Post-Game Talk: Oil win. Pens don't care.

[cygnus47]

Except Doobler burning through and firing his first coach, which would mean Doobler is one step closer to getting fired himself.

That and FSG’s money.

But I do hope against hope that they fire the entire coaching staff.

Are GM contracts guaranteed? I'd hope he'd just do what he thinks is best. It's kind of his job, and he was apparently ready to take a long break after Toronto anyway.

 

[Ryder71]

He should never have been resigned quite frankly.

100% Agree, Hextall just wasn't good.

 

[Coastal Kev]

That guy is a multi millionaire........ what a world we live in

 

[Ryder71]

It really Amazes me that the players garner very little blame around here. I'm sure Sullivan for all is faults is not telling Letang or Graves or whoever to either feed the oppositions transition game or just out and out cough up the puck in the D ZONE to the current best player in the world. And doing so mind you with no one even pressuring him. Letang was 30 ft from anyone. He was careless, he's got that down to a science!

That guy is a multi millionaire........ what a world we live in

Letang is worse!

 

[Pancakes]

It really Amazes me that the players garner very little blame around here. I'm sure Sullivan for all is faults is not telling Letang or Graves or whoever to either feed the oppositions transition game or just out and out cough up the puck in his to the current best player in the world. And doing so mind you with no one even pressuring him. Letang was 30 ft from anyone. He was careless, he's got that down to a science!


Letang is worse!

They do deserve a fair share of blame and it's embarrassing how they've quit on the season.

A new voice can do wonders for getting players back on track though.

 

[Ryder71]

Sid has two points in his last seven games I believe. Who's fault is that? Geno what four goals in 31 games?

They do deserve a fair share of blame and it's embarrassing how they've quit on the season.

A new voice can do wonders for getting players back on track though.

Not at their age! If they were in their mid 20's you'd have a point. But you can't teach these old dogs new tricks.

 

[Ryder71]

Letang is just so fundamentally flawed, that's on him because NO NHL Caliber coach would tell him to play that way. Not even Sullivan. He is what he is. The difference now is, he can't make up for those miscues as he could say 7-10 years ago.

 

[ChaosAgent]

It really Amazes me that the players garner very little blame around here. I'm sure Sullivan for all is faults is not telling Letang or Graves or whoever to either feed the oppositions transition game or just out and out cough up the puck in the D ZONE to the current best player in the world. And doing so mind you with no one even pressuring him. Letang was 30 ft from anyone. He was careless, he's got that down to a science!

Our players definitely suck right now.

But we have turned over our entire roster except for 5 guys (the core 3 + Rust + Jarry). It is time for Sullivan to walk the plank. It has long since been time. Doing so would reassure me that FSG and Dubas operate in the same reality that I do, even if it won't make Malkin/Letang/Crosby 10 years younger or make us a good team (it won't).

An ownership group that believes in a lifetime coach arrangement is scary. It's delusional stuff and I want assurances that these guys aren't delusional.

 

[Kiith Nabaal]

I'm sure Sullivan for all is faults is not telling Letang or Graves or whoever to either feed the oppositions transition game or just out and out cough up the puck in the D ZONE

When players don't have proper guidance or counseling, then their emotions take over and will start playing frustrated. This happens to many people, not just sports players. If the coach can't direct, control or otherwise alleviate the player's behavior then they are a bit useless as a coach.

Letang isn't a rookie and has been in the league for a long time. This isn't the first time people have had major complaints about him. He was fine the first couple of years Sullivan came in, but once Sullivan started losing the players, Letang started going back to the kind of plays that make people want to trade him.

We have exceptionally good players on this roster. Crosby a week or so ago was top 10 in scoring among centers. We just aren't utilizing people to the best of their ability.

 

[Ryder71]

Our players definitely suck right now.

But we have turned over our entire roster except for 5 guys (the core 3 + Rust + Jarry). It is time for Sullivan to walk the plank. It has long since been time. Doing so would reassure me that FSG and Dubas operate in the same reality that I do, even if it won't make Malkin/Letang/Crosby 10 years younger or make us a good team (it won't).

An ownership group that believes in a lifetime coach arrangement is scary. It's delusional stuff and I want assurances that these guys aren't delusional.

When we actually accrue good players again, then we should worry about it. Best thing to do now is lose as much as possible, and be world champions at the draft and development. By the time those things come around either Sully WON'T be coach here OR he won't be coach and will take a job in management.

 

[Ryder71]

When players don't have proper guidance or counseling, then their emotions take over and will start playing frustrated. This happens to many people, not just sports players. If the coach can't direct, control or otherwise alleviate the player's behavior then they are a bit useless as a coach.

Letang isn't a rookie and has been in the league for a long time. This isn't the first time people have had major complaints about him. He was fine the first couple of years Sullivan came in, but once Sullivan started losing the players, Letang started going back to the kind of plays that make people want to trade him.

We have exceptionally good players on this roster. Crosby a week or so ago was top 10 in scoring among centers. We just aren't utilizing people to the best of their ability.

You're very wrong. They WERE exceptionally good players. And if after all this time Kris Letang doesn't understand that you DON'T throw a puck up the middle of the ice like that no good coaching would make any difference. HE KNOWS BETTER, he's just being lazy. He should have learned that in Juniors.

 

[ChaosAgent]

When we actually accrue good players again, then we should worry about it. Best thing to do now is lose as much as possible, and be world champions at the draft and development. By the time those things come around either Sully WON'T be coach here OR he won't be coach and will take a job in management.

I don't care. I know the next few years don't matter. But I want my ownership to show they are not blindly loyal to the most disposable commodity there is - the coach. It would be like not buying a new house because I was loyal to my old toilet.

If we are being led by a delusional ownership group, there is no hope.

 

[Ryder71]

I don't care. I know the next few years don't matter. But I want my ownership to show they are not blindly loyal to the most disposable commodity there is - the coach. It would be like not buying a new house because I was loyal to my old toilet.

If we are being led by a delusional ownership group, there is no hope.

Well, that's your axe to grind with them I suppose. They don't strike me as anything except wanting to win.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

Just glad I'm not watching lately.

Every thread pretty Doom.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Well, that's your axe to grind with them I suppose. They don't strike me as anything except wanting to win.

If they think lifetime contracts for coaches is how you win in this sport, they are dead wrong.

 

[Dennis Reynolds]

This team needed a coach who would have said this to the media in November.

 

[Gurglesons]

It really Amazes me that the players garner very little blame around here. I'm sure Sullivan for all is faults is not telling Letang or Graves or whoever to either feed the oppositions transition game or just out and out cough up the puck in the D ZONE to the current best player in the world. And doing so mind you with no one even pressuring him. Letang was 30 ft from anyone. He was careless, he's got that down to a science!


Letang is worse!

Nobody is absolving Letang.

 

[molon labe]

It really Amazes me that the players garner very little blame around here. I'm sure Sullivan for all is faults is not telling Letang or Graves or whoever to either feed the oppositions transition game or just out and out cough up the puck in the D ZONE to the current best player in the world. And doing so mind you with no one even pressuring him. Letang was 30 ft from anyone. He was careless, he's got that down to a science!


Letang is worse!

Triage.

The teams' biggest problem has been Mike Sullivan for about five years without debate. Six years with debate.

But yeah, our players are often mentally inept. Then again, who do you think has the single biggest voice in both how this team is constructed AND who plays? What coach in their right mind would play someone like Letang for half the game in 2023/2024? What coach would prioritize the DOCs and Acciari's over getting legitimate top 6 help.

It's not that everyone is madly in love with the players and absolves them of anything - it's that we have this utter insanity going on in the management department for several years now that just refuses to get addressed. We get this 'big fish' hired who then immediately turns the reigns over to the coach. So yeah - it's hard not to fault him.

This teams biggest failures have been system and roster. Those are things that are hard to ignore and simply focus on the boneheaded plays our guys make from time to time - especially because those plays are NOT unique in this league. In fact, almost all of our scoring chances come from someone making a mistake or a breakdown we just have blinders to our own club.

 

[SomeDude]

This team needed a coach who would have said this to the media in November.

View attachment 833907

The only thing Sully learned from Torts is to treat the media like they are 2 classes below you. I mean ours actually are, but you know what I mean.

 

[The GM]

You're very wrong. They WERE exceptionally good players. And if after all this time Kris Letang doesn't understand that you DON'T throw a puck up the middle of the ice like that no good coaching would make any difference. HE KNOWS BETTER, he's just being lazy. He should have learned that in Juniors.

In fairness to letang, everybody is talking about how great petts has been and he’s just trying to replicate his prior game

 

[chethejet]

Dubas primary job is roster management. Then who does what with that roster. Sullivan is not his hire. As boss he needs to hire who he believes shares his vision of what and how the team plays. So coaches are fired as a normal process in every sport. Dubas hiring a new coach and staff is the step needed in the behind the bench boss. Pens have next year of the core contractually and to move off them as contracts will be attractive for contending teams. Then as players are moved, new expectations will be in place here. Dubas and the new coaches will set a different tone as to play.

 

[Kiith Nabaal]

You're very wrong. They WERE exceptionally good players. And if after all this time Kris Letang doesn't understand that you DON'T throw a puck up the middle of the ice like that no good coaching would make any difference. HE KNOWS BETTER, he's just being lazy. He should have learned that in Juniors.

Of course he knows, he isn't an AHL defenseman lol. Of course good coaching makes a difference. It has made a major impact on how our players play ever since they came in. We hear countless times how frustrated our players get, or how much they lack confidence in themselves. We see these things all over the ice game in and game out. These things hamper good decision making. He isn't lazy, he just may be second-guessing himself too much or is overthinking. I'll re-state what I said earlier: Letang was fine when we were winning back-to-back cups. Once coaching started losing the players, our play started to become noticeably worse.

 

[LOGiK]

This team with this coach:

 

[Gurglesons]

Isles are officially in the playoffs.

@DesertedPenguin what do you think got them there?

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Hitch your train to a winner, smart guy.

Once a merc, always a merc.