Penguins fire Mike Johnston, Mike Sullivan named new head coach

[brewski420]

He hired Johnston.

I don't see Pittsburgh as a legit contender and it is hard to see how they can dramatically improve over the next 2-3 years.

They are not a legit contender right now, I agree. The rest is just not .... well it's just not even worth commenting on.

 

[BHD]

His facial expressions will be missed.

(not really)

 

[Empoleon8771]

but isnt the offensive coach still there? so dont see the offense changing. scuderi yes

No, the PP coach is still there, and I'm not even sure how much of an impact he had on the PP. Johnston made the lines I think.

Just changing from Johnston's system to Sullivan's system will be great. From watching some WBS games, I'm very happy with this move.

 

[g00n]

he had one less coaches in his NHL career than Ovechkin so far...

Crosby (5): Olczyk, Therrien, Bylsma, Johnston, Sullivan
Ovechkin (5): Hanlon, Boudreau, Hunter, Oates, Trotz

 

[Beef Invictus]

Blaming Kessel for this is a cognitively weak opinion that fails to note many of the team's problems under Johnston predate Kessel.

 

[radapex]

Agreed. I'm sure Sullivan will be fine but I really did like Hynes.

For those non-Pens fans laughing or curious, Johnston is a good coach. He's smart and he understands the game very well. Unfortunately, he's not the right coach for the Penguins. High lowered offense players + meh defensive is not the correct roster to be running a tight, timid, defensive system.

Not the right coach...and it was very, very obvious.

To be fair, the poor defensive is the reason he was running such a conservative, defense-oriented system. He was trying to do everything he could to insulate them.

I'd expect the Pens' defensive numbers to tank over the remainder of the season, as Sullivan will most likely roll the all-offense system they want. If you're a Fleury fantasy owner, you may want to consider selling.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Crosby's point totals are more important to the Pittsburgh organization than winning games.

 

[Human]

Crosby (5): Olczyk, Therrien, Bylsma, Johnston, Sullivan
Ovechkin (5): Hanlon, Boudreau, Hunter, Oates, Trotz

"so far"...

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Crosby's point totals are more important to the Pittsburgh organization than winning games.

*looks at standings*
*looks at roster*


Yeah, Johnston had a good (but definitely flawed) roster playing hideous hockey and getting nominal results for it. Just barely being a playoff team is nowhere near good enough for this team...that argument at least made a bit of sense for Bylsma since the Pens were at least winning in the regular season, Johnston has coached them into the middle.


And as I and my fellow Penguins fans have been repeating ad nauseam...when half of your roster is having their worst career season (by far in most cases) you have to start thinking that maybe the coaching isn't so great.

 

[Common Sense]

Crosby's point totals are more important to the Pittsburgh organization than winning games.

How exactly does firing a coach who has turned the Penguins into a bubble team show that they don't care about winning games?

 

[PensandCaps]

Crosby's point totals are more important to the Pittsburgh organization than winning games.

What?

 

[Jacob]

Crosby's point totals are more important to the Pittsburgh organization than winning games.

They're tied together. But Sid is one of about 10 players on the team that is having a career-worst season. And they're barely winning too. There's something wrong with the system.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

I bet now I figure that Toronto wanted Babcock more than they wanted Kessel

 

[Empoleon8771]

Crosby's point totals are more important to the Pittsburgh organization than winning games.

Yes, MJ was fired because of Crosby's point totals and not the fact that the entire roster is neutered offensively and outside of a playoff spot. Yep, definitely.

 

[WarriorofTime]

How exactly does firing a coach that has turned the Penguins into a bubble team show that they don't care about winning games?

Johnston was able to mask the Pens defensive weaknesses. All the fans calling for them to "open it up" are going to see a team that gets exposed a lot.

 

[Bullseyes]

Crosby's point totals are more important to the Pittsburgh organization than winning games.

Seeing as the entire Penguins team hasn't looked good and isn't doing great in the standings, I'm not sure how anyone could think that is the reason they are switching coaches.

It was about time they did though. Johnston was horrible.

 

[Philly85*]

Good riddance. They are underperforming. I think Pens fans are happy no? I'm not even a Pens am but for some reason I think it's a good thing.

 

[Koized]

Crosby (5): Olczyk, Therrien, Bylsma, Johnston, Sullivan
Ovechkin (5): Hanlon, Boudreau, Hunter, Oates, Trotz

Yep and Hunter was hired basically with the plan he would only be a temporary coach.

I'll bet any Crosby fanboy that Ovechkin ends his career with less coach's.

 

[duffy9748]

They are not a legit contender right now, I agree. The rest is just not .... well it's just not even worth commenting on.

The Despres trade? Neal was a 40 goal scorer with Malkin on a good contract. He has his flaws but Pittsburgh could certainly use his goal scoring right now.

Pittsburgh's greatest weakness is their back end. Having another defenseman that can move the puck would help Crosby/Malkin just as much as a top 6 winger.

You may feel differently about Sprong but there is a reason 95% of draft picks go back to juniors. This has been a waste of a season for him up until this point. Rutherford is the GM, he needs to take blame for that.

 

[WarriorofTime]

I bet now I figure that Toronto wanted Babcock more than they wanted Kessel

I heard Mike Babcock would only take the job on the condition that Kessel was traded.

 

[dubey]

Blaming Kessel for this is a cognitively weak opinion that fails to note many of the team's problems under Johnston predate Kessel.

How many coaches has Kessel had?

Not agreeing with anyone's argument just curious

 

[Empoleon8771]

Johnston was able to mask the Pens defensive weaknesses. All the fans calling for them to "open it up" are going to see a team that gets exposed a lot.

But they're outside of a playoff spot, which is unacceptable for this roster. I like how you're ignoring that fact.

http://triblive.com/sports/penguins/9617925-74/sullivan-coach-game#axzz3u77kKuXm

Sullivan says he doesn't want to be pigeon-holed as an offensive or defensive coach, and the Baby Pens' stats portray that. They're in the top three in the AHL in both goals for and goals against.

Instead of focusing on offense or defense, Sullivan preaches pace.

“We want to play with the puck and that's a priority, but when we don't have it, we want to play a pursuit game,” he said. “Our pace game, possession game and pursuit game are going to be the priority.”

 

[crump]

Happy for Pens fans. You guys have been waiting for this all season.

(Happy for Leafs too...hopefully the First rounder from the Kessel trade comes through now)

 

[WarriorofTime]

Oh a "pace" game well that fixes everything

 

[PensandCaps]

Johnston was able to mask the Pens defensive weaknesses. All the fans calling for them to "open it up" are going to see a team that gets exposed a lot.

And where did that get us? 9th place? And a 8th place finish last year...might wanna check the standings before making ridiculous statements about wanting sids point totals more than winning even though the pens are losing.....lol.