Confirmed with Link: It's Started! (Management firings)

[Pens x]

You knew there would be embarrassing stories about Hextall and Burke surface. Shame on those that fought me, defending these guys. These people were the definition of incompetent and dysfunctional, not patient…

Shame on FSG for not firing sleepy sooner. Their inaction cost that team an entire season. Not firing Sullivan was also inexcusable.

 

[Pancakes]

Whether or not that stuff in the article is true, we have Hextall's objectively terrible moves as firm evidence that he was a horrible gm and we're better off without him.

Also, that aside, it wasn't Hextall who played Jeff Carter way too many minutes this year. That was Sullivan. We're much better off without Hextall but let's not pretend Sully is blameless

 

[DesertedPenguin]

No, it's not. It's as melodramatic as they come. It speaks of Sullivan as if it's USSR in 1950 and he is Stalin.

And considering how these same two, for lack of a better word, journalists, can't stand Hextall for his secrecy, their assertions about his motivations are more than a little suspect. The whole "ownership needed someone to break the big 3" story makes very little sense. Owners can always order GMs not to offer contracts to this or that player since they are the ones footing the bill, no need to go the extra mile in an attempt to find some schmuck who would obey.

Saying, "I want XYZ to happen" is different than putting together an actual plan to execute it.

It would make perfect sense to want to hire a GM who is willing to plan around your request rather than to hire a GM who is against your request.

 

[BallardEra]

Was listening to 32 Thoughts and Freidman mentioned that Dubas has been offered the job with the Pens.

Apparently he's been given some time to decide on it.

 

[Pancakes]

You knew there would be embarrassing stories about Hextall and Burke surface. Shame on those that fought me, defending these guys. These people were the definition of incompetent and dysfunctional, not patient…

Shame on FSG for not firing sleepy sooner. Their inaction cost that team an entire season..

Dubas wouldn't have been available if they fired him last year. If that's who we end up with and if he ends up being good, there's that at least.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Since I'm already the board's Mike Sullivan apologist and am now stuck defending Rossi and Yohe, might as well complete the triumvirate and officially become a pariah with this note...

Mario Lemieux was checked out for several years before the sale to FSG.

He hasn't done a press conference or interview in years. He never spoke publicly about the sale. He never spoke after Rutherford quit. He's basically been invisible since the Cups.

This concept that he wanted the Big 3 to retire together is based on old information. We never heard directly from Mario what he thought about that concept as Letang and Malkin approached free agency. Everything was being run through Morehouse. He was the one who introduced Hextall and Burke after they were hired.

I don't think it's quite the leap to believe that Lemieux no longer cared about keeping the Big 3 together, that he was just ready to sell the team and move on, which gave Morehouse the freedom to pursue a GM who would overhaul the team around Sid.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Since I'm already the board's Mike Sullivan apologist and am now stuck defending Rossi and Yohe, might as well complete the triumvirate and officially become a pariah with this note...

Mario Lemieux was checked out for several years before the sale to FSG.

He hasn't done a press conference or interview in years. He never spoke publicly about the sale. He never spoke after Rutherford quit. He's basically been invisible since the Cups.

This concept that he wanted the Big 3 to retire together is based on old information. We never heard directly from Mario what he thought about that concept as Letang and Malkin approached free agency. Everything was being run through Morehouse. He was the one who introduced Hextall and Burke after they were hired.

I don't think it's quite the leap to believe that Lemieux no longer cared about keeping the Big 3 together, that he was just ready to sell the team and move on, which gave Morehouse the freedom to pursue a GM who would overhaul the team around Sid.

FWIW I don't personally think it's a bad thing that we often disagree. And is in fact a good thing that promotes healthy discussion. At least you frame your opinion in a respectful and articulate way and bring the receipts. I don't want to make it seem like I'm over here throwing rocks at you and laughing.

re: Mario... eh. Dude is my hockey hero and the reason I started watching all those years ago but he's farrrrrrrr from above criticism.

 

[Pancakes]

I don't think it's quite the leap to believe that Lemieux no longer cared about keeping the Big 3 together, that he was just ready to sell the team and move on, which gave Morehouse the freedom to pursue a GM who would overhaul the team around Sid.

I could see Mario wanting the big three kept together but basically not being that invested in the Pens any more and kinda leaving their fate in the hands of Morehouse and the new leadership group.

Like not actively pushing for a rebuild, but not stepping in to stop it either.

And if that's the case, he can be forgiven. He poured most of his life into this team. It's not on him to be the savior every time, and fortunately (if that article is true) Sid did what needed to be done to save the core anyways. Sid always had that power if he really wanted to exercise it.

 

[ThosePuckingPenguins]

Since I'm already the board's Mike Sullivan apologist and am now stuck defending Rossi and Yohe, might as well complete the triumvirate and officially become a pariah with this note...

Mario Lemieux was checked out for several years before the sale to FSG.

He hasn't done a press conference or interview in years. He never spoke publicly about the sale. He never spoke after Rutherford quit. He's basically been invisible since the Cups.

This concept that he wanted the Big 3 to retire together is based on old information. We never heard directly from Mario what he thought about that concept as Letang and Malkin approached free agency. Everything was being run through Morehouse. He was the one who introduced Hextall and Burke after they were hired.

I don't think it's quite the leap to believe that Lemieux no longer cared about keeping the Big 3 together, that he was just ready to sell the team and move on, which gave Morehouse the freedom to pursue a GM who would overhaul the team around Sid.

This is the thing that always made me laugh with the “FSG are absentee owners” BS that some like DK were running with. How often did Mario do interviews? When did we actually hear from him? I remember he did that interview with DK after Shero and Bylsma were fired but other than that, you didn’t really see or hear from Mario besides the broadcast occasionally showing him in the owners box.

 

[Pancakes]

This is the thing that always made me laugh with the “FSG are absentee owners” BS that some like DK were running with. How often did Mario do interviews? When did we actually hear from him? I remember he did that interview with DK after Shero and Bylsma were fired but other than that, you didn’t really see or hear from Mario besides the broadcast occasionally showing him in the owners box.

DK probably had sources he could go to that were connected with Mario in some way to get tips on news and stuff.

The Pens media has none of that with FSG, so they're all sulking over not being able to break significant news because they don't know who to go to in order to get it.

 

[Turin]

Since I'm already the board's Mike Sullivan apologist and am now stuck defending Rossi and Yohe, might as well complete the triumvirate and officially become a pariah with this note...

Mario Lemieux was checked out for several years before the sale to FSG.

He hasn't done a press conference or interview in years. He never spoke publicly about the sale. He never spoke after Rutherford quit. He's basically been invisible since the Cups.

This concept that he wanted the Big 3 to retire together is based on old information. We never heard directly from Mario what he thought about that concept as Letang and Malkin approached free agency. Everything was being run through Morehouse. He was the one who introduced Hextall and Burke after they were hired.

I don't think it's quite the leap to believe that Lemieux no longer cared about keeping the Big 3 together, that he was just ready to sell the team and move on, which gave Morehouse the freedom to pursue a GM who would overhaul the team around Sid.

I don’t know if the story is true or false, some aspects seem more true than others. The problem is we aren’t getting a birds eye view with Rossi, we’re getting histrionics.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Since I'm already the board's Mike Sullivan apologist and am now stuck defending Rossi and Yohe, might as well complete the triumvirate and officially become a pariah with this note...

Mario Lemieux was checked out for several years before the sale to FSG.

He hasn't done a press conference or interview in years. He never spoke publicly about the sale. He never spoke after Rutherford quit. He's basically been invisible since the Cups.

This concept that he wanted the Big 3 to retire together is based on old information. We never heard directly from Mario what he thought about that concept as Letang and Malkin approached free agency. Everything was being run through Morehouse. He was the one who introduced Hextall and Burke after they were hired.

I don't think it's quite the leap to believe that Lemieux no longer cared about keeping the Big 3 together, that he was just ready to sell the team and move on, which gave Morehouse the freedom to pursue a GM who would overhaul the team around Sid.

I say this as one of our most objective posters...
Defending Mike Sullivan is not a worthy cause after this last year.

 

[The GM]

Mathieu Darche - Director of Hockey Operations

Mathieu Darche - Director of Hockey Operations

webcache.googleusercontent.com

Mathieu Darche - Director of Hockey Operations

Former Lightning forward and NHL veteran MATHIEU DARCHE joined the Tampa Bay organization on May 6, 2019 as Director of Hockey Operations. Darche assists General Manager Julien BriseBois in all aspects of player personnel decisions, analytics, player development, contract preparation and negotiation, budgeting, scheduling and cap tracking.

A veteran of 250 NHL games played with the Lightning, Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks and Montreal Canadiens, Darche, 43, joins the Bolts after formally retiring as a player in 2013. He was heavily involved as part of the NHLPA negotiating committee during the 2012-13 work stoppage, also serving on the negotiating committee of the Professional Hockey Players Association for the American Hockey League's collective bargaining agreement.

After retiring as a player, Darche worked for Delmar International, a Canadian customs broker and freight forwarder with more than 1,000 employees worldwide offering complete cargo management supply chain solutions, in the position of vice president of sales and marketing. He also served five years on the board of Ronald McDonald House and six years as a television hockey analyst on RDS. Darche graduated from McGill University in Montreal in 2000 with a commerce degree, majoring in marketing and international business, and was named to the school's sports hall of fame in 2015.

So Darche can assist in importing and transporting Marios’s magnums of wine to road games?

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don't know why this website simultaneously shits on Rossi and Yohe whenever they can but also rushes to post whatever nonsense they spew out.

It's so painfully obvious what their schtick is.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

This is the thing that always made me laugh with the “FSG are absentee owners” BS that some like DK were running with. How often did Mario do interviews? When did we actually hear from him? I remember he did that interview with DK after Shero and Bylsma were fired but other than that, you didn’t really see or hear from Mario besides the broadcast occasionally showing him in the owners box.

Mario will never be criticized by the local media because he was able to save the team, secure an arena deal, and win additional Cups.

But he does deserve some criticism for not being more visible as an owner the last few years. And let's face it, he leveraged the potential relocation of the team to secure the arena deal. He's not as altruistic as some paint him out to be as the "savior" of the franchise. He was exploring selling the team just before the Cups, remember? And the Penguins went on the run, their value shot through the roof, and suddenly they weren't for sale anymore.

Mario did a lot of good things, including establishing a culture that purportedly treated players and staff in a first class manner. But he was ultimately a businessman who didn't want to operate at a loss, and that's why I think it's believable he was at least at peace with giving Morehouse the freedom to hire a GM to move in the direction he saw fit.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

I say this as one of our most objective posters...
Defending Mike Sullivan is not a worthy cause after this last year.

Yeah I kinda feel like last year should have been the line for just about everyone. Up until then even I could at least somewhat understand defending the guy.

 

[66-30-33]

I don't know why this website simultaneously shits on Rossi and Yohe whenever they can but also rushes to post whatever nonsense they spew out.

It's so painfully obvious what their schtick is.

I just shit on them, I don't post their garbage here.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

I say this as one of our most objective posters...
Defending Mike Sullivan is not a worthy cause after this last year.

Even if you discount what Rossi and Yohe wrote this morning, it was painfully obvious to anyone watching the team that there was a disconnect between Sullivan and Hextall.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to see how Sullivan does this year before casting him aside.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I don't know why this website simultaneously shits on Rossi and Yohe whenever they can but also rushes to post whatever nonsense they spew out.

It's so painfully obvious what their schtick is.

People are dying for scraps of news at a pivotal juncture in the franchise. When no news about what they want to hear is forthcoming, people alleviate their boredom with whatever crap pops up.

 

[Malkinstheman]

Listened to what Friedman said on 32 thoughts. He didnt say that the Pens offered him the job. Just that he knows they talked, cant confirm if they met but FSG is giving Dubas some time to figure things out.

 

[Gurglesons]

Even if you discount what Rossi and Yohe wrote this morning, it was painfully obvious to anyone watching the team that there was a disconnect between Sullivan and Hextall.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to see how Sullivan does this year before casting him aside.

I mean I don’t see how giving a team 5 playoff wins in 5 years continues to get patience, but you do you.

 

[Andy99]

Rossi's trip was just a couple of years ago. It was after the Kessel drama.

I do have questions about the Crosby/Malkin Florida saga. Sid definitely publicly downplayed his involvement. He always has in those situations.

But I wonder if that's just Sid trying to prevent the notion that he's controlling things. Because we have another example now of his power in the organization from the report that he met with Dubas. And that report came from Taylor Haase, one of the board's favorite reporters.

If Crosby is meeting with a prospective GM candidate under the cover of darkness, is it not possible that he had a larger role in Malkin's free agency than he was willing to publicly admit?

For what it’s worth, I do believe Crosby has a lot of power in the organization, equal to Sullivan, and both probably more than the FO in the past…for good or bad…I think he downplays his authority too but I don’t think he went to Florida to see Geno for the purpose of luring him back, texted or phoned him yes, but I don’t think that story is right….I agree he’s been using his influence to keep the core together, as has Sullivan…they’re both in cahoots with a lot of things, which is why Sullivan hasn’t been fired yet despite needing to be…the core liking him and standing up for him is the reason he’s still here after five failed seasons and numerous missteps…you may disagree on that one but Sullivan needs to go like 20 day old bread…he’s here because Sid still wants it, same with Geno and Letang…Mario had the same authority as the face of the franchise…

I also think Yohe and Rossi’s “sources” is Sullivan, and perhaps Sid as well (why Sullivan is universally praised by them regardless of what he does)….you get a very biased and controlled narrative however, particularly around the FO, so I don’t believe a lot of that story

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Sullivan is somehow the best coach ever on one hand but also cannot overcome any roadblocks set in front of him for five straight years on the other. That's weird.

 

[Pens1566]

Sullivan is somehow the best coach ever on one hand but also cannot overcome any roadblocks set in front of him for five straight years on the other. That's weird.

All part of his plan. He's just getting to his game.

 

[Gurglesons]

Sullivan is somehow the best coach ever on one hand but also cannot overcome any roadblocks set in front of him for five straight years on the other. That's weird.

Once again the amount of power that doofus is reportedly having in this org if you take that article seriously is absolutely frightening.

But, can’t wait to hear about how he’s a great coach next year and WHOooOo could ever replace him.

As you know Mike Sullivan being made our coach in 2016 was probably the biggest coup by this franchise since Hossa.