Penguins fire Mike Johnston, Mike Sullivan named new head coach

[sting101]

It will be interesting to see how Mike Sullivan does for the penguins. He looked absolutely lost for the Canucks when Torts was suspended.

Can't say I didn't expect a change with the way the Pens have played.
Seeing Sullivan take over really caught my attention because this guy was a complete disaster here in Vancouver. Horrible decision IMO.

This is going to be quite the culture shock for the team. Get ready to block shots and have your center take the front of your own net....lol

The Penguins have had an Edmonton like defense core this year without Nurse. It's that bad. When Letang leaves the ice it's an embarrassment of ineptitude.

The guy that should be canned is the GM if he closes a window with two of the greatest players in the game and no defense.

Anyways good luck Penguin fans as I always appreciated the fact that this is a team that was willing to play the game attack minded.

 

[Damisoph]

something something Phil Kessel locker room cancer.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I don't know if it's true but I heard the same thing.



That dumpster fire was also in the midst of discovering their coaching wasn't working. The entire team was also struggling much like Pittsburgh is now and that certainly didn't stop anyone from calling them a dumpster fire.

Now Pittsburgh is the dumpster fire, and in their pursuit of a winger for Crosby they handcuffed themselves out of being able to fill the many holes they have on their roster, and are left with one of the worst prospect pools to boot.

Yes, we must be super-duper jealous that the Penguins suck, have no cap-space, have no prospect pool, have no direction, poor management and an untested coach but Phil Kessel, who is even worse this year then last, which was his worst at that point. Especially after the enormous expectations and Toronto bashing from Pens fans following the trade.

My entire objection is to Kessel being blamed for coaching turnover on either team. Its a sign of a petty, lazy mind.

 

[oilz89*]

Mike Johnston was an AHL coach before or a College coach?

 

[Cherpak]

Johnston had to go, but RIP Pens' power play.

Have you seen our PP? I can't imagine Sullivan can make it much worse than it already is.

 

[Shrimper]

Wonder how many coaches JR can throw under the bus before he loses his job, two more?

This is his first change in coach.

Bylsma was fired before he joined.

 

[fiveAMpractice]

Wow have some compassion man. This is a human being with a family and everything. How would you like if s bunch of people posted on the Internet about how crappy you were at your life's work?

Does Tim Peels family count or has he told them all to f--- off.

 

[1Gold Standard]

Ya, I don't think Sullivan is much of an upgrade...

but Johnston needed to go.

 

[Contender]

Mike Johnston was an AHL coach before or a College coach?

He was the head coach and GM of the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL.

 

[BHD]

Mike Johnston was an AHL coach before or a College coach?

Johnston was an associate coach next to Crawford in Vancouver and Los Angeles before overseeing the Portland Winterhawks (WHL). He also coached at the international level. However, he had never been a HC at the NHL or AHL level, and it showed.

 

[Cherpak]

I think he did the best with what he had and he doesn't deserve to have his reputation besmirched because Crosby isn't producing like he normally does. What happened to personal accountability?

Johnston seems like a good man and I wish him the best. Losing your job right around the holidays is pretty devastating.

Cry me a river. He is still getting paid.

 

[Extra Texture]

I had high hopes for Johnston based on his Portland ddays and what he said when he was hired. Then he just became DB 2.0 and the offense dried up like a prune almost a year ago now.

I get that the Pens' style if mismanagement and "we are family" garbage entitles some veteran players to believe they are above the law, but the way the guy came in talking about a new style and engaging youth and then has run headlong away from that philosophy has been disgraceful. Daniel Sprong was one of their best players in the first the other night (against the Avs), and he finished the game with 6 minutes of TOI. He and Sergei Plotnikov have shared the press box all year despite being some of the most effective forwards on the Pens through the first part of this season.

And the "look at the D he has" argument is weak as hell. The D was better last year, including Letang having a career year. And the team was still inept after the first 2 seasons.

kessel at it again, grade A coach killer.

Stupid HF tropes are back again Yes, Kessel destroyed MJ's sterling reputation in 30 games. Took last year's surefire cup contender of a team and ruined them overnight.

 

[Loff]

Stevey is in love with Kessel confirmed...

 

[LeafsNation149]

Shoulda hired Carlyle so Leafs get the 2nd back

 

[oilz89*]

Johnston was an associate coach next to Crawford in Vancouver and Los Angeles before overseeing the Portland Winterhawks (WHL). He also coached at the international level. However, he had never been a HC at the NHL or AHL level, and it showed.

Yeah certainly did. Bit too risky to hire a junior coach right to the NHL isn't? Should've been brought in as an assistant. What other candidates are out there now

 

[Cherpak]

Call me crazy but I feel as though Ron Wilson would gel with their roster. Run and gun hockey would work well with an offensive team like theirs. Just thinking ahead for next time.

I thought him a Kessel mixed like oil and water?

 

[aufheben]

Stevey is in love with Kessel confirmed...

Who is this guy, he seems annoying.

 

[dogbazinho]

This is his first change in coach.

Bylsma was fired before he joined.

I imagine he is including his time in Carolina where he routinely did as was suggested. I know JR hasn't been at the Pens long enough for his ineptness to seep through the organization but it is inevitable.

 

[skolgoar]

Crosby, Kessel, Perron, Hornqvist, Fehr, Bonino, Kunitz and Cullen are all on pace for career lows I believe in points per game. That leaves Malkin (who isn't far above his career low in injury riddled 10-11 season), Bennett (who has never played close to full season), and two rookies, Sprong and Plotnikov.

Either we have twelve forwards who simultaneously hit a sharp career decline, or the coach sucks. I have a hard time believing it's the former.

From what I see, the forwards are confused if they should be helping out their overmatched defense or trying to breakout from non-existent passes out of the zone from their overmatched defense. In the offensive zone, pucks are escaping the zone because the dmen are not able to hold the blue line and do a poor job of joining the offence.

Perhaps this is coaching or more likely this is because the Pens don't have the personnel on the back end to support their forwards. Taking a team that is defensively leaky and using your resources to try to appease your captain and leader by adding more offense isn't the answer to fixing problems.

Fleury has been great this season and has masked the fact that the Pens don't have an NHL caliber blue line. People around the league are confused by seeing the Stars tearing up the league and assuming it is all about Benn and Seguin, but overlook the huge gains Dallas has made in building their blueline and bringing in a solid 2-way guy in Sharp.

The NHL is now a game of 5 man units as the Kings have schooled the Penguins on in their past 2 games and by loading up and trying to add offensive pieces when you already have 2 of the most skilled players in the league instead of shoring up the defensive end is poor construction. Perhaps Johnston wasn't doing a good enough job, but he really wasn't given much help from a GM that drove the Hurticanes into the ground.

 

[Extra Texture]

I think he did the best with what he had and he doesn't deserve to have his reputation besmirched because Crosby isn't producing like he normally does. What happened to personal accountability?

Johnston seems like a good man and I wish him the best. Losing your job right around the holidays is pretty devastating.

What the hell are you talking about? Nobody is saying he is a bad person, he's just not the right coach for this team, right now. I'm sorry it didnt work out for him. Not like any of us wish him ill or anything. Stop trying to find a victim here.

Speaking of "personal responsibility" the offense has gone off a cliff since about a year ago, and Crosby's decline had nothing to do with that. He was still their best player in the postseason last year. No, I think Johnston playing 36 year old vets who have nothing left in the tank for 20 minutes a night had alot more to do with it.

Pitt was the wrong place for him to cut his NHL teeth. They needed an old school NHL coach who has a strong reputation and a track record at this level. They needed that 2 years ago, and should've aimed for someone like Trotz or Lavvy, but they botched the firing of DB like compete idiots and had to go for someone who was less proven. I personally hope MJ gets another kick of the can soon, because he seems like a good guy.

 

[Cherpak]

Sullivan's coaching resume - 1st year turnaround, 1st in the division, upset in the 1st round. Next season, team goes into the dumpster and misses the playoffs. Sounds like a perfect match for this Penguins lineup.

We don't even know if he's gonna be the HC next season. This is more likely a audition to see if he can improve the club.

 

[oilz89*]

Who is this guy, he seems annoying.

He's a ****head. Part of "The Reporters"

 

[chadthestampede]

Please take Bylsma back

 

[tp71]

He's a ****head. Part of "The Reporters"

Also known as "The out of touch hour"

 

[BHD]

Please take Bylsma back

We warned you.