Has Mike Sullivan Been Fired yet

[DesertedPenguin]

So add Chris Johnston to the list of people connecting Mike Sullivan to the NYR. It seems to be everywhere. I read a NYR insider report suggesting Drury has wanted Sullivan for a long time now, and that he was told Sullivan is not available last summer. This time, it almost feels as if Dubas WANTS to move on from Sullivan, but since he said that Sullivan will be back if he wants to be back, he has no say in the matter.

What I find hilarious is that just as Johnston is saying the NYR want Sullivan, he also suggests that the NYR are looking for more structure when choosing their next coach.

Talk about an oxymoron!

Johnston talked about Drury's extension with the Rangers and the coaching search in New York on this podcast:



Listening to it - there's not much there.

"I know a lot of people have said, "Hey, would it make sense for Mike Sullivan to go there?" I don't know how that will land just yet. I know for sure they want to see a change in the way the team plays and performs, to be a bit more predictable in a good way with how they play."

That's it.

So, I wouldn't say that there is any real smoke to Sullivan to NYR.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Well I mean if they want predictable then Mike Sullivan is their guy for sure.

Maybe not the predictable they WANT but hey. It's the f***ing Rangers so I'm here for it.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Honestly, why would Sully want to stick with a team that's going nowhere?

Its funny that the team makes a big deal about Sullivan's preparation and competitiveness every year but then why is he here? Why is the best coach in the league and a winner okay with spending close a decade winning and achieving absolutely nothing? Id be questioning the guys desire to win if he's choosing to stay here over teams like the Devils

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Its funny that the team makes a big deal about Sullivan's preparation and competitiveness every year but then why is he here? Why is the best coach in the league and a winner okay with spending close a decade winning and achieving absolutely nothing? Id be questioning the guys desire to win if he's choosing to stay here over teams like the Devils

Or how about the fact that he is supposed to be this incredible, top three whiz-bang coach with a hockey genius brain but he can't seem to win with anything other than ideal rosters with multiple franchise legends in or around their primes? Even Disco Dan could eke out wins with trash.

That double standard has always really confused me. Like... yeah... I bet I'd be pretty rich too if you simply handed me 10 million dollars, right? Wow what an accomplishment.

 

[Giskard]

Out of curiosity, given the current state of the Pens, who would be a good replacement for MS should he bolt for the glamor of the Big City?

The first random dude from WBS will do just fine.

 

[Duffy13]

The next coach doesn't need to be a godsend, they just need to be good with young players, willing to try things on the fly, and adapt to in game situations. They just need to be a transitionary coach, unless of course it's a surprise homerun. I'd be ok with Vellucci being given a shot, he has a decent resume, and why not? He would serve the core as a familiar.... why this core is so emotionally soft I don't know, but jesus christ lads, f***ing grow up and get off the tit.... anyways. He's a decent coach in his role, give him some experience at he NHL level and it works out great, and if it doesn't ok, whatever, we're not contending for a few years anyways.

Transitionary coaches good with young players should be the goal until it's time to get "the one"

 

[Duffy13]

Doug Wilson: I thought.... why is he here... copy paste from Wiki:
He spent a further year away from hockey before resuming his career in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins on September 6, 2023 as Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations. He serves as a counselor and mentor to all levels of the Penguins hockey operations department.

The Reason: His daughter Lacey was Miss Massachusetts USA in 2010 and Miss Illinois Teen USA in 2002

Boston Connection

I'm in a Rabbit hole people!!!!! A DAMNING DEEP RABBIT HOLE!!!!


MARTY LAUZON Director of High Performance

During Lauzon's time with the Falcons, the team captured the NFC South Division three times, won the NFC Conference Championship in 2017 and advanced to Super Bowl LI against the New England Patriots.

AGAINST NEW ENGLAND!!!! another Boston Connection

This conspiracy runs so deep!!!!


(qualifier, this is for fun, I'm not completely crazy..... yet)

 

[LOGiK]

Watching the NHL playoffs. The first time I've watched the NHL all season that wasn't a Penguins game.

Even more now than ever.... what the hell are the penguins doing keeping this coach looking like trash.
I have even more indignation watching playoff hockey.... what the penguins once were.... and are now reduced to mediocrity and ridicule and that is somehow acceptable.

Unbelievable.

 

[Ulf5]

You and I have never seen eye to eye on the Karlsson trade, but if Dubas turns around and trades him NOW, then I am done with this GM too (to go along with the coaching staff and ownership group). The blacklist is getting longer and longer!

You don't trade a point-per-game defenseman after a 53-point season. If his words in the media are a way of motivating Karlsson, fine. But if he truly goes through with a Karlsson trade, he has almost no chance of winning that deal. The only Karlsson deal that helps us is zero retention and getting back a quality center prospect or LD prospect.

Change coaches. See what Karlsson can do without the clones behind the bench, and THEN move on if it does not work. I would bet the farm that all Karlsson needs is a coaching change to get back to 75-80 points.

Karlsson is a LOT better than Mikael Granlund, and all Granlund needed was to get away from this coach to get back to what he was. It is the same thing with Karlsson, only with an even greater improvement once he leaves this coach.

But we will blame Karlsson and send him on his way. Sad.

Karlsson is about to be 35 and has paced for 60+ once in the last 6 years.

The EK trade, in a vacuum, was perfectly fine. Give the roster a boost of elite talent to take one last shot, get the best player in the trade, dump some salary.
Despite Sullivan, EK while underperforming compared to SJ play, has performed perfectly acceptable.
But if you bring him back next year, are the Pens contenders? That's highly debatable. If your conclusion is no, recoup what you can and move on.

 

[Victor Z]

David Quinn would be nothing but a tank commander here, and that's all he's good for. If you want to WIN games, look elsewhere.

I realize that the cowardly "just play" style of WBS has the stench of Mike Sullivan all over it (so it may not be ALL the coach's fault), but the way Kirk MacDonald failed to get the Baby Pens team "up" for their brief playoff appearance does not speak well for him, if anyone is thinking he should be a future NHL head coach here.

 

[cygnus47]

We need the 3 coach combo. 1. Transition coach - Sully. Not good, there to eat shit. 2. Hardass defensive guy - there to teach young guys how to win. 3. Cheerleader - to let the boys play a bit and get us over the top.

 

[66-30-33]

Man I can't believe we are still keeping Sully. Just fire the damn guy already, are you like this stupid?

 

[cygnus47]

Man I can't believe we are still keeping Sully. Just fire the damn guy already, are you like this stupid?

It makes sense if we’re tanking? Otherwise yeah stupid.