Oh no I don't need a pat on the back. I'm as wrong as I am right, at best.
It just irritates me that there was something obviously there over a month ago and it was flushed for no defensible reason. Especially while the team has and continues to struggle to score. Like... VP is NOT prime Bergeron out there in his own end. But who cares... this team is like dead last in finishing.
Puustinen isn't by any stretch some selke winner back there and there's literally no one like that on the Pens. Crosby cheats a lot more lately and is kind of just "there" in the defensive zone which is why he needed Rakell, because not even Rust does much in that department these days. Puustinen is average to ok and that's perfectly fine. He is absolutely not a liability out there in that regard and I resented the fact that blokes made that excuse when he was first called up over a season ago. Because all one had to do was just watch a few games in wbs to see it wasn't the case.
In wbs as well, he's used for his offense and still comes back defensively anyway. He's a heady player and it was frustrating me to see him wasted. Pens bread and butter even with Shero was these picks after the first round that panned out better and while blokes whined about high end picks, we had a winger that showed immense potential and growth and here you saw Sullivan give opportunities to players that failed on multiple teams to be better bottom 6 players, get a shot on Geno's wing. It was like he was saying he didn't trust wbs for shit, even considering he has more say than any coach, for how things go there.
I will admit and I know it's a not shit statement, I am a very big fan of Puustinen. Players like this, you get more juice when you squeeze them into top 6 usage and for a team that needs to be smarter with the cap, it's ridiculous to not use players like him and others in wbs that play well, on the big club.
Like Joseph as well, he played well and won't get any credit or mention at all and the pbp blokes would instead wax poetic about how good Ruhwedel is for some bizarre reason. I mean I would rather see Ludvig play RD over Ruhwedel and actually reward Smith with a call up. Smith isn't some AHL journeyman doing well, he was drafted high and rushed on the Devils. He's had some time in wbs, give the lad a break ffs. Especially a team that needs better puck movement from the blue line, you have one bred for that and instead prioritize stone handed defense.
Graves should sit for a few games, Joseph is clearly not a Sullivan fav which he's shown with his usage and basically tanked his value, try Ty. I am sure Ty Smith and his agent have quietly spoken to Dubas to be moved, it's already been reported he's not happy getting no shot this season and he's warranted a cup a coffee at least.
He had a 9 game stint last season and honestly he didn't look all that bad. Maybe a few more games and he'd get more chance to grow into the role but he provided offense right away. Had 4pts in 9 games while Turdwedel had 5 in 47. Joseph literally had a breakthrough season last year and then Sullivan treats him less than Turdwedel. I am f***ing angry at having to see this piece of shit remain untouchable as a coach.
/vent/rant/whatever
I love the research
I hope the pens aren't just looking at stats like these though lol
Through 3 coaches, he's never really shown much other than flashes. He's now coming to the second worst coach of his career for players in his situation, I feel bad for the bloke if anything.
www.dkpittsburghsports.com
