If the Steelers lose tonight, I’m might have to let sports take a back seat for a little bit. It’s getting very draining watching the pens and Steelers right now.
DK I think looking at the season to date stats vs last season to date stats would be mind numbing. At this point I;m questioning all these 'brilliant' acquisitions Dubus has made. What else can it be when there are problems in so many areas? It's an issue of the teams composition. Sully can juggle lineups all he wants and things will not change much. I think Dubus has acquired the kinds of players we already have instead of the kinds we actually need and this is what you get. I think this team needed an infusion of youth and size and grit, and they didnt get any of that. This aint ballet..it's hockey. Ed
this team looks broken. Jay Woodcroft could use a new gig
I've always been a fan of Sullivan. But it's time.
Yet, Tomlin will remain here until…until
…until…
Sully has lost the locker room! Bring in Mario!🤷🏻♂️👌
What is pissing me off is the fact that Erik Karlsson is pretty much being misused and has been neutered. Bylsma did the same thing with Iginlia. No point in getting a player like Karlsson if you aren't going to utilize his skills and what he brings to the table. It would be like a baseball team having a future hall of fame player who can easily hit 50+ home runs a season and every pitch the gm gives him the sign to take the pitch and not swing. If I was a gm and went out and got a player like Karlsson and saw what I am seeing I would be furious.
Sully is and has been the problem. I think he has too much say in personnel decisions and that is why Rutherford left. He forgot what he had success with(playing young guys over vets-Murray over Fleury, Sheary, Dumo, Rust, etc.). Now it is all about the core 3, plays vets WAY too much, at the expense of developing young players, many of whom move on and have success elsewhere(Sprong, Lafferty, Gaudreau, Noesen, McCann, Bjugstad, etc.). Off season additions of all old veterans confirms this, as did leaving Poehling go(fast, young, offensive skills, good at pk). His playing of Carter and Harkins(2nd PP???) at all is mind boggling!!! SULLY MUST GO!!!!
Reirden should be gone. He seems to offer the PP about as much as 77 is able to. If that fails to restore some credibility in this team, then Sulli should be next.
J1Q – DK, hear me out. Since the pens lack tradeable assets, would it make sense to try to trade what little value we have? I constantly read about what a great coach Sully is. Wouldn’t that make him a possible avenue to acquire younger talent? Is it possible for NHL coaches to be traded?