Time to Fire Mike Sullivan?

[SupersonicMonkey*]

Season is young, but yeah... Gotta agree with you there. Sadly...

I'm a big fan of Richards. Wanted him here for years. When he got traded out of Tampa Bay.

But its very alarming how terrible he's been. If this goes on into the summer they have to consider buying him out. Can't have a 33+ year old center taking 6+ of the cap playing like this.

He better wake up.

 

[3rdlineglory]

I'm a bit worried this might be true.

Richards looks awful. He went through periods last year looking awful. The signs of decline are there.

They better not waste that extra buyout on Rupp. If Richards doesn't wake up by next summer it should be used on him before its too late.

Unless folks are OK with a mid-30's center who plays like crap? He's getting points because of Nash and Gaborik right now.

While what you're saying may be correct. People need to stop seeing every veteran like if they were Chris Drury, especially the ones that don't play physical.

 

[NYR Viper]

Richards has 3 points in 4 games and the team has played terrible.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Richards has 3 points in 4 games and the team has played terrible.

Yeah but still....

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

Richards has 3 points in 4 games and the team has played terrible.

Richards has 3 points in four games because Gaborik and Nash are carrying him right now.

He's been ****ing awful. Please don't look at stat sheets and look at what's happening on the ice.

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

Yeah but still....

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

I agree he's been bad. But I think it's way too early to be discussing buyout.

Especially given that he didn't go overseas and missed most of camp with the flu.

If he looks like this for the rest of this year and next, then that's another story.

 

[SupersonicMonkey*]

I agree he's been bad. But I think it's way too early to be discussing buyout.

Especially given that he didn't go overseas and missed most of camp with the flu.

Not yet.

IF come the end of the season he's been erratic throughout, it needs to be considered. That's what I'm saying.

He needs to wake up.

Especially if Tortorella is going to continue to refuse to play anyone else.

 

[Vickers8]

Dump. Chase.Turnover.

OR

Dump. Chase. Barely set up zone control. Take a crappy shot into a completely blocked lane. Turnover.

We run an overload offense WAYYY too much. When we do actually set up the zone, intead of taking a horrible shot from the point immediately, we need to work on passing to open up the slot for a juicy one timer here and there. Actually crashing the net would be great too.

5 on 3 passing the puck around the perimeter for 40 seconds and taking a point shot that is blocked everytime, it's like watching Mark Sanchez keep missing open receivers...

 

[GordonGecko]

not disagreeing that we can use a 2nd assistant to help things about...but lets be fair our pp has sucked for the same reasons long before torts or sully got here...outside of 93-94 with leetch and zubov running the point. and maybe one year with jagr, what other time in franchise history has the pp not underacheived?

coachs and players keep changing but results don't

so what you're trying to say is there's something in the water??

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Clever.

The fact is that outside of Lundqvist, Nash, Pyatt and one game of Gaborik, nobody has played well.


It's also a fact that it's early. And if last year showed anything, it's just get in to the playoffs and you have a chance.

 

[ChrisKreider20]

wtf does any of this have to do with the ***** PP that stands still and pass's back and forth?

This is how it does:

1st Point:

Bringing in a 2nd Assistant Coach who is strong tactically (and preferably with strong PP experience) would help this.

It isn't the personnel. Our first PP unit is star studded and includes a few "PP Specialists". Therefore, it must be coaching.

I'm suggesting leaving Sullivan but adding a second assistant who is stronger tactically and can actually run the mechanics of a powerplay. An externality is that it allows us to adjust strategy effectively when things aren't working rather than blindly shuffle lines.


2nd Point
Adding a RH d with a massive point shot because it keeps the PKers honest and less focused on the players down low. Therefore, providing more ability to move down low. A positive externality is the fact that it strengthens our pairings and gets Bickel out of the top six.

3rd Point
More forward depth (1 additional scorer) takes the strain off the first unit and allows the 2nd unit to not be write-off on the PP. An externality is that it also allows us not have a 4th line that's a liability.

So yeah, it answers it pretty well.

 

[NYR Viper]

 

[patnyrnyg]

yes that guy....but if you think about it, when our Power Play was lethal, it was not only Leetch but it was coupled with another PP Wiz in Zubov at the other point. That pairing was all-world and a dream fr any PP

Power play was still good after they traded Zubov.

 

[broadwayblue]

I'm not sure what the answer is...but it is appalling that our PP is still this bad a year later.

 

[LORDE]

There are no words to explain how awful the 5-3 is.

THE FLYERS SENT A MAN TO FORECHECK FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!

No one respects it because of the severe ineptitude of it. They send a forecheck u send everyone away and fire a pass up the boards... Now it's 4 on 2.

It's insane how bad they are. And it's been that way for years!

This isn't to say fire Sullivan but he needs help. Big time.

 

[BrianLeetch2]

There are no words to explain how awful the 5-3 is.

THE FLYERS SENT A MAN TO FORECHECK FOR CHRIST'S SAKE!!!

No one respects it because of the severe ineptitude of it. They send a forecheck u send everyone away and fire a pass up the boards... Now it's 4 on 2.

It's insane how bad they are. And it's been that way for years!

This isn't to say fire Sullivan but he needs help. Big time.

No one attacks the middle, there was plenty of times when the flyers could have been exposed in their end but just wasnt recongnized by the PP. Very frustrating to watch.

 

[Radek27]

Richards looks like the flu put him behind the rest of the team a bit as far as conditioning. He's getting gassed quickly on shifts then Torts double shifts him and he's just floating. The second game of the back to backs have been tuff for Richards so I'm pretty sure this is the issue with his game right now.

 

[Thirty One]

While I don't think Richards has been bad, I'm glad people are finally blaming players who get more than 7 minutes of ice time per game.

But it's been 4 games. That's like judging me on the first 40 minutes of my work day (and I haven't done anything yet).

 

[GordonGecko]

Seriously, something needs to be done. This talent is being wasted by bad coaching

 

[Riverdale]

yes yes yes yes

 

[tlallstar6]

Seriously, something needs to be done. This talent is being wasted by bad coaching

Agreed. This is horrendous. Something needs to change.

 

[Giacomin]

Seriously, something needs to be done. This talent is being wasted by bad coaching

Fire Sullivan. That is what needs to be done!

 

[Clowes Line]

Hell to the ****ing Yes.

 

[NYRPat21]

Fire Torts.