Confirmed with Link: Penguins and Mike Sullivan part ways

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Soooooo... like... ya'll thought he did a good job at Four Nations?

It was a short tourney so not a fair comparison but he had many of the same tendencies there as here... made some of the same wrongheaded lineup decisions reminiscent of the ones he makes, here. Hell if I'm wrong and he goes elsewhere and tears it up I'll gladly concede that I was mistaken. I just am a little confused as to where all this confidence in Mike Sullivan is coming from.

 

[BusinessGoose]

A) early mike sullivan was great for us
B) late-stage mike sullivan was terrible for us
C) he might go win five more Cups elsewhere
D) he wasn't going to win here, anymore

All are correct

 

[JackFr]

we're all gonna be so annoyed when Sullivan wins the Jack Adams and our Rangers pick ends up 26th next year

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Also I'll be very curious if he goes elsewhere and implements his "the middle of the ice is death... unscreened point shots all around... push the puck up and down the walls in all three zones" strategy or if he actually sits down and takes the time to I dunno... coach.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

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.

2019 for me, after the Isles sweep. In soccer a failure on that level gets the coach sacked every time, for teams with contending aspirations.
And then in 2020 they were just sleepwalking in that series. No one gave a crap besides Sid and a few guys.

2021 was a nice revival for sure. That was when he had the best depth and Letang was playing some of the finest hockey of his career, especially defensively. He continued that form into 2022.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

we're all gonna be so annoyed when Sullivan wins the Jack Adams and our Rangers pick ends up 26th next year

All good. Just tank for 1st next year and get McKenna with our own. Dubas drafts pretty well. I trust him with high 1st rounders more than most gm's.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

Also I'll be very curious if he goes elsewhere and implements his "the middle of the ice is death... unscreened point shots all around... push the puck up and down the walls in all three zones" strategy or if he actually sits down and takes the time to I dunno... coach.

Picture him for just a second. That arrogant, smug mug. You think he is going to change after essentially forcing his way out of this situation and having at LEAST four teams groveling at his feet?

The best thing that could happen to this franchise has already happened. The NEXT-best thing that could happen to this franchise is if the NYR hire him. For multiple reasons. If it's Philly or Boston or Vancouver so be it. Still good news for us because at least we play him twice.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Picture him for just a second. That arrogant, smug mug. You think he is going to change after essentially forcing his way out of this situation and having at LEAST four teams groveling at his feet?

The best thing that could happen to this franchise has already happened. The NEXT-best thing that could happen to this franchise is if the NYR hire him. For multiple reasons. If it's Philly or Boston or Vancouver so be it. Still good news for us because at least we play him twice.

I mean I think he was yet another "right place, right time, right voice" kinda guy and that CAN benefit the next team he goes to at least in the short term. But no I don't see him being this like... dynamo of creativity and energy and swooping in to some new team and whipping up some killer gameplan that takes advantage of this hypothetical team's personnel and strengths. Because he hasn't done that here in forever. What... was he just like... holding out on us?

 

[Rave7215]

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

2 goal lead at that. He's the first coach in history to lose a series they were winning 3-1 and have a 2 goal lead in every close out game.

That should have been the last straw.

 

[Turin]

Soooooo... like... ya'll thought he did a good job at Four Nations?

It was a short tourney so not a fair comparison but he had many of the same tendencies there as here... made some of the same wrongheaded lineup decisions reminiscent of the ones he makes, here. Hell if I'm wrong and he goes elsewhere and tears it up I'll gladly concede that I was mistaken. I just am a little confused as to where all this confidence in Mike Sullivan is coming from.

Him scratching Connor for the final is basically the culmination of him losing the plot. Like now I think today he might have scratched Kessel.

 

[cygnus47]

4-5 years late at least, but wow finally!

I liked what Dubas said in the presser. What Sully wanted to do and what the team was going to do didn't match, and too many complacent things were building up around the players and team. Also mentioned the lack of system adjustments and not coaching to the team directly. I think a lot of what we've said about Sully was also said between the lines. Was also true 5 years ago, but Dubas gave him 2 years to prove it wrong and he didn't.

Thanks for the cups. You were amazing in 2016, lucky in 2017 and then bad from then on. I'm interested to see if he goes on to be more like 2016 (aggressive, accountable, speed game in all zones) or more like the latter 3/4 of his tenure on another team (aimless, passive board play, favouritism and lackadaisical defense). If he's the former, good on him and whatever team he goes to will be amazing. If the latter, even a great team will underperform.

Looking forward to a coach that will implement a direct offensive and defensive style, hold everyone accountable instead of just young talented guys, and hopefully having a team that will still bottom out for McKenna next season.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

I mean I think he was yet another "right place, right time, right voice" kinda guy and that CAN benefit the next team he goes to at least in the short term. But no I don't see him being this like... dynamo of creativity and energy and swooping in to some new team and whipping up some killer gameplan that takes advantage of this hypothetical team's personnel and strengths. Because he hasn't done that here in forever. What... was he just like... holding out on us?

I see him as someone like Bob Hartley. How many gigs did he get after Colorado? He could not recreate that magic, could he? Hartley with the Thrashers is about what I would expect from him. Or maybe Laviolette with the Capitals and Rangers. Or Tortorella with Philly.

He is a relic.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Him scratching Connor for the final is basically the culmination of him losing the plot. Like now I think today he might have scratched Kessel.

He absolutely would have, yes. And frankly I was kinda done with Kessel by the end, too... but now-Sullivan would not have even put up with Phil long enough to see how things went. Actually we're probably lucky he clicked so fast on L3 or things could have been different.

That said... even I will concede that now-Sullivan is a different guy than then-Sullivan. He's changed. He seems like a guy that has spent way too long sniffing his own farts and truly believing all the suck-ups that tell him it's actually fine perfume.

 

[Empoleon8771]

we're all gonna be so annoyed when Sullivan wins the Jack Adams and our Rangers pick ends up 26th next year

Luckily the draft is going to be good next year, the #26 pick next year may be roughly equal to #15 this year.

 

[Mr. T]

Late to the party here, so this is my contribution

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Late to the party here, so this is my contribution

View attachment 1025146

Mike Sullivan was of the opinion that the Steve Augeri era was their best work.

 

[SEALBound]

Soooooo... like... ya'll thought he did a good job at Four Nations?

It was a short tourney so not a fair comparison but he had many of the same tendencies there as here... made some of the same wrongheaded lineup decisions reminiscent of the ones he makes, here. Hell if I'm wrong and he goes elsewhere and tears it up I'll gladly concede that I was mistaken. I just am a little confused as to where all this confidence in Mike Sullivan is coming from.

It's my genuine belief that coaches are nearly irrelevant in a tournament of that magnitude.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

It's my genuine belief that coaches are nearly irrelevant in a tournament of that magnitude.

I mean they certainly CAN be... provided they aren't doing things like scratching one of your best/most creative players.

 

[vikingGoalie]

I have gained a bit more respect for dubas after watching his presser. Sounds like he was already thinking this early in the season.

 

[Icarium]

we're all gonna be so annoyed when Sullivan wins the Jack Adams and our Rangers pick ends up 26th next year

As long as he isn't behind the Penguins bench, I couldn't care less if he wins the Nobel Prize or an Oscar too.

 

[Turin]

From the time Sullivan got hired til now I have dated 3 people, had major surgery, got a dog, got 3 cats, got married, had 2 kids, bought 2 houses, owned 3 different vehicles. Bro was here a while

 

[Son Goku]

Late to the party here, so this is my contribution

View attachment 1025146

GOAT song that showed off Steve Perry’s tremendous vocals

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Soooooo... like... ya'll thought he did a good job at Four Nations?

It was a short tourney so not a fair comparison but he had many of the same tendencies there as here... made some of the same wrongheaded lineup decisions reminiscent of the ones he makes, here. Hell if I'm wrong and he goes elsewhere and tears it up I'll gladly concede that I was mistaken. I just am a little confused as to where all this confidence in Mike Sullivan is coming from.

Didn't he sit Kyle Connor in favor of Chris Kreider, and have the US playing a conservative grinding game despite them having the offensive weapons to rack up goals?

The fact the game winning goal in OT by McDavid was VINTAGE Penguins' hockey (ie. leaving the most dangerous man wide open in front of the net to chase into the corner) was just the perfect icing on the cake for me.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Oh, and so much for Sid being the reason Sullivan was still here. Unless I missed the report about Sid demanding a trade after this news, seems that contrary to what some folks kept arguing, Sullivan COULD be let go without Sid being the catalyst for it.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Oh, and so much for Sid being the reason Sullivan was still here. Unless I missed the report about Sid demanding a trade after this news, seems that contrary to what some folks kept arguing, Sullivan COULD be let go without Sid being the catalyst for it.

I think Sid has just always been one of those guys that respects the chain of command or whatever and figures it isn't his job or his responsibility to worry about that shit so he doesn't. Like... people are maybe a little shocked that he's been "fine" with all the losing or whatever but I just don't think he's the kinda guy that's gonna start bitching to the press or kicking over garbage cans on his way to the locker room or scream at the coach while on the bench during a live broadcast until he's red-faced pissed. I really do think he is of the opinion that it's none of his business and that they have people that make those decisions... not him. I'm sure he has his opinions but they stay with him.

Yeah I know he's Sid flippin' Crosby but since when has he ever thrown his weight around? Maybe to keep Malkin and that was never REALLY confirmed as anything but Rossi fanfiction, right?