Caution to our faithful readers. This is going to be more a loose-leaf ramble from a frustrated fan than a traditional game summary.
“Someone needs to hit someone and put him into the fifth row.” Those words, or a reasonable facsimile, were uttered by AT & T Sportsnet color man Bob Errey during the Penguins’ disquieting 2-1 loss to visiting Buffalo at PPG Paints Arena last night.
I agree. I was contemplating an article about our lack of a “firestarter.” This wasn’t an issue during Brandon Tanev’s two-year stay in the ‘Burgh. When the Pens needed a wakeup call, “Turbo” almost always delivered with a big hit but just as often with his electric energy and all-out hustle on the ice.
While Zach Aston-Reese eventually answered the bell with a hard hit on Anders Bjork and a fight with Robert Hagg to ignite our passions, it isn’t a role that seems to come easily or naturally to him.
Along those lines, Errey mentioned the Pens had been unusually quiet at practice earlier in the day. He used the term “businesslike.” Perhaps they were distracted by news of the pending sale of the team…I don’t know. But I see another cause and culprit.
Coach Mike Sullivan.
Perhaps more than any black-and-gold team of this era, this one is built to his specifications. It’s no coincidence the two players to exit the lineup recently, Drew O’Connor and Brian Boyle, are two of the largest. Last season it was twin towers Anthony Angello and Radim Zohorna who received the quick hook.
Sam Lafferty, about as close as this bunch can come to a Tanev, is pretty much a permanent healthy scratch. With precious few exceptions (Jeff Carter), our forwards are small, quick and homogenous. The better to play Sully’s skating, puck-possession game.
As for big personalities? Ones who might stir up the room and light a fire under the team? Forget about it. Sullivan doesn’t seem to tolerate them. Ben Lovejoy, Ian Cole, Ryan Reaves, Phil Kessel, Erik Gudbranson, Patric Hornqvist and Tanev have come and gone. It’s as if his voice is the only one he wants his team to hear.
Back to the game. Last night’s contest was classic Sully hockey. The Pens unleashed 74 shot attempts to the Sabres’ 31, 46 shots on goal to the visitors’ 19. They outshot the Sabres 20-3 in the third period and 32-9 over the final 40 minutes. They dominated every conceivable metric. And they lost.
For the record, Sabres goalie Dustin Tokarski isn’t the second coming of Georges Vezina but rather a journeyman who served as a backup at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a couple of seasons ago. We have a way of making ordinary netminders look unbeatable, don’t we?
Indeed, our lone goal came not on a shot but on a lucky bounce off Jake Guentzel’s skate. So much for the manic activity and blizzard of shots.
I’m still scratching my head over Sullivan breaking up our one effective line (Evan Rodrigues–Jason Zucker–Kasperi Kapanen). It seems everything needs to have his imprint and to be done his way…even to the detriment of the team.
The Pens are presently 5-6-4 (3-5-2 with Sullivan behind the bench). A team that seemed to find itself a bit under assistant Todd Reirden is suddenly sinking like a stone once again and dropping from playoff contention at warp speed. There are myriad issues, certainly not all of them our head coach’s doing. Maybe we’ll make a miracle turnaround under Sully. Maybe we won’t. Maybe this is the year his obstinance in terms of style and personnel choices catches up to him.
In terms of communication, preparation and knowledge of the game, I think Sullivan’s a good coach. Perhaps even excellent. There’s no questioning his passion and burning desire to win. However, as frequent contributor Jim so aptly pointed out, he’s one-dimensional. Perhaps a fatal flaw given the talent (or lack of) on hand. Some have suggested the Pens play a closer-to-the-vest style. Sullivan won’t hear of it. It’s his way or the highway.
I personally think his system and approach have grown stale. It’s time for a new voice and a new direction.
The Other Rick & Rick
I’m frustrated with the state of the Pen’s as well but I’m not ready to call for his head. The first point I would
like to make is regarding Kessel “He had to go” so if Sully was the reason that’s a star in his cap. Second
and IMO Malkin should have been shown the door as well – he refuses to make the proper adjustments
with his game that are required by an aging player. To be frank, I’m not really looking forward to him
returning, and like LeTurnover he exposes us defensively “Way too many fly-by’s. This sort of validates my
position that this team continues to live in past performance. I will acknowledge that Letang hasn’t been
near as bad in his own end and seems to accept the idea that he plays a little differently for the sake of
the team. “ITS EARLY YET”!!
The blame here needs to be spread around among many participants but there not dead. I still believe
with a couple of needed additions “toughness & size” they could be playoff bound.
Hope you guys are well. GO PENS
Hey Mike,
There are many areas we agree on completely, some areas where we agree on what the outcome should be but we come to those conclusions from different roads, and some areas on which we will probably never agree on – and that is ok. Sullivan is an area where we will probably never agree.
I will agree that losing Kessel, in the end is a good thing. I was glad to be rid of his salary and cap hit. Unfortunately, JR didn’t use that windfall wisely. My problems over Kessel stem from how the trade was handled, the return we got from the trade, and Sullivan’s insubordination. JR was an idiot. Kessel was coming off his best 5-on-5 Pnts/60 of his career. I won’t argue that those numbers were no doubt influenced by the stars around him but that shouldn’t have affected what the team could get in return all that much. He was showing a play making side he had never shown before.
Unfortunately, JR telegraphed his intent to trade the embattled RW so that no matter who he talked to, the other team would have the upper hand – so, in the end, all we got in return was Galchenyuk and POJ, a veteran whose promise was never realized and prospect whose star was not as bright as the team’s PR would have us believe mainly because of his lack of weight. Most of the scouting reports on POJ that I read said yes he had some skill but his size/weight would be the determining factor in his upside and the kid not only isn’t putting on any muscle with age, his skills are fading a la Pouliot.
JR then doubled down his stupidity by trading Galchenyuk’s contract, which would have expired at the end of that season for Zucker’s contract, which still has one more season to go, at $5.5 million. Zucker, may not be a bad player elsewhere, but he fits in Pgh like Perron did. Zuckers Pnts/60 are 1.98, the player JR traded’s Pnts/60 while a Penguin, Galchenyuk was 1.97 – a statistical dead heat. Now, I know you will try and blame Malkin, but Malkin hasn’t played this season and Zucker’s Pnts/60 have dropped down to 1.63 without that big Russian Bear to buoy up his sinking Offense.
So, in the end, the Kessel trade was bungled, badly.
Perhaps the biggest reason for the bungle was Sullivan and his insubordinate actions more in line with a petulant child than a professional sports team’s coach when he contradicted his GM who said Kessel was injured during the Capital’s series and Sullivan whined “no he was not”. I would have fired him on the spot for that. It is one thing to contradict your superior in private but to run to the media with your petulance is significant grounds for termination.
I will agree with you that the Playoffs may not be out of the question. Anything can happen. However, listen to what you, yourself said they need – size and toughness. First, where are they going to get that? They have few to no bargaining chips to play with. Even my earlier proposed trade of DeSmith for Holl doesn’t add much. Second, even if Hextall could pull off a Scuderi for Daley type theft, can you really see the Coach you would prop up playing bigger, tougher players? The first players he removes, when the opportunity arises is the bigger tougher players. Whether you want to admit it or not, Sullivan will never give you the team you want to see.
Hey guys,
Great comments above…So true Rick when you said ” every Coach, every player has a shelf life ” ! That is the truth about anything competitive in life. Time marches on.
The thought today on everyone’s mind is “The possible sale of the Penguins “.. The fact that no one is denying it and major US News outlets are writing openly about it seems to me that it is a likely a done deal.
For myself the real question is why did it take so long ? Covid last year destroyed many major sports franchises world wide and the lock downs and mandates did nothing to inspire confidence in the future. This had to be a factor in Ron Burkle’s decision to cash in his Pen’s holdings and move on.
I thank the current ownership for an amazing run of over 20 years and for the many found memories but that said, I really hope the New Ownership Group if successful, will take a fresh approach and rebuild this brand for the future with out any emotional attachments to the past. This sale presents a unique opportunity if done right.
I look forward to the next few weeks as this all plays out guys.
How about you ?
Cheers
JIM
Hey Jim,
You spoke volumes. We do have to thank this ownership, it has given us one heck of a ride.
Change does have to come. However, thinking about the new ownership is like getting set up on a blind date; we could lucky and land a 10 or not. We could end up with an ownership like the Pittsburgh Pirates have that only cares about profit margins and not championships. Only time will tell, that is if the sale goes through. I never count anything until the ink dries.
Again, my hope is that is the two sides come together on this, then the first order of business is fixing the coaching staff first, that is the teams weakest area.
Hey Rick,
You aren’t getting any argument from me. I have been calling for Sullivan’s head since the loss to the Capitals in the playoffs several years back, when, after JR told the media that Kessel had been playing injured, whiny boy Sullivan came out and contradicted his GM saying no Kessel wasn’t injured, then again the following December when he, hypocritically, whined again to the media that Dupuis had no business airing his troubles with Kessel in the media (you shouldn’t have started it then Mike) Then again that April after the Isles put the broom to the Pens when Sully acknowledged that he lost the locker room and no one was listening to him, followed by saying that 2 of the only 3 players to score goals in that series were the culprits for the loss Kessel (again) and Malkin.
My only argument for you Rick is that if Sullivan really knew the Xs and Os of Hockey how is he constantly getting out coached. Trotz and 20 or more of his opposing coaches make adjustments to his game, during the game, yet Sully never makes any adjustments to what his opponents are doing?
My first move if I am the Fenway Group is fix the coaching staff. As you noted, under Reirden the team is above 0.500, under Sully, they are below – and Sully has had the Benefit of coaching an almost fully healthy team.
Hey Other Rick,
With the possible exception of Vince Lombardi, every coach has a shelf life. As a player, you hear the same message over and over (and over and over) again and it’s bound to get old after a while.
I’m not saying another coach will have a ton of success with this group. We are what we are…a once-proud former champion fading into twilight. But I think it’s time to move on from Sullivan and give someone else a try. Perhaps Reirden. Maybe Rick Tocchet.
Too, I really don’t want Sullivan’s imprint on this team, personnel-wise, going forward. He simply can’t adapt from his cookie-cutter mold of small, quick forwards and puck-moving but lightweight defensemen. There are other attributes a team needs. I’m not sure we’ll ever have them as long as Sullivan’s our coach.
Rick
Hey Rick,
There are many reasons to dump Sullivan and agreed one of them is that his voice has gotten stale and is falling on deaf ears. He, himself admitted that, like I said above, when he whined that no one was listening to him when the Isles swept our Pens from the playoffs 3 years ago. Three frustrating years later, here we are;
“We’re just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl
Year after year
Running over the same old ground
What have we found?
The same old fears”
Now, because we didn’t acknowledge Sully’s short comings back then, not only are we three years older, but almost bankrupt of options. There is no money and precious little prospects in the pipeline. We are going to need a decompression chamber to swim back up from the depth he sunk us.
Kessel is gone and has been for several years now and Sullivan is still here, but we haven’t won a playoff series since.
Hornqvist is gone and Sullivan is still , but we can’t score powerplay goals.
Malkin hasn’t played a game yet this season, and Sullivan has coached most of the games this season, yet we are playing less than 0.500 hockey – particularly in the game she has coached.
I find it interesting when I hear people still try to defend him, which I still do hear people try and do. Jack Adams award – Hah, the only award I would give him is the Jack Daniels award and that is only because it now takes a 5th of that wheel chair (think Robin Williams) for fans to sit through a game he coaches.
Hey Other Rick,
At the risk of sounding like I’m speaking with forked tongue, I’m going to push back…slightly. I think Sullivan’s a good coach, maybe even a very good one, albeit with a caveat that he’s too wedded to his style and personnel preferences. However, even good coaches need to be replaced sometimes (ex: Michel Therrien, Dan Bylsma).
If Sullivan lands somewhere else, who knows? Maybe he does a transformation job similar to what he did here. You and I differ in crediting him for this, but he did win us two Stanley Cups.
I just don’t think he’s the right coach for this team any longer. Especially as we approach a tear-down/rebuilding phase. His track record with kids is too spotty.
Rick
Hey Rick,
As you say we do differ on Sullivan in some areas and that is ok. Coaches like players can be made by the players around them. Warren Young got himself a fat contract playing next to Mario. Detroit thought he was sooooo incredible, but when he landed there minus one of the 2 greatest Centers of all time, he stunk. Robbie Brown skating with that same Center had 49 G, 115 A in 68 GP one season. Without that big guy he only had 1 other 20 G season. Mike Sullivan was a passenger on the Crosby – Malkin express, just like Warren Young was a passenger on the Mario bullet train. Almost any Coach coming in after the plodding, lifeless Mike Johnston, willing to unleash Crosby and Malkin would have done the same thing. A good coach would have gotten one more finals appearance then they made. A great coach would still have this team a contender.
Maybe Sullivan will get lucky again and hitch his cart to a team with a Crosby and Malkin pulling the wagon and land in the finals again. For his sake, I hope so, because he won’t ever get there again on his own merit.
The Other Rick
Without having the benefit currently to check dates I would say that Crosby and Malkin had been
in the League for 8-10 years prior to Sullivan becoming HEAD Coach of the Penguins. And if my
memory serves me correctly it was at least 6 and possibly 7 years since we won the Cup in
2009. So I’m thinking there were plenty of opportunities for a Coach to win another 1 or 2 Cups
with Crosby and Malkin in their prime. When Sullivan took over both players were zeroing in on
the age of 30.
Let’s be honest I don’t know a Coach that has won with bad players. Washington has great players
Tampa Bay has great players – it’s the nature of the beast. Sometimes having star players isn’t always what it’s cranked up to be. Personally, I would cringe at the thought of Coaching Malkin or
Kessel.
Hey Mike,
First my comment was; ALMOST an other Coach
and “PLODDING, LIFELESS Mike Johnston”.
and “willing to “UNLEASH Crosby and Malkin”
Crosby and Malkin are or were elite creative, offensive talents.
Prior to 2009, Therrien, like Johnston tried tying these race horses to carts, wasting them on pulling rather than running. When Bylsma came in, with the harness removed, the thoroughbreds reveled in their freedom racing to a Stanley Cup. Bylsma, like Sullivan was a passenger on that bus. Time has proven that as Bylsma has foundered as Coach since then. Sullivan will go down in history the same way.
I wouldn’t cringe at the thought of Coaching Kessel or Malkin; both are game breakers both were 2 of only 3 players to score goals in the Isles sweep several seasons back. I would view coaching them as a challenge and work to get them to be advocates of my system. Once they became advocates, everyone else would fall in line.
If it didn’t workout and management would allow me to quietly/professionally move them out for talent that would listen, then I would quietly/professionally resign.
Consider this Rick,
The Capitals are technically in 1st place right now (but Carolina has 3 Games in hand) yet the average age of a Caps player is almost the same as our Penguins (28.79 for the Black and Gold, 27.85 for the Red, White, and Blue), their Yrs of exp in the NHL is actually greater than ours (10.562 to our 9.274). Their stars, Backstrom and Ovechkin are relatively in the same boat as our Crosby and Malkin. They are littered with Sullivan cast offs (Schultz, Hagelin, Sheary, and Sprong). Yet they are still contending for the Division Championship and our Penguins are hopefuls in the Shane Wright Sweepstakes.
What’s the difference?
Mike Smellivan.
We have him and the Caps don’t. For the last 4 seasons he has snatched mediocrity from the jaws of contention.
Over the last 4 seasons I have banged my drum to the annoyance of many, defending my position by saying that I would love to eat crow and another championship parade rather than be right. I didn’t want to be right. We still have plenty of hockey to play and there still is a chance that the team will turn it around (but that probability shrinks with each passing game, without a coaching change). I still could turn out to be wrong – and I hope so.
I never wanted to voice the big I told you so but my frustration is boiling and I may have to utter those words.
The Other Rick
The difference is in size and toughness. If the Pens had that right now they would definitely
be a contender.
Hey Mike,
Sullivan has had all sort of size and toughness over the years (Reaves, Cole, Gudbranson, Tanev, Oleksiak, Fehr, Sundqvist, Kuhnhackl – all had size and toughness – different types of toughness but all were tough) and has moved all of it out of the ‘burgh.
Yes, if there was size and toughness on this team, things could be different. But that is like saying if we had McDavid, Draisaitl, Ovechkin, Kuznetsov, Josi, Fox, Hedman,Jack Campbell, and Fredrick Anderson we would be vying for the top spot in the Metro. We don’t have those player, nor do we have size and toughness. Most of what we have in the Org is in WBS.
The point is moot. Sullivan refuses to use Size and Toughness.
I agree Rick..You can not yell at the kids…It takes a special skill set to manage them properly. Some need the whip while most need praise. hahaha
Rick
I agree with you 100%. Sullivan is a very good coach and wouldn’t be jobless for more than
a couple of hours. He has major respect from his peers around the NHL.
Also, I’m in agreement with you on the problems that exist with him still being the Head Coach.
We will remain an undersized team with zero to no size and toughness. The NHL league-wide
is changing to players that have enough skill, can skate, and have size. We refuse to make
that adjustment and Sullivan is a huge part of that obstacle.
I keep thinking about your article on Sestito and Crosby saying he felt a foot taller knowing he
was on the Pen’s bench. That speaks volumes. I’m still hoping Hextall makes the effort to
rectify these issues in the coming months. I think now he should be very familiar with our
personel.