Penguins/NHL
What led to Mike Johnston’s firing?
Three key areas based on Jim Rutherford’s press conference moments ago:
1. Accountability
2. Penguins lack of will to win
3. The Power Play
Rutherford hinted at for much of the press conference that while players bought into what Johnston was preaching, he didn’t have the ability to keep players on the same page or enforce it.
“This team has more to give, we have to have more will to win,” Rutherford said. “I look at this snapshot over the last 27 games and I feel that we’ve underachieved. We never know what a coaching change is going to do. We do need to get some more production out of some guys.”
Among many of the underachieving players under Johnston this season included Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, Phil Kessel, Nick Bonino, Ian Cole, among others.
The process of mulling a coaching change started all the way back to last month in losses to the Blue Jackets and Devils. “That weekend was a real low point. That’s when I started thinking about it,” Rutherford said.
With ownership not interested in bringing a new coach on from outside the organization due to financial reasons, momentum started to emerge this week that Mike Sullivan would be the go-to-guy as Johnston’s seat continued to get warmer.
Those in the Penguins organization have felt Sullivan could bring that needed Michel Therrien bad cop type presence to the table that worked so well initially with the stars years ago. Malkin and Crosby, though, were much younger then and how they handle a coach who is going to push them is going to be fascinating to watch.
Sullivan is very demanding like John Tortorella as the two coached together for several years. Phil Kessel hated playing for Randy Carlyle and I’d wager he won’t be a fan of Sullivan by the end of this go-around.
Rutherford mentioned Sullivan reminds him of a coach who won a Stanley Cup for him in Carolina.
“I believe Sullivan is the guy who can come in and really take control,” Rutherford said. “I do see Mike as a guy, really is a demanding and take control guy. In some ways, he reminds To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
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Enjoying the Steelers pregame coverage…on DKs site
There goes your boy mike Mitchell handing them another 15 yards while he poses like Sam in front of orpig
Hall is a pipe dream.
Breaking news: Range Factor
Bet his attitude wears off before the 3 years is even up. Not an indictment on him at all though. Looking forward to it. Just seems to be par for the course for these players…
Crosby needs a winger
I agree that Crosby needs a winger. Trade Hornqvist to Edmonton for Hall. We could throw in Jarry from AHL if needed. Hornqvist has not worked out with Crosby or Malkin. Hall and Crosby have worked well together at a Worlds in past. Leave Bennet on the RW with Halll on LW. That opens spot on 3rd RW for Sprong also.
Hornqvist would be way too much for Hall. Maybe they can throw in Eberle too!
Crosby needs to stop being coddled. First step is to quit handing him the stale excuse that he “needs a winger.”
Crosby needs to get laid more.
Not impressed with RT as a coach-never have been. Hopefully the GM is next after this Season. Lol
If this new coaching venture fails time to blow it up.
Did I say pens somehow miss MT. And that clown cancer tochett must b fired everywhere he has coached it has been nothing but disaster just like npl eating hot dogs is a disaster to watch
You said Johnston would be better than DB. Swing and a miss there, chubster
Sam, wrong again!
hopefully sullivan won’t be afraid to kick crosby and letang in the a$s
If he kicked Letang in the ass, Letang would be out for a month #pussyfrog
#pussyfrog HA! That’s funny. Sounds like a better name for you and Jaydogg
Yeah. Good one.
Almost as good as one of your dead beat posts. I tried hard on that one.
Nobody expects much more from you. Trust me. You did what you could.
Range factor.
The team and management needs to be Freed from the Burkle, Lemieux pressure. Just sell the team, and let the hockey people do their jobs. You bring in a hap hazard GM who makes hunches based on experience and this is what you get. There is no identity or reason to any of it. They see a problem, so they expend energy and resources to fix it while another problem is developing. Not enough smart people to see next year’s team or next year’s league.
moreheist is the one who needs to go
My story is Tocchet starting undermining Johnston from day one. Tocchet and Sullivan were together in Tampa and Tocchet was a foil in Berry Melrose last attempt to coach.
Oddly enough the Lightning became a much better looking team and Stamkos started to figure things out after Melrose left.
Remember two days ago when DePaoli had inside info that the club had decided to give the coaching staff more time prior to the Avs game?
Baby Pens on tonight at 7 on Channel 22 for those of you in Pittsburgh.
Back bitches. Samthefatman, how did you put on so much weight?? I didn’t think it was possible.
Welcome back tbj WAIT A MINUTE hmmm your back and MJ fired ……you arent him are you ? 🙂
The Crosby apologists are going to run out of excuses. Not a fan of Rutherford. While I appreciate his candor and taking responsibility for the weak D corps, how was his comment constructive. I’m sure those guys are dying to put it on the line for this organization after publicly getting thrown under the bus by the GM
Very good point. Think Gramps lacks professionalism at times.
Among other bad moves, it was Gramps that stuck us with Albatross Phil. Traded 6’4, 225 Despres for Lovejoy. Where’s the accountability.
Despres fucking sucks.
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BTW I hate to be one of those who said I told you so. BUT COLE REALLY SUCKS
He’s a 5-6 guy. Always has been. He’s not a #2 D man which is too much responsibility for Cole. That’s on Rutherford as well as Johnston. What is also on Rutherford is not waiving Scuderi if he wanted Clendening to play. The coaches would not have had much of a choice then.
Good points but there were too many people on here last year at the trade deadline praising him as the next Nisky. I just think he is really soft and at best should pick up spot minutes. Plus this recent stretch of games against physical large teams drove the point home.
It’s weird that you pick Cole out specifically as being soft. The entire roster for the most part is the same in that regard.
Z77 agree with that 100% been fighting that battle for a few years. However a few of the “pundits” of this board were stating he was a steal and a solid physical player and we went back and forth on it. I have yet to see anything putting him about a 5-6 type player. Just sort of rubbing pundits nose in it. Pain meds are wearing off 🙂
How is it not a steal? They got a 5-6 defenseman who has some skill for a #7 defenseman whose best asset is willingness to drop the gloves. Love him or hate him Cole for Bortuzzo is a steal.
Jaydogg you and I will argue this forever. My problem was Bortuzzo was the last Pens D that made anyone pay a price for being in front our net. And I all PUSSYcat hockey was you aim then soft serve ice cream cole is perfect.
Yeah, a 5/6 D man for another 5/6 D man is a REAL steal. Brilliant Jaydogg..
He’s played in roughly half of their games. Which means he’s sat for…wait for it…roughly half of their games. That’s not a 5/6 D man. So close. But wrong and dumb again. Go fish.
Yeah but I agree he does suck. It looks like he skates in sand and he bobbles the puck a lot. I think the Borts for Cole was an even trade though. He certainly isn’t the next Nisky. Pitts wouldn’t be in such bad shape if he was.
Who replaces Gramps?
Huntington
Thatd be awesome.
Agreed. Could you imagine if he was the GM of a team that opened their wallet?
They’d have been all over Alex Semin. Just praying Uncle Ray could polish another turd, because that’s all they can afford.
Speaking of Uncles, how is Angry Drunk Uncle Stanchy?
My stomach hurts from laughing at the Pirates offseason. Aside from that, not bad.
FIRST ?