The Rise And Fall Of Mike Sullivan...

[SteelCityCannon]

Because Guentzel wasn't going to re-sign and the other guys have no interest in being traded + have NMCs.

You really think Jake says no if Pittsburgh offers him the same deal? I have to disagree.

 

[RedRocking]

Well, it’s been over Five Years since he won a playoff series. But, ya know It Ain’t Easy staying on top in the NHL. Crosby is a Starman, and Sully is his Soul Love, so they’ll go on forever in their Moonage Daydream, ooh yea!

 

[ClydeLee]

Imagine thinking that shitting on Dubas somehow excuses Sullivan.

Very few Penguins fans would argue against the thought that Dubas has done a terrible job as the Penguins GM. That doesn't change that Sullivan has been an awful coach for the Penguins for pretty much 5 years now. Any normal team would have fired him sometime in the 2020-2022 timeframe, yet it's about to be 2025 and we're still watching him.

Bylsma won a cup in 2009 and had playoff failure after failure after that. Despite that, he won a playoff series in 2010, 2 playoff series in 2013 and a playoff series in 2014 before he was fired after 2014. Sullivan hasn't won a playoff series since 2018 and they're now about to be 3 years missing the playoffs, yet there is literally zero question about Sullivan's job security.

Or if you want another example, Quenneville won 3 cups for the Hawks from 2010-2015. They then lost in the 1st round in 2016 and 2017, missed the playoffs in 2018 and was fired early in 2018-2019. Quenneville had more success yet still didn't last 5 playoff losses and 3 missed playoffs after his last cup.

So the lesson of the Hawks and Quenneville was what in your mind?

Because the team was bad and spiraled worse without him. Fans claiming he holding them back for years weren't validated. The same things happened with the Kings and Sutter.

 

[nbwingsfan]

They might be the worst team in the NHL this season

 

[Pancakes]

You really think Jake says no if Pittsburgh offers him the same deal? I have to disagree.

I think Jake probably lets it go to UFA regardless, yeah.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

They might be the worst team in the NHL this season

Good, it's time the experts show everyone how a tank is really done.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Sullivan f***ing sucks.

 

[MeinerEiner]

Sullivan is not a good coach to say the least. His game plan is more than outdated and his utilization of players is more than questionable. For those who still think he is good at what he does, the month of February will be an eye opener. I dare to predict that Team US will be very disappointing in the 4 Nations.

 

[BallardEra]

Losing to the Sharks tonight would certainly be rock bottom for them.

They now have the second worst GAA in the league and the team looked like they quit last night.

 

[Pens x]

I was told the play in playoff round against Montreal (24th best regular season team) was a fluke and attacked when I said it was time to move on from Sully in 2020.

Why are people just now realizing he sucks?

 

[The Shrike]

Good, it's time the experts show everyone how a tank is really done.

They should tank/rebuild, but is FSG down with that yet?

 

[hotpaws]

They should tank/rebuild, but is FSG down with that yet?

they're presently 28th in the league in pts % so it doesn't really matter what FSG is down for

 

[zappa4ever]

It's funny when the talk turns to which head coaches are on the hot seat and Sullivan is the 'He Who Must Not Be Named' amongst the talking heads

 

[Night Shift]

Every October, the Great Mike Sullivan rises out of the Pumpkin Patch bearing gifts to all men, woman and children of Pittsburgh

 

[SomeDude]

I love how the organization called up 2 of the teams top prospects and Sullivan scratched both to play Matt Nieto and Ryan Shea. It worked so well we only lost by 4 to Columbus. Imagine how much more lopsided it would have been had he dared to play youth.

What a brilliant tactician. We are truly blessed to be able to watch this man coach.

 

[BallardEra]

I love how the organization called up 2 of the teams top prospects and Sullivan scratched both to play Matt Nieto and Ryan Shea. It worked so well we only lost by 4 to Columbus. Imagine how much more lopsided it would have been had he dared to play youth.

What a brilliant tactician. We are truly blessed to be able to watch this man coach.

This is him telling management you didn't provide me the correct players for this season so I'm going to use the guys you've given me.

Not saying he is right but I think that's him sending Dubas and management a message.

 

[SomeDude]

This is him telling management you didn't provide me the correct players for this season so I'm going to use the guys you've given me.

Not saying he is right but I think that's him sending Dubas and management a message.

Oh, yes, this excuse again. Let’s ignore that this roster has essentially been built in Sully’s image since JR rage quit on the organization, probably because he was fed up with how much say the coach had in hockey ops.

Never his fault. We just need 3 more roster turnovers, 4 more coaching staff changes, and then he’ll have what he needs.

 

[BallardEra]

Oh, yes, this excuse again. Let’s ignore that this roster has essentially been built in Sully’s image since JR rage quit on the organization, probably because he was fed up with how much say the coach had in hockey ops.

Never his fault. We just need 3 more roster turnovers, 4 more coaching staff changes, and then he’ll have what he needs.

I'm with you man. I just get the feeling he's pushing back, almost like he is daring them to fire him.

Maybe he thinks FSG won't fire him?

 

[SomeDude]

I'm with you man. I just get the feeling he's pushing back, almost like he is daring them to fire him.

Maybe he thinks FSG won't fire him?

They hang out all summer in Boston together. He has a better chance of being promoted to GM than being fired by these trust fund idiots.

 

[Empoleon8771]

So the lesson of the Hawks and Quenneville was what in your mind?

Because the team was bad and spiraled worse without him. Fans claiming he holding them back for years weren't validated. The same things happened with the Kings and Sutter.

No they didn't?

2017-2018: 76 points under Quenneville
2018-2019: 84 points under Quenneville and Colliton
2019-2020: 72 points in 70 games under Colliton
2020-2021: 55 points in 56 games under Colliton

They were effectively the same team under Colliton as they were under Quenneville, up until they fell off in 2021 3 years after Quenneville was fired. And that decline was much more about Toews falling off a cliff, guys like Saad, Keith and Seabrook being gone and just a general decline due to the age of the roster.

The point of what I was saying is that pointing out that no modern NHL coach has had the insane levels of undeserved job security that Mike Sullivan has had with the Penguins. Firing him won't magically solve all of their issues, but anyone who actually watches the team can easily see how he's a massive problem for the team.

The Penguins have a poor roster right now that should probably be around 18th-20th in the league, maybe a bit higher if the core can step up and drag them to a wildcard team. But because of Mike Sullivan forcing the team to play a system that they simply do not have the personnel to run with, they're a lottery team that looks more likely to be picking top-3 than sniffing a playoff spot. Sullivan is intentionally tanking this team by forcing them to run "his system" rather than a system that actually fits the roster. Any sane organization would fire Sullivan and bring in a coach with a new system that actually fits the older roster, but the Penguins see Sullivan as this masterclass coach and would rather lose with him than even consider bringing in someone new.