The Pittsburgh Penguins: last in the *East* after *9* games.

[66-30-33]

I think Dubas had a great offseason even if he did focus on getting Sullivan the players he wanted, just think Sullivan is why it's not turned out great. I said before HexBurke were shitcanned that Sullivan has to go or firing the GM/Pres wont fix shit, and it didn't. Might be too late now but it's worth cutting the coach loose now. Now that Sullivan has his roster, he still sucks.

 

[Gunnersaurus Rex]

Said it last year. Crosby has played his last playoff game for the Pens. He either never plays a playoff game again, or moves to a better team.

 

[66-30-33]

When does Karlsson ask to be traded?

I doubt he does but if he goes he will be at 50%, a 5M Karlsson would be worth a lot.

 

[Stickpucker]

Pens...it's time to do right by Crosby and send him to Carolina for a shot at another cup.

It's only fair after we gave you Francis and later a huge haul for J. Staal

 

[Honour Over Glory]

He must be friends with someone in ownership because nobody is allowed to fire him, it seems.

Ownership that are Massholes love their fellow Massholes. Sully also loves his Masshole rejects he loves to give a longer rope to, even as camp invites to pro contracts.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

They're the oldest team in the league and by quite a bit ( only team over 30 by average ) . They play a style of play the old legs of the team no longer support imho.

Against the Stars what i saw was a team that ran out of juice after 30-ish minutes .

Why do you think that is? Because the GM signs only old players or that across 3 General Manager's, a coach has a preference to play older veterans over youth which has aged this team and seen younger players get traded to get some value over nothing or they leave via free agency or sign over seas.

Sullivan has destroyed this prospect pool more than JR, Hextall, and Dubas ever could with trades and while some may scoff at that they don't understand the issue at all if they don't realize that's the main reason the last 6 seasons why this prospect pool and roster has dwindled to a joke.

When you have a preference for certain types of players and have 2 cups to prop yourself up on, the mandate is to give the coach what he needs to win, does it make sense to? Sometimes but not all the time. He openly beefed with Ian Cole and that single issue and his need for a 3c and open romance letter to Big Game Ass or I mean, "Brass" - had the team give up a brutal deal and it's been downhill since. He's miscast several players that have gone on to bounce back or actually be scouted correctly for the skillset they have. He refuses to play young players in advantageous ways, more or less punishes them with brutal 4th line duty and punishes creativity on offense.

Also doesn't seem to like the physical players based on minutes he gives them but he will talk about how they need to play that way, irony at its finest.

The fact that 2 GM's either quit or got fired because of Sullivan is hilarious, Dubas still took the job and is in the same trap of making excuses for the coach.

The Penguins are old because Sullivan likes it that way regardless of how he talks about needing young legs in the line up. He's content pandering to Crosby and his line and his only "big change" of Rust And Rakell swapping.

Most of us can't figure out why or how Chad Ruhwedel remains on this roster as a regular at all, but we are certain it's with Mike's blessing.

 

[um]

I don't think it's too early, since the problems with Sullivan have been there for years now. He does not have the answers and his shelf life has expired eons ago. But the two cups seem to buy him infinite leash. It's now or never to fire him and get a fresh start for the last runs with this team.

I think if Sullivan gets fired some teams should fire their coach to get Sullivan.

Not saying I disagree, coach's do have a limited shelf life.

 

[SomeDude]

I think if Sullivan gets fired some teams should fire their coach to get Sullivan.

Not saying I disagree, coach's do have a limited shelf life.

And some coaches need a wake up call that they might need to change things up. Right now, Sully acts like he’s God’s gift to coaching and anyone that questions him is out of line.

 

[um]

That was 1 owner and 2 GMs ago. Nobody in the organization should feel any loyalty to him for that.

I don't think it's about loyalty, its about credibility. And Sullivan has more than anyone except for the guy who wore 66.

Not including current players of course.

And some coaches need a wake up call that they might need to change things up. Right now, Sully acts like he’s God’s gift to coaching and anyone that questions him is out of line.

You're probably. Its always awkward when a winning coach needs to go.

 

[All Mod Cons]

The Dubas effect.

 

[FunkySeeFunkyDo]

Said it last year. Crosby has played his last playoff game for the Pens. He either never plays a playoff game again, or moves to a better team.

Said it again this year, Flyers haven’t won the cup since 1975.

 

[Salsa Shark]

They're the 4th best team in the division at best behind Devs, Canes and NYR. Could be 5th but I'm higher on the Isles than most.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Not really that surprising tbh. They missed the playoffs last year with everyone unusually healthy. This year their stars are a year older. At best they are a bubble team and without good goaltending they could drop to a lottery team.
I mean it’s still way too early for this thread but I think there’s a good chance they miss the playoffs.

 

[ecemleafs]

all of their top players are in their mid to late 30s and i dont expect them to be a playoff team, but this thread is silly after only 6 games. they are 4 points out of first in the division...

 

[SteelCityCannon]

Bottom six and the bottom pair are terrible. Rakell, a ghost.


Goaltending is shaky. Worried, because this is exactly how they've looked since 2018. Not sure how Sullivan is still here, despite not winning a round since.

Good coaches way past shelf life is in the water here in Pittsburgh.

 

[3074326]

The Dubas effect.

Yeah the Pens were young until Dubas took over.

Dubas is not the issue, as much as you guys want him to be.

 

[The Kingslayer]

They win tonight.

 

[authentic]

The Dubas effect.

Dubas always made the playoffs though

 

[Voight]

Is the Crosby/Malkin/Letang era coming to an end? I think the same question can be asked of the Ovechkin/Backstrom era. Boston seems to be weathering the loss of Bergeron/Krejci but we'll see if they can it going all season and for how many more seasons.

As a Hawks fan - it was painful to watch the team get old and fall apart and it took years for mgmt to acknowledge the Toews/Kane era was over and to finally do what was necessary to rebuild. How many more years will it take for the Hawks to become legitimate Cup contenders again - 5 years or 10 years or never? Before the 2010 Cup it had been 49 years since winning the Cup in 1961.

Letang and Geno got fresh 5 year deals a year ago, they aint voluntarily giving up that kind of money and security.

I imagine Sid re-signs to match the remaining years on their deals and they all go out together.

 

[MCR74]

When does Karlsson ask to be traded?

Soon. His goal was to join a contender, right?

 

[EbonyRaptor]

Letang and Geno got fresh 5 year deals a year ago, they aint voluntarily giving up that kind of money and security.

I imagine Sid re-signs to match the remaining years on their deals and they all go out together.

Sid has been an exceptional player his whole career so maybe he can lead an exceptional run to another Cup championship - but the odds are heavily against it. The question Pens fans must have is how long do the Pens continue to give the Crosby/Malkin/Letang core another chance to win another Cup - is there still enough magic left to overcome those long odds? Knowing the longer they wait - the longer it will be to rebuild a team good enough to challenge for a Cup.

As a Hawks fan I know it's tough to let go of the championship team when you know there are years of bad hockey ahead - but in retrospect I wish the Hawks had started the rebuild at least 4 years earlier than they did.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Mike Sullivan is Dan Bylsma with better hair.

 

[Romang67]

Last in the division, half as many points as the division leader, and we're well past (Canadian) Thanksgiving. Can't really see them coming back from this.

 

[BoneDocUK]

A new coach might bring up young players who have scored in the AHL like Puustinen or Poulin and actually give them a look at the next level.

Mike Sullivan’s actual response to why he doesn’t play a young player with offensive upside on the 3rd line is that they don’t PK and you have to PK to play in the bottom 6.

Mike Sullivan, meet Paul Maurice.

Always thought of Sullivan as a more flexible, new-gen coach -- but I guess unless you watch a team a lot the coaching warts aren't easy to see.

That bottom 6 looks brutal. Maybe the waiver wires will spill some bounty that isn't Jansen Harkins.

 

[MCR74]

Last in the division, half as many points as the division leader, and we're well past (Canadian) Thanksgiving. Can't really see them coming back from this.

But they got Karlsson!