Planet Sullivan

[Stillerz Bar]

This ESPN article does a great job of summarizing the was most of us feel.

https://www.espn.com.au/nhl/insider/sto ... ngs-firing

They've got varying levels of heat for each NHL coach and the have HCMS on his own category call Planet Sullivan.

It's an ESPN+ article so not all of you will have access so I'll copy the opening paragraph

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Planet Sullivan
Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh Penguins

He's one of the NHL's longest-tenured coaches, but his seat should be scorching.

The Penguins are a disaster this season, giving up nearly four goals per game on average, mustering only 2.5 goals per game offensively, and currently with a 1.9% chance of making the Stanley Cup playoffs, per Money Puck. It's a team with a veteran core of star players that seems destined to finishing outside of the postseason for a third straight season.
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The rest does a deeper dive into what most of us have talked about here.

I'm actually a Sullivan fan in general but I do feel his time here has run its course and this team won't see much success again until we have a new coach. Sadly I think it's much more likely that the rest of Sids career is squandered under this same same ineffective system.

[BigMcK]

Can Planet Sullivan be reached by a Falcon heavy rocket, with a payload of one Sullivan?

[Cow_Master66]

I am also a Sullivan fan and don’t necessarily care if he is fired or not. IMO it’s a player problem. The org decided a few years ago they were willing to sacrifice being a Cup contender for having the core 3 finish their careers here. Nostalgia trumped smart hockey decisions, so here we are.

[Pens4Life]

I am also a Sullivan fan and don’t necessarily care if he is fired or not. IMO it’s a player problem. The org decided a few years ago they were willing to sacrifice being a Cup contender for having the core 3 finish their careers here. Nostalgia trumped smart hockey decisions, so here we are.

How is still a players problem? We changed GMs and changed 90% of roster last years and they still suck?? Sullivan has nothing to show last 6 years..

[Cow_Master66]

I am also a Sullivan fan and don’t necessarily care if he is fired or not. IMO it’s a player problem. The org decided a few years ago they were willing to sacrifice being a Cup contender for having the core 3 finish their careers here. Nostalgia trumped smart hockey decisions, so here we are.

How is still a players problem? We changed GMs and changed 90% of roster last years and they still suck?? Sullivan has nothing to show last 6 years..

Because their offense is dependent on players over 35. If they changed over the other 10% they would be onto something, but some can't handle the thought of seeing certain players in other uniforms.

[Pruezy11881]

Don't hate Sully, but this team hasn't been the same since Tocchet left. Time for Sully to inhabit a different planet...

[jeffshly]

How is still a players problem? We changed GMs and changed 90% of roster last years and they still suck?? Sullivan has nothing to show last 6 years..

Because players follow their leaders. When you've got two HOFers wearing A's on their sweaters, yet those players make bad decisions resulting in turnovers and unnecessary penalties game after game, the younger players follow those examples. Letang and Malkin don't seem to be held accountable for their mistakes (that IS a Sullivan thing), but the O'Connors and Puljujarvis on this team are going to follow their captains.

[Pens4Life]

How is still a players problem? We changed GMs and changed 90% of roster last years and they still suck?? Sullivan has nothing to show last 6 years..

Because players follow their leaders. When you've got two HOFers wearing A's on their sweaters, yet those players make bad decisions resulting in turnovers and unnecessary penalties game after game, the younger players follow those examples. Letang and Malkin don't seem to be held accountable for their mistakes (that IS a Sullivan thing), but the O'Connors and Puljujarvis on this team are going to follow their captains.

Oh come on dude.. you wrote it like young players dont care either and they do mistakes on purpose sometimes lol

[RonBurgundy]

It’s been my opinion for a couple years that this team has factions. You have the core, the highly paid other vets on no movement clauses, the mucker vets and the guys with two way contracts. The core is royalty that cannot be touched. 87 could be separated from this based on his work ethic, but he chooses not to be. The highly paid other vets are anchors that are not premier players, but can often times put up good numbers because of whose line they are on. The mucker vets are just that, journeymen who are hangers on that for some reason Sullivan, and I would argue the core, clings to. The two way contract guys are the only ones that can be disciplined because none of the other factions listens or gives a rip. They have all been around long enough to know that this team stinks. I don’t think Scottie Bowman in his prime could light enough fires with this team. The majority of guys that enter that room figure out pretty soon that it’s not about winning anymore.

[jeffshly]

Oh come on dude.. you wrote it like young players dont care either and they do mistakes on purpose sometimes lol

As a center, does Evgeni Malkin fulfill his defensive responsibilities consistently? Per game, how many turnovers does Kris Letang make due to blind or otherwise ill-advised passes that are picked off in his own zone? How many goals against are a direct result of Eric Karlsson or Matt Grzelcyk losing a man in front of the net while watching the puck?

I’m not saying this is done intentionally, but I’m also not seeing an intentional effort to eliminate these mistakes. Are you?

[Pens4Life]

Oh come on dude.. you wrote it like young players dont care either and they do mistakes on purpose sometimes lol

As a center, does Evgeni Malkin fulfill his defensive responsibilities consistently? Per game, how many turnovers does Kris Letang make due to blind or otherwise ill-advised passes that are picked off in his own zone? How many goals against are a direct result of Eric Karlsson or Matt Grzelcyk losing a man in front of the net while watching the puck?

I’m not saying this is done intentionally, but I’m also not seeing an intentional effort to eliminate these mistakes. Are you?

Letang, Karlsson are both defensive blackholes.. you were talking about young guys doing the same because they look after their vets!? Pick a lane dude.. I would say our younger guys play better and more resposible in defense than many vets do. They make mistakes,because they are young, not lazy and unresponsible like EK and Kris. Also young guys are always scratched after any mistake, while vets have 474949 miles long leash.. our moronic coach doesnt bench them for 101 mistake!

[IntangibleBeer]

Don't hate Sully, but this team hasn't been the same since Tocchet left. Time for Sully to inhabit a different planet...

Thanks for reminding us about that. You are absolutely right. Tocchet provided an important balance to Sullivan. And I believe he is a better coach overall.