Penguins and Head Coach Mike Sullivan Agree to Part Ways

[agwin003]

https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/pengu ... -part-ways

[KG]

Finally! It was beyond time. He will probably take the Rangers gig.

Thanks Sully for the Cups and memories. Time has come for a change.

[Stillerz Bar]

Finally! It was beyond time. He will probably take the Rangers gig.

Thanks Sully for the Cups and memories. Time has come for a change.

Agreed - lots of great memories but someone new is needed.

[pekkasteele]

First and foremost, FINALLY!

And then, I want to thank him for the two Cups, he was a great coach for us at that time, I just wish we would have fired him 5 years ago, so that I could feel more at ease with liking what he did for us. It is so hard to oversee what has happened since the first round exit against MTL, that was the time I wanted him to get fired for the first time.

So, thanks for the Cups Sully!

[penny lane]

Well here we are, not at end of the decade.

@93.7thefan Crowley & Dickerson are reporting Sullivan gave Dubas a list of Non-negotiable terms. If not met- parting ways.

Tocchet? Edit- no , it will be a Dubas choice.


Fair winds & calm seas... until they meet on the ice again. He is welcome to take #35 as his goalie with him.

[john66]

If he goes to the Flyers........

[DelPen]

Well no way this team is going to be bad enough to get the top pick next year since the main impediment for making the playoffs the last three years have been the coaching staff.

[Skatingpen]

Wow…… never saw this coming

[Admin]

Shocked but not.

[largegarlic]

So many mixed thoughts and feelings...

I'm very glad that they finally pulled the plugged on something that clearly wasn't working and hadn't been for years, but it is another reminder that that era of Pens' hockey is definitively over, and that makes me a bit sad.

And then I'm really curious about which direction they go from here. Do they go for a more experienced guy to try for one final playoff run with the big 3, or do they go with a lesser-known up-and-comer who could grow with the presumably in-coming youth movement? I think most of us would prefer the second option, but I'm not sure which way Dubas will go.

[casualfan]

C'mon, Pierre McGuire! (edit: why I called him Paul, I don't know)

I kid...but what hire don't you (all) want? Who is going to make you head slap so hard you leave a permanent palm print on your forehead?

[E-Ramone]

His first two seasons as the HC were amazing, and he'll be remembered well because of those back-to-back Cups and rightfully so. I complained about the past few seasons for sure, but that's history now so I'm just going to stay positive. He was a big breath of fresh air following the Mike Johnston situation, so he was a great fit back then, and that was a hell of a good time so, thanks, Coach Sullivan!!!

Looking forward to seeing who they find. I hope it's a great fit!

[pfim]

Hadn't been working for a while, but it's tough to make a judgment before his replacement is named.

[Daniel]

So many mixed thoughts and feelings...

I'm very glad that they finally pulled the plugged on something that clearly wasn't working and hadn't been for years, but it is another reminder that that era of Pens' hockey is definitively over, and that makes me a bit sad.

And then I'm really curious about which direction they go from here. Do they go for a more experienced guy to try for one final playoff run with the big 3, or do they go with a lesser-known up-and-comer who could grow with the presumably in-coming youth movement? I think most of us would prefer the second option, but I'm not sure which way Dubas will go.

I'd like an up and comer HC with more experienced ex coaches for assistants.

[Sams_Dog]

This is a surprise. I thought he was staying for a few more years. He’ll have a job by the end of the week. Probably with the Rangers. This may explain why David Carle withdrew his name for the Blackhawks job. Maybe he got word of this happening late last week or something. I could see Dubas hiring a guy like that.

[DeHaven162]

Should have just kept him for another year. Don't need a young hungry coach next year when we should be losing for another year.

[DelPen]

Should have just kept him for another year. Don't need a young hungry coach next year when we should be losing for another year.

Rather see Sid in the playoffs than tanking right now. There’s going to be dark times after he retires and I still don’t think this team will ever be bad enough to have a good chance at a top 5 pick. It took Sullivan’s expert coaching to make this team with so many players hitting career highs and breaking records to miss the playoffs that even Paul Newman today has a good chance to guide a team with Sid into the playoffs and not miss them three straight years.

This team has been better than their record shows for at least 5 years now and it’s either Sid’s fault or Sullivan’s.

[Michael74]

FINALLY!

[dark_forces]

Should have just kept him for another year. Don't need a young hungry coach next year when we should be losing for another year.

I was thinking the same. You have to wonder if they clear out the entire staff now, or simply promote Quinn or Vellucci to head coach and add another assistant.

[Antonio]

OH MY GOD SWEET MOTHER **** JESUS THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS!

Rather see the entire staff **** to be honest. Totally fresh start.

Dubas: Look Mike, we are going to need to change some stuff...for starters, you are going to have to promise me to play someone or something other than Matt Nieto's corpse and Acciari 23 minutes a game.

Sullivan: ...I want out.

[Zalapski33]

This is a necessary move for the Penguins moving forward.A new system and voice has to get in here.

Thank You Mike Sullivan for the 2 Unforgettable Back to Back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017 and all the Great Memories.

[Ohio_Pens_fan]

So, who’s up next? Quinn, Joel Q., Tocchet, selection by dartboard? Place your bets.

[DeHaven162]

Hoping for Carle, but not sure if we're the young and up and coming team he'd like to leave college for.

Hard pass on Joel Q, Quinn, Tocchet, Torts. Laviolette.

[Zarovich]

I think Dan Bylsma is looking for work

[Gunnerfan]

I think Dubas was crazy like a fox here. I don't think he wanted him back, so he created a logical list of things he and the organization needed from him. He obviously didn't like having ultimatums handed to him, which created the environment to move on.

Sully is a great coach, but not for this team. This is a mutual, "agree to disagree" professional parting of ways.

Thanks for the memories, Sully. You were a great representative of Pittsburgh and the Penguins.