New Head Coach search

[McDuffz88]

Will I take Sullivan? Sure but I am wary on the hire for numerous standpoints. 1) He's Fitz friend, we all know how that goes 2) Another hire with ties to the penguins club which helps our country club atmosphere when it comes to management 3) From what I've read is he has the same problems as Green when it comes to the PP. Keeping the same players on it & refusing to change it no matter how bad it is. I have no doubt he's better than Ruff/Greene & I hope I'm wrong with all the points I stated above. Whatever coach we hire I obviously wish nothing but success for them.

 

[Zippy316]

The Penguins have gone through multiple roster changes over the last 4 years and the issues have persisted.

People blame Hextall for Jared McCann leaving. Mike Sullivan scratched him in a playoff series for Sam Lafferty and consistently removed him from the powerplay and played him bottom six minutes.

Mike Sullivan could easily have success in New Jersey. There is a great core group there and he was honestly a great coach for us in 15-16 and 16-17 was 100% on the coaching staff in terms of that cup. But, he has huge, huge warts that have become more prevelant every year.

A lot of people said this same exact type of thing when Buffalo hired Bylsma. We all know how that worked out.

In all honesty, Devils need a coach that can come in, push the right buttons, and hopefully, get some long playoff runs out of this group.

Feels like Sullivan is a coach that can do that in the short term. Outside of someone like Jon Cooper or DeBoer becoming available, I don’t see many better options for the Devils.

I also can’t see this organization going for a first timer either, which rules out guys like Carle and Leach.

 

[Lindys Lazy Eye]

Will I take Sullivan? Sure but I am wary on the hire for numerous standpoints. 1) He's Fitz friend, we all know how that goes 2) Another hire with ties to the penguins club which helps our country club atmosphere when it comes to management 3) From what I've read is he has the same problems as Green when it comes to the PP. Keeping the same players on it & refusing to change it no matter how bad it is. I have no doubt he's better than Ruff/Greene & I hope I'm wrong with all the points I stated above. Whatever coach we hire I obviously wish nothing but success for them.

The NHL unless a systemic change and shift happens will always be a country club. So the way I see it is, exploit the system rather than complain.

Rod the Bod is going to be a pipedream (more so than PDB or Cooper) but I will gladly take Sullivan

 

[Gurglesons]

In all honesty, Devils need a coach that can come in, push the right buttons, and hopefully, get some long playoff runs out of this group.

Feels like Sullivan is a coach that can do that in the short term. Outside of someone like Jon Cooper or DeBoer becoming available, I don’t see many better options for the Devils.

I also can’t see this organization going for a first timer either, which rules out guys like Carle and Leach.

And let's be honest. That could potentially be any coach.

My big thing with looking at the Devils is seeing players like Hughes, Bratt and Hamilton.

Just for reference here was one of the first quotes we got out of Sullivan when Karlsson was acquired.

"I think there are areas of his game where we can help him and challenge him to grow defensively."

Like really? You get a Ferrari and the first thing you do is call out the interior?

I just don't see the fit. Sullivan would be much better suited taking over a team that is able to play a 200 foot game and is heavy on the forecheck.

 

[Zippy316]

And let's be honest. That could potentially be any coach.

My big thing with looking at the Devils is seeing players like Hughes, Bratt and Hamilton.

Just for reference here was one of the first quotes we got out of Sullivan when Karlsson was acquired.

"I think there are areas of his game where we can help him and challenge him to grow defensively."

Like really? You get a Ferrari and the first thing you do is call out the interior?

I just don't see the fit. Sullivan would be much better suited taking over a team that is able to play a 200 foot game and is heavy on the forecheck.

I’m not worried about Bratt. He’s undersized for sure but his all-around game is a lot better than people give him credit for.

For Hughes/Hamilton, they’re so dynamic offensively that you have to build around them. Hughes issue is more size and not wanting to get bullied on the boards, not so much effort in my opinion. I wouldn’t hate a coach that got on Hamilton for being stronger defensively though.

 

[HBK27]

 

[NJDevs26]

He's been a terrible bench manager for the majority of his career with Pittsburgh.

He was a terrible bench manager with Boston prior to Pitt. He's stubborn, he has little time for offensive oriented forwards who lack defensive game, he consistently approaches the league with an archiac mind set of what worked in 15-16. He's been running an umbrella powerplay for literally 10 years despite it not working for 3 or 4. He's been running his "controlled chaos" philosphy in a league that is about quick puck possesion. Etc.

Not saying your criticisms are wrong or unfair (the Marino part is pretty telling, as is the controlled chaos stuff), but it seems to me you're gonna get a lot of this from any veteran coach who's trying to win now. We complain about this with Lindy, complained about this with Pete, Lemaire, etc...the only coaches who don't overplay vets and lean on their top six are guys who are just starting out with rebuilding teams.

 

[ndkjr70]

You seem to be saying the coach is being wrongfully blamed for a bunch of things mostly controlled by.....the coach...

I'm not going to pretend to know anything super detailed about Sullivan, I'm just taking all the info in currently. But this is a weird way to frame an argument.

Does the coach assemble a roster full of significantly over-the-hill players? I don't know how the Penguins complete and total lack of skilled forwards that didn't vote during the Bush/Gore election is the coach's fault.

Pens fans say they've gone through "multiple roster changes" the past 4 years, but I just... don't see it? Malkin (especially) and Letang aging less gracefully than they'd hoped, inflated contracts given out to mediocre players and a farm system that's ranked bottom-5 every year since Taylor Hall was traded to the Devils. I'm not sure how any of those things are Mike Sullivan's fault.

 

[NjDevsRR]

There’s definitely smoke there

 

[Gurglesons]

Does the coach assemble a roster full of significantly over-the-hill players? I don't know how the Penguins complete and total lack of skilled forwards that didn't vote during the Bush/Gore election is the coach's fault.

Pens fans say they've gone through "multiple roster changes" the past 4 years, but I just... don't see it? Malkin (especially) and Letang aging less gracefully than they'd hoped, inflated contracts given out to mediocre players and a farm system that's ranked bottom-5 every year since Taylor Hall was traded to the Devils. I'm not sure how any of those things are Mike Sullivan's fault.

Malkin and Hischer put up the same stat line this year. Granted it took Malkin 11 more games, but I just don't get this argument.

Either way this isn't the Penguins discussion thread. Just giving some feedback regarding Sullivan. I'll see my way out now that it has been confirmed I'm stuck with this clown of a coach.

 

[ndkjr70]

Malkin and Hischer put up the same stat line this year. Granted it took Malkin 11 more games, but I just don't get this argument.

Either way this isn't the Penguins discussion thread. Just giving some feedback regarding Sullivan. I'll see my way out now that it has been confirmed I'm stuck with this clown of a coach.

Those are two unbelievably different hockey players. Nico Hischier is a shut-down, future selke-winning center -- the fact that Malkin (who plays next to.... no defense?) put up the same numbers as Nico in more games played this year makes my point a lot more than it makes yours.

 

[jkrdevil]

The aren’t going to ask Pittsburgh for permission unless Sullivan formally resigns first.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

no offense to the Penguins fan, but all of their best players are 33+ year olds. Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Karlsson, and their depth kinda sucks ass.

I think that our roster makeup, while obviously needing some upgrades in specific areas, is much more in line to run the system that Sullivan wants to employ consistently.

 

[jkrdevil]

There is also a perception that his Boston tenure was a failure. He won the division with the Bruins in 2004, and it fell apart after the lockout because the organization saw massive turnover during the lockout.

 

[NjDevsRR]

LOL, just ignore the extra 15% games played and its the same production!!

Nico also had to deal with a concussion. When he was fully back and in the swing of things his PPG was good.

Wonder what his points were in the last 50 gms of the season

Edit: 52 pts in 50 gms (85 pt pace for full season)

 

[Gurglesons]

There is also a perception that his Boston tenure was a failure. He won the division with the Bruins in 2004, and it fell apart after the lockout because the organization saw massive turnover during the lockout.

The Bruins got absolutely worked in the playoffs that year and Joe Thornton casually implied the organization chose Sullivan over him after being traded.

LOL, just ignore the extra 15% games played and its the same production!!

Nico also had to deal with a concussion. When he was fully back and in the swing of things his PPG was good.

Wonder what his points were in the last 50 gms of the season

Edit: 52 pts in 50 gms (85 pt pace for full season)

Nobody is saying Hischer isn't currently a better player than Malkin. My point is that Malkin's downfall is extremely overblown and the issues with the Penguins go back many years. This isn't just a recent thing.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

You don't need to talk to Sullivan, just his agent

 

[McDuffz88]

The NHL unless a systemic change and shift happens will always be a country club. So the way I see it is, exploit the system rather than complain.

Rod the Bod is going to be a pipedream (more so than PDB or Cooper) but I will gladly take Sullivan

If there's a coach I would pick Cooper. He's such a great coach. Too bad he won't be available for another year unless he steps down. He's my dream hire.

 

[Devils731]

You don't need to talk to Sullivan, just his agent

You don’t talk to either of them.

You talk to a guy who talks to a guy who talks to them.

 

[Forge]

 

[NjDevsRR]

Smoke of Rod Sully Cooper jumping ship?

I assume NJ Devils would be near the top of their lists given the raw talent here. Would be a huge step for for this franchise if we can land one them.

 

[guitarguyvic]

Don't at all see what the incentive would be for either Tampa or Cooper to decide to move on.

Same for Brindamour, I know they have a reputation for being cheap but I don't think they would do that with a franchise legend who is every bit as a good a coach as he was a player for them.

Sullivan is probably the most realistic of the three and naturally, the one with the most question marks as far as his potential positive impact for this team.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Don't at all see what the incentive would be for either Tampa or Cooper to decide to move on.

Same for Brindamour, I know they have a reputation for being cheap but I don't think they would do that with a franchise legend who is every bit as a good a coach as he was a player for them.

Sullivan is probably the most realistic of the three and naturally, the one with the most question marks as far as his potential positive impact for this team.

That Tampa team is in the downward spiral phase. I could see him wanting a new pasture

 

[jkrdevil]

That Tampa team is in the downward spiral phase. I could see him wanting a new pasture

Tampa has taken a step back, but I don’t see them taking a Chicago type death spiral. More likely to be more like us post-Stevens and Niedermayer where they remain a playoff team for a few years. They still have the goalie and Kucherov at an MVP level. The Hawks were mismanaged on the way down (trading Panarin for example).

 

[SJinNewJersey]

That Tampa team is in the downward spiral phase. I could see him wanting a new pasture

Their first draft selection this year's draft is in the 5th round, and they don't have their 1st pick next year either.