Poll: Will Sullivan be the Penguins coach at decade's end

[BigMcK]

60 day poll.

I say yes. FSG, corporate owners have no clue, care, or concern about the NHL or Penguins loyal fans.

What say you?

[Puck-Lurker]

I think so, yes. Better not, but he won't get fired.

[stonewizard51]

IMHO, I don't see Sully getting fired if for no other reason than his contract extension. Why pay someone for not coaching. Right now, the Pens are a trainwreck looking for a missing section of track and Sully is the engineer. Do I want him gone ? Yes, but it won't happen mainly because, as BigMcK said, FSG doesn't care about the Pens or the NHL for that matter.

[KG]

I say yes, I hope no. I think maybe in the off season they could look to move away from him. There are usually a lot of head coaching vacancies in the off-season, if he gets hired by another team the Pens would be off the hook for his contract. Assuming his new offer meets or exceeds his current contract.

I also think KD views this season as a transition year. Which is tough, especially with Sid and Geno still playing very well. I'm hoping that the Pens can do a quick re-tool while 87 and 71 are here, but I just have a hard time believing that Koivunen, Ponomarov, McGroarty, Broz and Pickering are going to move the needle that much. Our prospects are all 2nd tier. Hopefully we can add a couple of legit pieces by the deadline and into UFA.

[ahawk9]

I think he will be in Pittsburgh the whole season, record/playoffs/"window" be damned.

I've said before, and I still believe, that this year's team is much better and deeper than last year's but the way the pieces are being utilized is puzzling, to say the least (Puljujarvi scratched over, oh, 8 other forwards). Yes, the defense is awful, and it's a bubble playoff team at best. But it would be cool to have Sid get to the playoffs again. Heck, they could even steal a round if things break their way.

The power play isn't as bad as last year. That's not saying it's improved a ton but just that little improvement should help. Blown leads like Tuesday will again kill their chances come April. I think a mid-season coaching change, and a change in approach, would give this team a goose that could keep it sollidly in the lower rungs of playoff teams. I, like many on here, would prefer to rip it off like a band-aid and sell everything not named Crosby or Malkin but we know that's not happening yet. If we have to have mediocrity, at least let's have it with younger guys and a system that fits the roster. Give some guys NHL time and let them either develop nicely or not - at least they'd have an idea of what these guys can do. They would be no worse than Beauvillier, et al. There is/has been a staleness to the whole thing for a couple of years that I believe would be alleviated to some degree by a change in coach.

All that said, I just don't see it happening this season. Maybe in the offseason, as someone else mentioned. Chances would be better for him to get a job that lets the Pens off the hook for that extension, and it deepens the pool of other coaches as the retread coaching machine moves along.

[Tico Rick]

If we're going to suck for a few years, it doesn't matter whether we suck under Sullivan or under a new coach. That being the case, keeping Sullivan is the less expensive option, and despite what people here think, Sullivan does know how to train younger players.

[largegarlic]

I think he should be fired, but I don't think he will be. If they didn't fire him at a half-dozen other points in the last couple years, when they were agonizingly close to making the playoffs, and a coaching change have plausibly put them over the top, why would they fire him now?

This is kind of a separate point, but I think it's too early to conclude that FSG doesn't care about the team or at least a winning team. Sure, they've kept Sullivan when any other team would have canned him at this point, but they also fired Hextall and brought in Dubas, who was widely seen as one of the top options in the league and certainly cost more than other guys would have. Player-wise, they're spending to the cap. I agree with what I think is the consensus here that they should have gone more for a rebuild and done it sooner, but that would result in more losing in the near term, not less. I'm not arguing that FSG are good owners, but I just think it's too soon to tell. How they handle the rebuild in the next few years will tell us more.

[Pruezy11881]

If the team keeps playing poorly, I think you have to change the coach and see if it creates a change with the team...renewed vigor, system change, etc. If that doesn't alter the play and improve the team, you start selling off players and start bringing up some of the kids. Sully won't sit idle for long. Someone will sign him and then the Pens/FSG are off the hook.

[Pitts]

My take on this: they are not going to fire him before the 4 Nations tournament - seems like maybe bad press. After that, all options are on the table.

[Toke]

I am having a difficult time understanding how the 4 Nations Tournament has any relevance to Sully's employment with the Penguins. In all honesty I could really care less about the tournament. Will I tune in? Maybe, but in the grand scheme of things its just a distraction from the Pens season. Without Russian players in the mix the competition is watered down. Is the competition going to be that serious that we hang onto a coach of whom has clearly far surpassed his expiration date just for the sake of optics? How revered will this tournament championship be amongst the players and fans? Personally I'd be much more excited about watching some Pens prospects get a look with the club. Time to relieve Sully, make a couple of trades involving any of the aforementioned on this board players and just get on with it.

[FLPensFan]

I said yes, because I haven't seen the slightest indication of wavering support for him in the organization. The team can lose 8-0 and someone in still out there saying Sullivan did great, the team on the ice just didn't execute.

[Cow_Master66]

Anyone ever consider that in 2 years Sully might be the perfect coach for this team? Once the geezers start to turn over, and we are a young team again, Sully might again be a good fit.

Changing coaches with this squad isn’t gonna help.

[FLPensFan]

Anyone ever consider that in 2 years Sully might be the perfect coach for this team? Once the geezers start to turn over, and we are a young team again, Sully might again be a good fit.

Changing coaches with this squad isn’t gonna help.

It may also not be of any difference. My biggest problem with Sullivan is, the appearance on the ice is the team either cannot execute his game plan for 3 periods and multiple games in a row....or they don't want.

Worse, there are zero repercussions for poor execution unless you are a fringe guy. The stars need help accountable too. They appeared to do that with Jarry. They did it with Bunting. Sullivan just needs to take that last step and be able to bench a guy like Karlsson or Malkin or Sid or Letang if they are having a night where they aren't executing to standards.

[Maestro]

Wait until you are in top 3 of draft then can him.

[Dynasty1970]

As long as I keep advocating for him to be fired, he will remain the Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey Team!

FIRE SULLY!!!!!

[pfim]

I think it's time to fire the current Mike Sullivan and find the next Mike Sullivan.

Coaches of teams who give up 6 goals in a period don't deserve to keep their jobs.

[Daniel]

Anyone ever consider that in 2 years Sully might be the perfect coach for this team? Once the geezers start to turn over, and we are a young team again, Sully might again be a good fit.

Changing coaches with this squad isn’t gonna help.

I don't consider that Sully will ever be the best coach for this team and I think a new coach might help tremendously. One problem with Sully is he has a system that he wants and darnit these guys are going to play it. The team needs a coach that will adapt his system to the talent on the ice not try to force a square peg into a round hole.

[Admin]

If he survived last night, he’s coach for life…

[largegarlic]

If he survived last night, he’s coach for life…

That was my point above. There have been numerous "fire the coach" games the past couple years where the team just looks absolutely incompetent and uninterested and lays an egg in a big game, and Sullivan is still here. I'm not sure why he'd go anywhere now. Maybe if Crosby goes to Dubas and says he's absolutely fed up.

[stonewizard51]

I doubt that will even help.

[DelPen]

Good to see so many other people who are black pilled like me. He’s not leaving until he’s no longer the USA coach.

[FLPensFan]

Sullivan says y'all need to shut up about him not making adjustments (ok, not really, but sorta kinda). He also says he's not going anywhere...he's not leaving on his own accord, and doesn't feel like his job is in jeopardy, but he also knows this is the NHL and how things work.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/593929 ... justments/

[Ericf]

Sullivan says y'all need to shut up about him not making adjustments (ok, not really, but sorta kinda). He also says he's not going anywhere...he's not leaving on his own accord, and doesn't feel like his job is in jeopardy, but he also knows this is the NHL and how things work.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/593929 ... justments/

Another boot licking article from Yohe. What a surprise.

[DelPen]

The only scenario I see that will result in Sullivan being fired before the season is over is if the Penguins continue to be garbage until the mini tournament coming up and USA looks as bad as the Pens do under Sullivan and all our players look like they should playing with their country. That should lead anyone to the conclusion that Sullivan is no longer a good coach.

[FLPensFan]

Between what Dubas said on the GM show this week, and what Sullivan said in his piece with Yohe...seems quite obvious Penguins fans are going to be dealing with a lot of frustration this season and beyond. Dubas won't consider a full rebuild, Sullivan is confident in his job security. Meanwhile, attendance is dropping and fans are getting angry.