Confirmed with Link: Penguins and Mike Sullivan part ways

[BusinessGoose]

"look, dooby, it's either we sign more veterans, or I leave out the door"

"ok... Bye"

 

[DesertPenguin]

If we’re going to follow the long franchise tradition of hiring a random alumnus to guide us through a period of terrible hockey…I suggest Ville Nieminen. Who has been known to rock a sweater vest behind the bench, even under a suit jacket.

This is AI right? No way his mouth is actually that large.

 

[Factorial]

Here's the kicker about the PP. They removed 1 person...Malkin, but that's a red herring for this season's success.

Guess what Quinn implemented to improve the PP? He insisted the players MOVE and create infinite shooting/passing lanes.
Sullivan could have rectified the PP years ago...Quinn ain't anything special.

Also removed Karlsson.

 

[DesertPenguin]

He’s calmed down since hanging the skates up.

What’s more inspiring for a team than having a coach behind you that can devour the other team?

Dude could consume a hockey puck up on edge.

 

[DesertPenguin]

Tom Barrasso was coaching in Italy, not sure if he still is... Lets bring back that crazy bastard haha

This is one way to make sure the players aren't enjoying playing in Pittsburgh too much.

 

[The Old Master]

i'll miss you sully.
you're the only guy that would play me instead of some snotnose kid.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

If we’re going to follow the long franchise tradition of hiring a random alumnus to guide us through a period of terrible hockey…I suggest Ville Nieminen. Who has been known to rock a sweater vest behind the bench, even under a suit jacket.

Looks like Olli Jokinen with hair.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Here's the kicker about the PP. They removed 1 person...Malkin, but that's a red herring for this season's success.

Guess what Quinn implemented to improve the PP? He insisted the players MOVE and create infinite shooting/passing lanes.
Sullivan could have rectified the PP years ago...Quinn ain't anything special.

Also brought in Grzelcyk.
Just a shame that Quinn sucked so much at his main job that it more than negated all the good he did for the PP.

 

[JRS91]

Long overdue.

He should've been fried after the Montreal series in 2020 or at the very least after the Islanders series in 2021. Thanks for the two Stanley Cups but this was needed especially with younger players needing to be played.

 

[Turin]

The 2021 and 2022 teams were good enough that I don't believe in the revisionism that Sullivan should have been fired then. Those teams needed a goalie and that's it, they could have won the Cup or at least made it far. It's after 2023 for me when it was time to part ways.

 

[Ryder71]

Great day for the Pens!

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

Its humorous to think that of the GMs we had, that Dubas was the one to vanquish Sully

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

A blown 3-1 series lead is a blown 3-1 series lead.

If that happened years ago while the shine was still very much on Sullivan it's like... concerning but whatever. The fact that it was the turd cherry on top of the shit sundae of faceplanting in like three straight series prior to that one should have easily made it the final FINAL straw... nevermind the thee straight times they flat out missed after.

 

[Pancakes]

A blown 3-1 series lead is a blown 3-1 series lead.

If that happened years ago while the shine was still very much on Sullivan it's like... concerning but whatever. The fact that it was the turd cherry on top of the shit sundae of muddying their shorts in like three straight series prior to that one should have easily made it the final FINAL straw... nevermind the thee straight times they flat out missed after.

I think it's silly to hold that one against him. Louis Domingue wasn't even an NHL caliber goalie. And then Sid got elbowed in the head.

Thing is, you don't need to hold that series against Sullivan to justify firing him. There were the two Islander series and the covid play-in against the Canadiens. Those three taken together along with the years of festering defensive issues were more than enough ammunition to justify firing him. And that's not even mentioning missing the playoffs two years in a row when the team was still trying to make it.

The Rangers series? nah. Pens deserved better there.

 

[Turin]

I think it's silly to hold that one against him. Louis Domingue wasn't even an NHL caliber goalie. And then Sid got elbowed in the head.

Thing is, you don't need to hold that series against Sullivan to justify firing him. There were the two Islander series and the covid play-in against the Canadiens. Those three taken together along with the years of festering defensive issues were more than enough ammunition to justify firing him. And that's not even mentioning missing the playoffs two years in a row when the team was still trying to make it.

The Rangers series? nah. Pens deserved better there.

That's why I think 2023 was the time. You gave him reasonable rope for a x2 Cup winner, but since Hextall has got to go and that season went terribly when they were trying to compete, might as well make a full fresh start. All that keeping him with that stupid FSG extension did was sort of delay the trajectory the team finds itself on today.

 

[Jacob]

This is AI right? No way his mouth is actually that large.

He can unhinge his jaw like a snake.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Nah it's not silly at all. I completely understand the circumstances and I completely understand what Sullivan had to work with. He STILL made bad choices.

I'm not saying that it should have been easy to win but it's weird to me that we are sitting here trying to find a way to justify such a choke job. Because that's absolutely what it was. Nobody is finding ways to rationalize other teams and their giant bed-shittings in years past and I'm sure every single one had challenges they were dealing with.

This team won a Cup without it's top defenseman. Mike Sullivan is supposed to be an outstanding... exceptional even... hockey coach. It's one game.

 

[Sorry]

It's a great day for hockey in Pittsburgh. Thanks for the cups but they need a knew bench boss moving forward. Sam Poulin is probably smiling ear to ear.

 

[GilbertSeinfeld]

Nah it's not silly at all. I completely understand the circumstances and I completely understand what Sullivan had to work with. He STILL made bad choices.

I'm not saying that it should have been easy to win but it's weird to me that we are sitting here trying to find a way to justify such a choke job. Because that's absolutely what it was. Nobody is sitting around rationalizing other teams and their giant bed-shittings in years past and I'm sure every single one had challenges they were dealing with.

This team won a Cup without it's top defenseman. Mike Sullivan is supposed to be an outstanding... exceptional even... hockey coach. It's one game.

They also had a lead in all three of those final three games against the Rangers.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

They also had a lead in all three of those final three games against the Rangers.

A hallmark of the team in recent years.

 

[OtherThingsILike]

Well, you all got what you wanted. I can't say I'm surprised by this; most teams change coaches for the sake of making change long before this.
I guess this means we're overtly tanking for McKenna, but it depends on who the coach we hire is. Some are worse than others.

 

[Jacob]

One interesting tidbit is Mitch Love and Kirk MacDonald were teammates with the Albany River Rats in 06-07 for about 12 games.

So I doubt they’re best buddies but you would think that’d make it a nice fit in terms of deploying whatever system that Love decides to employ on down to the AHL. Or maybe as an assistant candidate, since they at least some familiarity.

Love’s playing career was pretty brief so I don’t see a lot of other connections with other guys currently coaching that might be assistant candidates for him. He did have a history with Kevin Constantine but I think he’s out of hockey, and I wouldn’t want him in any capacity anyway.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Is Tocchet available? Or are you merely saying that you'd take someone like him? A Tocchet / Cullen bench might actually have something cooking. Though, that's ignoring this roster.

Someone like him

Shitty coach that gets effort and physicality from his players and they like him. But the team will suck and you have no problem firing them when it’s time to be good again

 

[Harvey Birdman]

With our luck he gonna go to NYR and turn them around. we getting pick 32

This may very well happen. Maybe not with the Rangers. But you put Sullivan on a team that already has in their prime stars with some quality role players and he will turn that team into a contender.

Out stayed his welcome and I am of the opinion he needed to go also. But he isn’t the second coming of Dan Blysma like some people trying to straw man him to be around here. He is a legit head coach. Just our team aged out, his message got stale, and he could not adapt his system to players past their prime, outside of Sid that is Sid is still Sid.

Some team that has a roster squarely sitting in contention will pick him up this year after the season and he will probably take them on a deep run or two. Will he win again? No one knows but I don’t doubt he is a good coach. Just not the coach we need here right now.

I could see him go to say the Star or Vegas if they decide to move on from their coaches. Maybe Oilers. I could see him going Western conference to one of the contenders. Or it maybe the Rangers.

But I imagine he will be on a team next year at the most far our season after next and he does the TV thing for a year.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

This may very well happen. Maybe not with the Rangers. But you put Sullivan on a team that already has in their prime stars with some quality role players and he will turn that team into a contender.

Out stayed his welcome and I am of the opinion he needed to go also. But he isn’t the second coming of Dan Blysma like some people trying to straw man him to be around here. He is a legit head coach. Just our team aged out, his message got stale, and he could adapt his system to players past their prime, outside of Sid that is Sid is still Sid.

Some team that has a roster squarely sitting in contention will pick him up this year after the season and he will probably take them on a deep run or two. Will he win again? No one knows but I don’t doubt he is a good coach. Just not the coach we need here right now.

I could see him go to say the Star or Vegas if they decide to move on from their coaches. Maybe Oilers. I could see him going Western conference to one of the contenders. Or it maybe the Rangers.

But I imagine he will be on a team next year at the most far our season after next and he does the TV thing for a year.

Definitely. he’s the number 1 candidate for every team imo