Random Penguins Fodder

[FLPensFan]

There are some rumors floating around on lower level (ie, non reputable sites) rumor sites about Sullivan wanting to go to NJ. This rumor was reportedly something Nick Kypreos said in the past week, that Sullivan may be losing faith in Dubas already and wanting to go team up with his pal Tom Fitzgerald.

Kypreos is often wrong. Earlier in the year, Kypreos claimed Guentzel had rejected a contract from the Penguins, when the claim from the Guentzel side is there was never any offer from Dubas.

Even if there were truth to this, it isn't like Sullivan can just decide to leave. He has a contract with the Penguins. There is no more "compensation" or trading of coaches allowed in the NHL. The only way this would come true is if Dubas decided he wanted to move on from Sullivan, and they agreed to mutually terminate the contract.

[Antonio]

Saw that. Can't imagine we could be so lucky.

[Admin]

...Sullivan may be losing faith in Dubas already and wanting to go team up with his pal Tom Fitzgerald.

"Quit making my veteran players retire."

[KG]

There are some rumors floating around on lower level (ie, non reputable sites) rumor sites about Sullivan wanting to go to NJ. This rumor was reportedly something Nick Kypreos said in the past week, that Sullivan may be losing faith in Dubas already and wanting to go team up with his pal Tom Fitzgerald.

Kypreos is often wrong. Earlier in the year, Kypreos claimed Guentzel had rejected a contract from the Penguins, when the claim from the Guentzel side is there was never any offer from Dubas.

Even if there were truth to this, it isn't like Sullivan can just decide to leave. He has a contract with the Penguins. There is no more "compensation" or trading of coaches allowed in the NHL. The only way this would come true is if Dubas decided he wanted to move on from Sullivan, and they agreed to mutually terminate the contract.

Kypreos is also a pretty big critic of Dubas so we have to take what he says with a big grain of salt. That said, I don't doubt NJ would love to get their hands on Sullivan. Between Sullivan having a history with Fitzgerald and their roster. It's a perfect match for Sullivan.

Too bad we can't trade him to them!

[Maestro]

Please New Jersey, make my decade.

[penny lane]

Sullivan is welcome to take Jarry with him. NJD do not have a Fleury or Murray.

[BigMcK]

New Jersey is that a way --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->>>>>>>.

If he leaves now, he will be there in time for sunrise. Seriously, leave now.

If you get lost, just keep going until you start to smell fish.

[Puck-Lurker]

...Sullivan may be losing faith in Dubas already and wanting to go...

That'd be like hitting a natural 20 on a D20 luck roll in D&D terms. If only we were that lucky.

[KG]

https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/pengu ... hing-staff

Pens fire WBS coaching staff...I didn't know we were allowed to fire coaches here?

[DelPen]

https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/pengu ... hing-staff

Pens fire WBS coaching staff...I didn't know we were allowed to fire coaches here?

I don’t disagree with the move since players were not getting better but they had very little to work with. I would not be surprised to see someone who is NHL capable that understands they are next up as soon as this coming season if Sullivan doesn’t change his approach and this team continues to underachieve.

[Crash66]

Won't matter. It'll be the same results as WBS will still play Sully's system. Head of the snake and all that.

[FLPensFan]

https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/pengu ... hing-staff

Pens fire WBS coaching staff...I didn't know we were allowed to fire coaches here?

I don’t disagree with the move since players were not getting better but they had very little to work with. I would not be surprised to see someone who is NHL capable that understands they are next up as soon as this coming season if Sullivan doesn’t change his approach and this team continues to underachieve.

Yeah, it's a bit of a mixed bag. The AHL team has lacked talent for awhile, but, I believe this year the organization felt they made some additions that should strengthen the team a little. The expectations were much higher for this year. So getting bounced in the first round was a huge disappointment. I had also heard earlier in the year that the team was underachieving, and many fans were not pleased with JD Forrest.

On the flip side, as you said...they may have improved the team from last year, but they still didn't have a lot to work with. From what I have heard, the WBS team was very upset with the no-call on the game tying goal. If you watch the video I posted earlier in the thread, you can see multiple players immediately calling it as deflected in with a high stick. Coaching staff was furious it wasn't called back, and even though the PP chances were 5 to 6 in favor of the Phantoms, I heard there was a lot of frustration about the calls made against WBS or missed in the game.

Finally, as Crash66 just said...talent or not, if they are running the same system in the AHL, and it's failing there too...why are just the AHL coaches gone?

[Skatingpen]

I have such mixed emotions about the comments regarding Sullivan. There sure is a lot of hate for the man. I get that his time may be up, but why such hate towards him?

[IntangibleBeer]

Sullivan is welcome to take Jarry with him. NJD do not have a Fleury or Murray.

Amen, amen,I say to you Amen!!!

[IntangibleBeer]

I have such mixed emotions about the comments regarding Sullivan. There sure is a lot of hate for the man. I get that his time may be up, but why such hate towards him?

I don’t hate Sullivan. Towards the end of his term, I really did hate Bylsma. Sullivan has at least led them to back to back Stanley Cups. Bylsma squandered much more talent. He could have won at least 2 more cups if he wasn’t so obviously in over his head.

[largegarlic]

I do think Dubas is serious about rebuilding the farm system and getting something of a talent pipeline going again. There will likely actually be some talented prospects at WBS next year (Pickering, maybe Koivunen, probably Blomqvist, and Broz), and I bet Dubas wants to make sure there's a coaching staff in place to make the most of their development.

Of course, it remains a mystery why he doesn't have the same sense of urgency with the big club...

[largegarlic]

I have such mixed emotions about the comments regarding Sullivan. There sure is a lot of hate for the man. I get that his time may be up, but why such hate towards him?

Sullivan has basically just stuck around long enough to become the villain. It would have happened even with guys like Badger Bob and Scotty Bowman, if they were there for longer. I've been saying for a while that I think Sullivan is still a good coach, will have success if he goes elsewhere, and is the wrong guy for this team at this time. I don't think that's contradictory.

[FLPensFan]

I do think Dubas is serious about rebuilding the farm system and getting something of a talent pipeline going again. There will likely actually be some talented prospects at WBS next year (Pickering, maybe Koivunen, probably Blomqvist, and Broz), and I bet Dubas wants to make sure there's a coaching staff in place to make the most of their development.

Of course, it remains a mystery why he doesn't have the same sense of urgency with the big club...

I don't see it until the core is gone. I think he does want to add some more talent there, but, it doesn't work if you don't play the guys. Sullivan is still too heavily reliant on his vets and "who he trusts."

As an example, Ponomarev could start off next season with 6 goals and 5 assists in his first 10 games, the Penguins need a callup, and Sullivan will request Gruden be the guy because he knows him and has seen him play for the team at the NHL level. It's just the way Sullivan works at this point. Yes, I know there are young guys that have played in the lineup, but there's also a large list of guys who appeared deserving in the minors of at a callup that got passed over for the more experienced guys or the ones Sully knows.

I guess I'm just in the camp of the old days in the 80s and 90s...you had a young guy, you needed a callup, you had a guy with a hot hand who fit the role, you called him up.

[BigMcK]

I have such mixed emotions about the comments regarding Sullivan. There sure is a lot of hate for the man. I get that his time may be up, but why such hate towards him?

There is a name associated with the Head Coach, and that name is Mike Sullivan.

2 straight years of sitting outside while looking in. Crosby is outside looking in. As a fan prior to MS, he doesn't move the needle forward. I am tired of his failed system that doesn't bend to players who don't fit to his failed system being cast aside.

I am tired of canned answers to what went wrong after a loss. I am tired of zero accountability for players who skate for a paycheck, not a win.

I could go on, but why?

He is a stale bologna sandwich paid by a Corporation.

Hate? No, just go Away! **** him.

[Pens4Life]

I have such mixed emotions about the comments regarding Sullivan. There sure is a lot of hate for the man. I get that his time may be up, but why such hate towards him?

There is a name associated with the Head Coach, and that name is Mike Sullivan.

2 straight years of sitting outside while looking in. Crosby is outside looking in. As a fan prior to MS, he doesn't move the needle forward. I am tired of his failed system that doesn't bend to players who don't fit to his failed system being cast aside.

I am tired of canned answers to what went wrong after a loss. I am tired of zero accountability for players who skate for a paycheck, not a win.

I could go on, but why?

He is a stale bologna sandwich paid by a Corporation.

Hate? No, just go Away! **** him.

Yep,no hate.. just go elsewhere! He isnt the right fit for this team anymore,not even close..

[penny lane]

If he had new/different ideas why not try them? He has all the job security-

[Puck-Lurker]

If he had new/different ideas why not try them? He has all the job security-

What's that, you're sitting Nieto to play Puustinen?! You're fired !!

[FLPensFan]

I have such mixed emotions about the comments regarding Sullivan. There sure is a lot of hate for the man. I get that his time may be up, but why such hate towards him?

There is a name associated with the Head Coach, and that name is Mike Sullivan.

2 straight years of sitting outside while looking in. Crosby is outside looking in. As a fan prior to MS, he doesn't move the needle forward. I am tired of his failed system that doesn't bend to players who don't fit to his failed system being cast aside.

I am tired of canned answers to what went wrong after a loss. I am tired of zero accountability for players who skate for a paycheck, not a win.

I could go on, but why?

He is a stale bologna sandwich paid by a Corporation.

Hate? No, just go Away! **** him.

Coach A - .627 Regular season points percentage, .572 regular season win percentage, .537 playoff win percentage
Coach B - .615 Regular season points percentage, .566 regular season win percentage, .551 playoff win percentage

Coach A - 12-21 playoff record since last Cup win
Coach B - 27-27 playoff record since last Cup win

It's amazing how similar Bylsma and Sullivan performed. It's more amazing that Bylsma got 54 more playoff games and had a .500 record before getting canned, and yet Sullivan has played only 33 playoff games PLUS 2 seasons of complete misses, a .364 win percentage, and still remains employed because "he's an incredible coach that we'd be searching for if we fired."

[Cow_Master66]

I have such mixed emotions about the comments regarding Sullivan. There sure is a lot of hate for the man. I get that his time may be up, but why such hate towards him?

My guess is the vast majority have never played the sport. Any time you read something that says Sully "never makes changes/adjustments", you know that person doesn't understand what they are watching. Which is fine...It's hockey, quite frankly, there's only so much any coach can tweak a system.... I mean, just think about it this way; he's the 3rd (I think) winningest American coach in the history of the league and has 2 cups on top of that, but a bunch of dudes on message boards, social media, whatever are typing all the stuff that he is doing wrong....They wanna see guys in WBS that they likely never saw play. "They can do just as good"....all that kinda stuff....Not a knock on them personally, but obviously they have no idea how they are perceived when they type such things. Then again, this all anonymous so who really cares


Having said that, in general, MS is a really good coach who's time has potentially come to an end here. My personal opinion as to why management hasn't made the change yet is they know the results at the end will likely remain the same. Yes, there's some on here that think this team can upgrade the team on the fly, change the coach, and catch lightning in a bottle, but in reality that's a wild pipe dream. The only chance at a quick turnaround (2-3 years) towards becoming a contender again would be to trade the core. All of them, not just the whipping boys...

[DeHaven162]

I have such mixed emotions about the comments regarding Sullivan. There sure is a lot of hate for the man. I get that his time may be up, but why such hate towards him?

My guess is the vast majority have never played the sport. Any time you read something that says Sully "never makes changes/adjustments", you know that person doesn't understand what they are watching. Which is fine...It's hockey, quite frankly, there's only so much any coach can tweak a system.... I mean, just think about it this way; he's the 3rd (I think) winningest American coach in the history of the league and has 2 cups on top of that, but a bunch of dudes on message boards, social media, whatever are typing all the stuff that he is doing wrong....They wanna see guys in WBS that they likely never saw play. "They can do just as good"....all that kinda stuff....Not a knock on them personally, but obviously they have no idea how they are perceived when they type such things. Then again, this all anonymous so who really cares


Having said that, in general, MS is a really good coach who's time has potentially come to an end here. My personal opinion as to why management hasn't made the change yet is they know the results at the end will likely remain the same. Yes, there's some on here that think this team can upgrade the team on the fly, change the coach, and catch lightning in a bottle, but in reality that's a wild pipe dream. The only chance at a quick turnaround (2-3 years) towards becoming a contender again would be to trade the core. All of them, not just the whipping boys...