Cherpak
Registered User
- Jan 1, 2014
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Penguins fire Mike Johnston, Mike Sullivan named new head coach
- Thread starter Marc the Habs Fan
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Big McLargehuge
Fragile Traveler
The biggest problem is that the Penguins lasted about one round too long in the playoffs to have a chance at someone like Trotz and their #1 choice turned them down, and there were reports that Johnston wasn't even the #2 choice.
The biggest problem with that cycle is that Rutherford valued getting a fresh voice over getting the most qualified person for the job...I was definitely on the wrong side of this as well, but Hynes was basically a non-factor for the job because he was using Bylsma's system in WBS. Of the available options, Hynes was the most qualified and was never seriously considered.
Sullivan's track record in the NHL is very hit or miss, but at least he does have head coaching experience at both the NHL and AHL, and his system in WBS has given fantastic results thus far (3.7 goals per game and 2.13 goals allowed...3rd in the league on both sides). The defensive numbers are nothing new in WBS, but they're averaging nearly a goal more per game than last year.
Jumptheshark
Rebooting myself
- Feb 10, 2010
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LOL @ the Canadian media blaming Crosby's coach killing on Phil Kessel. Why am I not surprised.
Steve Simmons isn't the "Canadian Media". He's an idiot that represents himself, and only himself.
When you have Crosby, Malkin, Kessel and Letang on your team, not to mention good supporting talent like Kunitz, Hornqvist, Perron, Bennet, Bonino, etc., you just can't be bottom 4 in the league in goals.
We'll see if a new coach can bring some life to this team, or if there are deeper problems. I think a picking up an offensive dman or two would be a good call - after Letang the rest of them can't do much with the puck, much easier to defend superstar forwards when the breakouts are weak, and when you can cheat off the dmen in your own zone to get extra defenders on the forwards. I'd imagine Rutherford is on a pretty short leash right now, wouldn't be surprised to see him gone pretty quickly if the Pens can't start dominating.
We'll see if a new coach can bring some life to this team, or if there are deeper problems. I think a picking up an offensive dman or two would be a good call - after Letang the rest of them can't do much with the puck, much easier to defend superstar forwards when the breakouts are weak, and when you can cheat off the dmen in your own zone to get extra defenders on the forwards. I'd imagine Rutherford is on a pretty short leash right now, wouldn't be surprised to see him gone pretty quickly if the Pens can't start dominating.
Rutherford states he sees improvement with the defense specifically stating Warsofsky ,Ollie,Dumo,and
Letang puck movement ...Scuderi and Cole will be the guys in trouble
Letang puck movement ...Scuderi and Cole will be the guys in trouble
Empoleon8771
Registered User
Crosby is as much of a coach killer as Ovechkin is. But you'd never admit that because your an Ovi fanboy.
Of Crosby's 5 coaches over his career, 2 were horribly unqualified for the job (Olczyk and Johnston) and 2 had their shelf life run out (Therrien and Bylsma). But of course it's Crosby's fault that coaches have shelf lives and the Pens hired 2 bad coaches (one of which was hired before Crosby was even a Penguin).
Big McLargehuge
Fragile Traveler
Mike Johnston is not a NHL caliber head coach, period.
I know people love the 'coach killer' stuff, but when a coach is in over their heads you can't pin it exclusively on the players. Ovechkin wasn't to blame for Adam Oates being a lousy head coach, either.
In Crosby's career the Penguins have had 2 okay NHL caliber coaches, both of which stayed well past their shelf lives, and two guys that had no business being NHL head coaches to begin with. I loathe Bylsma, but it's hard to deny that he got results before his message got stale and Therrien was great as a transitional coach.
- Feb 10, 2010
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Oh my bad I thought he was an award winning sports writer for some of the most popular Canadian news sources (including weekly appearances on TSN).
I must have the wrong guy.
BHD
Here comes Skinner
There are definitely problems with roster, e.g., the defense. Johnston, though, didn't handle them correctly.
- Feb 10, 2010
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BackHandShelf22
Registered User
- Apr 12, 2014
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Lol, the anti-Pens agenda you have runs deep. Simmons is awful, but continue.
Empoleon8771
Registered User
But the issues run so much deeper than Crosby's perceived lack of effort. Your argument makes no sense. A coach wouldn't get fired if the only issue was Crosby half-assing it, and that's pretending that's actually true.
- Feb 10, 2010
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That particular fact is irrelevant......unless you think Kessel (an American) and not Crosby (a Canadian) - was the primary reason Johnston was fired.
Empoleon8771
Registered User
It's so cute that you're trying to pin the coach getting fired on 1 guy. It's like you're not even trying to hide your bias.
Plot twist: MJ was fired because the team was underperforming and MJ spat in the face of the upper management and ownership by refusing to play the young players like they said they wanted. No, that can't be it though.
- Feb 10, 2010
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I agree Johnston had multiple problems in terms of coaching, but Crosby's sub-par play this year is the single most noticeable factor.
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