Speculation: Penguins off day talk thread: Yes, Sully is still the coach

[Sidney the Kidney]

Nah, we’ll swap Puusty and Nylander again…you’ll see, it’ll work the second time

Pool Party move just shows how desperate we are for legit players under age 30 lol

Sullivan: "The PP has gone 0-1 on its only opportunity and looks lousy because Karlsson, Malkin, Crosby and Guentzel were sloppy. So clearly the solution is to remove Puustinen and replace him with Jeff Carter."

 

[Pancakes]

I guess nothing is off the table except for firing Mike Sullivan.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I guess nothing is off the table except for firing Mike Sullivan.

Beyond loving him, FSG is going to be really reticent to eat the money on his extension if he goes into TV.

 

[Pancakes]

Beyond loving him, FSG is going to be really reticent to eat the money on his extension if he goes into TV.

He'd get another coaching job in short order if he wanted one.

The problem is I suspect if FSG fired him he'd want to hold out for the Rangers job. All the New York media was extremely horny about hoping Sully got fired this past off season so that the Rangers could sign him. I am sure Rangers management covets him as well. But with Lavy doing well there right now it may be a few years before that Rangers job opens up for him again.

 

[ChaosAgent]

He'd get another coaching job in short order if he wanted one.

The problem is I suspect if FSG fired him he'd want to hold out for the Rangers job. All the New York media was extremely horny about hoping Sully got fired this past off season so that the Rangers could sign him. I am sure Rangers management covets him as well. But with Lavy doing well there right now it may be a few years before that Rangers job opens up for him again.

The question is whether he really wants one. Or holding out for a specific one.

FSG may think team is cooked regardless.

I'd still fire Sully to be sure, but it's their money

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I’m sorry but how long does it take to evaluate someone…he’s probably out for the season

Yeah it looks grim. What a shame. He was playing great.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

lol…from Dk from practice

• Power-play time, and I do believe a solution's been uncovered: It's five guys against an assistant coach. All kinds of quality looks.
All kinds of quality looks, and the hard focus is on finding a trigger man in front with two quick passes, one down low, one across. They will never do this in a game. Never.

• More power-play drills. More shots to the net through heavy traffic, often three bodies. They will never do this in a game. Never.

• Alignments are a little different than Sunrise:

PP1: Erik Karlsson and Evgeni Malkin at the points, with Valtteri Puustinen, Jake Guentzel and Sidney Crosby up front

PP2: Kris Letang at center point, with Jeff Carter, Lars Eller, Reilly Smith and Vinnie Hinostroza up front ... stressing that Eller's near enough to Letang on the left side that he can help cover back


• Puustinen's role on PP1 isn't small. In addition to being utilized in the left circle as a trigger man, as he'd been throughout his AHL career, he's sliding into the high slot upon Karlsson's instruction.

• Mike Sullivan's now instructing everyone to put on regular sweaters, with the same lines and pairings they used in Sunrise. An in-season scrimmage?

• Nah, just a continuous churn drill. But it did require a sweater change.

I like that Puustinen left wall thing. He has a shooting mentality and is playing urgent hockey. Plus he's got real power.
Would be very welcome to see shots from the left side.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

Anybody have a tweet on the Pens practice lines (besides Pool Party alternating with DOC)?

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Anybody have a tweet on the Pens practice lines (besides Pool Party alternating with DOC)?

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

So Rust is dead???

Fantastic.

 

[Ulf5]

PULJUJARVI'S MOTIVATION ‘REALLY HIGH RIGHT NOW’​

Question I just had for Jesse Puljujarvi that hit at his tumultuous NHL tenure:• On his motivation level to make something of his career: "I think it's really, really high right now. Coming back here, show everyone I’m a good player for this league. I’m looking forward."
• On why he chose Pittsburgh: "Yeah, there was some interest. I'm happy to be here. I'm happy for the opportunity. It's been a long wait. I've been rehabbing hard -- really hard -- to be here. I'm happy now."
• On the nature of his injury, which hasn't been kind to NHL careers: "Yeah, it's tough. I've been fighting for three months to get back any possible way. I've been getting better."
• On how he felt during this practice: "I felt ... all right. I can improve a little to get to 100 percent."
• On what he can bring: "I think, when my body's feeling good and I can play ice hockey, I can bring a lot. Forechecking, good plays, low play."
Mike Sullivan, as one might expect given the circumstance, didn't set any expectations for Puljujarvi: "I need to learn his game. Jesse's a guy that has played in the league and had some success, and could potentially help us in some capacity."

THIS NEEDS META INFO YET

www.dkpittsburghsports.com

 

[Andy99]

I think the pool party look is a good decision.

It’s fine to give him a tryout….I’m not expecting anything…he sucked with Carolina last season….our problem is finishing and he can’t score a goal so even if he’s ok, he’s really not helping at our most urgent need

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

• On what he can bring: "I think, when my body's feeling good and I can play ice hockey

There's that dedication to those high, high Penguins standards.

 

[Ulf5]

It’s fine to give him a tryout….I’m not expecting anything…he sucked with Carolina last season….our problem is finishing and he can’t score a goal so even if he’s ok, he’s really not helping at our most urgent need

Hopefully he's healthy enough and has regained enough speed to ar least be an effective forechecker.
Like you said his career .15 goals per game is rather lousy. Even though it's better than DOC, Nylander, Zohorna and Nieto. And exactly the same as Hinostroza's.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

Zohorna? Waived? Traded? Dead? Doghouse?

 

[Andy99]

Hopefully he's healthy enough and has regained enough speed to ar least be an effective forechecker.
Like you said his career .15 goals per game is rather lousy. Even though it's better than DOC, Nylander, Zohorna and Nieto. And exactly the same as Hinostroza's.

He was occupying Rust’s locker stall today apparently…if Rust is gone for awhile, he’s not a top six option…maybe he’s better than Harkins but I’m not expecting much…

Zohorna? Waived? Traded? Dead? Doghouse?

Doghouse brah…

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Zohorna? Waived? Traded? Dead? Doghouse?

Doghouse, like last game.

 

[canadianguy77]

Ah, a radical new move - actually trying to be threatening from the slot on the power play.

Too bad we won't anything of the sort during actual games.

They have focused on it in the past. The problem is that they always put Jake in the bumper spot and he’s too weak to get one timers off cleanly. Jake isn’t strong enough, nor near elusive enough for the power play. It’s a huge problem, but the coach can’t see it.

 

[Andy99]

They have focused on it in the past. The problem is that they always put Jake in the bumper spot and he’s too weak to get one timers off cleanly. Jake isn’t strong enough, nor near elusive enough for the power play. It’s a huge problem, but the coach can’t see it.

So let’s put 5’8 Puustinen there instead lol?

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Zohorna? Waived? Traded? Dead? Doghouse?

Zohorna's not one of Sullivan's Chosen Ones. He has to play well every night or he's scratched the first rough patch he has. Not like Sully's favorites who can be dogshit for 40+ straight games and not miss a game.

 

[BusinessGoose]

So Rust is dead???

Fantastic.

There goes asking him to waive...

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

Zohorna's not one of Sullivan's Chosen Ones. He has to play well every night or he's scratched the first rough patch he has. Not like Sully's favorites who can be dogshit for 40+ straight games and not miss a game.

What a disservice it would be to Zohorna, his teammates, the organization, and, by extension, the city of Pittsburgh, if Sullivan didn’t get him playing the right way.

Z’s producing at a .29 PPG clip. That’s unacceptably high.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Zohorna's not one of Sullivan's Chosen Ones. He has to play well every night or he's scratched the first rough patch he has. Not like Sully's favorites who can be dogshit for 40+ straight games and not miss a game.

Zohorna 6 points in 230 minutes
Harkins 0 points in 96 minutes

Sully: Hmm, I'd better take Harkins when the team has scored 3 goals over the last 3 games. Carter too.

 

[DesertedPenguin]

Nothing significant in this, but it is a one-on-one with Tom Werner of FSG about ownership's vision. Committed to winning. I really don't think they want to have many years of rebuilding. If they need one or two to position the franchise long-term, fine, but they'll be aggressive otherwise.

 

[Pancakes]

Nothing significant in this, but it is a one-on-one with Tom Werner of FSG about ownership's vision. Committed to winning. I really don't think they want to have many years of rebuilding. If they need one or two to position the franchise long-term, fine, but they'll be aggressive otherwise.

Don't think it really matters what they want. When Crosby retires this team is going into a hard tank and no amount of willingness to spend in free agency is going to pull them out of that.