Should Mike Sullivan Preside Over a Penguins Retool?

In the wake of recent technical difficulties at PenguinPoop that kept the site offline for a while, I’m still in the process of getting caught up with myself on matters pertaining to our Penguins.

I especially wanted to address comments made by president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas last Wednesday. Specifically, what appeared to be a ringing endorsement of long-time Pens coach Mike Sullivan.

“I don’t think that there needs to be any discussion about Mike,” Dubas said. “As I will do with my own staff and any staff, I’ll sit down with Mike at the end of the year and go through his view of it, and we’ll be very thorough. But I know he has great belief in the work that they’re doing, and I see the work that they’re doing every day. Questions come because it hasn’t manifested itself consistently on the ice.”

Before I begin, I need to be clear. It isn’t my intent to make Sullivan a scapegoat for the Pens’ lukewarm showing this season. He can’t lace up the skates and lead the way on the ice, although sometimes I’m sure he wishes he could. He’s not the reason the team can’t finish. Nor is he the reason (at least not the sole one) the power play has struggled so. I’m sure he and his staff are preaching the right things. It’s just the message in some (okay, most) instances seems to be falling on deaf ears.

On the other hand, I don’t absolve Mike of responsibility for our predicament, either. I’m especially annoyed that he seems to wear a bullet-proof vest, or more accurately, one made of Teflon. Honest criticism seems to slide right off.

Count me among those who feel we could benefit from a new voice behind the bench. It isn’t that Sullivan’s a bad coach. I actually think he’s shown some growth and has done a better job of tailoring his system to fit the talent on hand. But nine seasons is an awfully long time to preside over the same core group, especially in the NHL where skippers are changed practically as often as socks and underwear. The message, no matter how well intentioned or delivered, is bound to get a little stale.

But enough preamble. Here are more excerpts from Dubas’ comments regarding our coach.

“He (Sullivan) takes this very seriously and takes the ups and downs very seriously,” Dubas said. “That’s the respect I’ve developed for him throughout the year. You know that from afar and when you get in with somebody it only helps you. So to me, with the coaching staff, I envision Mike Sullivan, based on what I’ve learned from him in our discussions this year, his ability to take the development of each individual player seriously, I think he’s the type of coach that can help you win. … He’s the type of coach that shows he can win but also that he can develop people.”

BANG. Red flag.

Sullivan’s ability to develop people?

I’m sure he can. But, in most instances, does he?

Once upon a time he was, indeed, kid friendly. Remember Conor Sheary, Tom Kuhnhackl and Matt Murray? All played prominent roles in our most recent Cup triumphs.

To be fair, Sullivan’s been navigating the narrow space between a rock and a hard place for several seasons. When the future is now, as it has been since we (he) won those back-to-back Cups, you aren’t necessarily afforded the luxury of developing kids and allowing them to play through their inevitable mistakes.

Nor has the Pens’ system been teeming with young talent. However, there have been occasional nuggets to mine. Forward Valtteri Puustinen for one.

In many ways the poster child for Sully’s treatment of kids, Puustinen has acquitted himself well since crossing the pond to play in North America as an obscure seventh-round pick in 2019. He led a weak Baby Pens team in scoring two years running while totaling a respectable 44 goals. During a one-game cameo back on March 11, 2022, he assisted on our second goal and finished a plus-2 during a 5-2 victory over Vegas, in the process drawing positive reviews from Sullivan.

“I think he has a game that could play up and down the lineup,” our coach said at time. “I think when you look at Puusty’s game, his greatest strengths are his offensive instincts, his ability to finish. He can really shoot the puck. For me that’s the area of the game where I think Puusty excels. If and when we do put him in the lineup, we’re going to try to put him in a position where he can play to those strengths.”

Then Puustinen disappeared…sent back to the Baby Pens to work on his skating, conditioning and defensive play. He toiled exclusively for season and change in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton until his recall this past December.

The spunky 24-year-old winger has had an immediate impact. In addition to injecting a much needed jolt of youthful energy and zip into a veteran team sorely in need of some, Puusty tallied a goal and seven points in his first 10 games.

Coincidence or not, he proved to be a boon to the power play. During a seven-game stretch when he averaged over two minutes of man-advantage ice time, we converted at a 22.5 percent clip (7-for-31). For reference, we’re 20-for-153 (13.1 percent) for the rest of the season.

Obviously, Puustinen had a positive impact. Just how positive? We’re 14-6-5 with him in the lineup versus 12-15-3 without him. In games where he’s played at least 10 minutes? We’re 10-2-3!

I wonder if Sullivan or anyone associated with the team realizes that. Talk about needing what he provides!

Yet when Bryan Rust returned from an injury to start the New Year, Puustinen was predictably shunted aside and his ice time was drastically reduced, culminating in a season-low 5:31 during a 3-1 loss to the Sabres on January 6. To put that in perspective, over four minutes less than fourth-line (and goalless) mucker Jansen Harkins.

When it comes to kids, how quickly Sully forgets.

Sent to the Baby Pens at the All-Star break, presumably to get playing time, Puustinen wasn’t among the recalls following the break. It took Jake Guentzel’s injury for the Pens to summon the peppery Finn.

He’s rewarded us with a goal and two assists (and a plus-4) in his past three games heading into tonight’s clash with the Canucks. Once again, drawing praise from his coach.

“I thought he was forechecking well,” Sullivan said following our recent victory over Montréal. “I think he has good poise with the puck. He has good offensive instincts. I think there’s an element of offense there that is untapped. He’s got a real good shot… I think he’s getting better with every game that he plays.”

Puusty appears to be back in his coach’s good graces. But for how long?

Given Sullivan’s track record, a fair question to ask.

For every Guentzel and Rust, there’s been a Teddy Blueger and Sam Lafferty. For every Drew O’Connor, a Zach Aston-Reese. Players who displayed some promise early on before eventually chafing under Sullivan’s hand. To say nothing of Daniel Sprong, who’s emerged as the bottom-six finisher we could so desperately use after being chased out of town by our coach.

On defense, Marcus Pettersson has blossomed. John Marino plateaued and regressed before being dealt. Four years into his black-and-gold career, Pierre-Olivier Joseph remains an enigma.

Player development isn’t an exact science. Nobody does it perfect and nobody gets it right 100 percent of the time. So many factors go into it, not the least of which is a player’s own makeup, physically, psychologically and otherwise. Kasperi Kapanen comes to mind as a player who possesses all the tools but not the intangibles.

Nor is all young talent created equal. Some players are destined to make a splash. Others aren’t.

Still, I’m wary of the way Sullivan handles the kids under his watch. I get the sense he’s a little too quick to judge. A little too impatient. A little too knee-jerk when it comes to pulling the plug.

Our team is liable to look very different next season. Any (or many) of Guentzel, Reilly Smith, Lars Eller, Noel Acciari, Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic could be gone by the trade deadline. According to Dubas, to be replaced to at least some degree by younger players.

I’m not certain Sullivan’s the man who should be overseeing their development.