Pre-Game Talk: The All-Purpose Mike Sullivan Thread - ALL COMMENTS AND COMPLAINTS HERE

[Jules Winnfield]

Cole was played until the GM moved him?

Phil Kessel 100% deserves criticism when he potentially costs a team a chance at a three peat for a regular season accolade that means nothing.

Kessel was our worst player in the playoffs which is saying something given half our squad (Letang, Brassard, and Maatta) in the Caps series.

Sullivan turns the lineup into the refs each game. If he believed Phil couldn’t help him he could’ve ended his streak and held him out till the playoffs.

Instead Sullivan couldn’t wait to passive aggressively throw that in Phil’s face via the media.

Kessel is quirky but the guy is loved by his teammates. He’s not loved by Sully.

It’s funny how Sullivan never takes responsibility for anything bad going on. Even when he says it’s on him he says in the next breath referencing it being the players fault.

The team is only going to put up with this as long as they are winning. Dupers isn’t pulling this out of his ass.

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

IDK. I don't know those guys personally. I will say that I quit watching Sullivan interviews a long time because he always came off as a smug, arrogant bastard and it annoyed me to watch him. If he's that sort of a guy IRL it's not hard to see why they'd have had enough of him.

All coaches have an expiration date, I’m just not sure Sullivan has reached his yet.

Maybe Sullivan has a big head now, like DB did and he’s becoming set in his ways. Have to see how it plays out, but he wouldn’t be the first successful coach to believe his own press clippings about his genius.

Bowman was a rare bird that never fell in love with players or a particular style of play or idea that helped him win a cup. He was pretty unique like that and it was one of the biggest keys to his success.

I hoped Sullivan would be somewhere in the middle of Bowman (which isn’t a fair comparison) and DB.

 

[Gurglesons]

Sullivan turns the lineup into the refs each game. If he believed Phil couldn’t help him he could’ve ended his streak and held him out till the playoffs.

Instead Sullivan couldn’t wait to passive aggressively throw that in Phil’s face via the media.

Kessel is quirky but the guy is loved by his teammates. He’s not loved by Sully.

It’s funny how Sullivan never takes responsibility for anything bad going on. Even when he says it’s on him he says in the next breath referencing it being the players fault.

The team is only going to put up with this as long as they are winning. Dupers isn’t pulling this out of his ass.

Phil cared more about a regular season health record then winning three cups.

If he was healthy enough to play in the regular season, he should’ve been healthy enough to play in the playoffs and I have no issue with Sully throwing him under the bus.

The rest of your post is bizarre assumed hyperbole.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Kessel was a huge factor of why we lost that series along with Letang and Murray.

Injuries to Malkin, Hags and Brass were also pretty crucial. But, Kessel was easily our worst player in that series after Tanger. And Letang at least slightly redeemed himself in Game 6.

He had no ES points, was a disaster defensively and was just down right bad.

Again, the other team had their own list of injuries to their key guys. That's a piss poor excuse.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Phil cared more about a regular season health record then winning three cups.

If he was healthy enough to play in the regular season, he should’ve been healthy enough to play in the playoffs and I have no issue with Sully throwing him under the bus.

The rest of your post is bizarre assumed hyperbole.

Yes, it’s all Phil’s fault and never Sullivan’s fault for anything.

I’m confident in what I’m talking about and I’ll leave it at that.

 

[Gurglesons]

Again, the other team had their own list of injuries to their key guys. That's a piss poor excuse.

And their injured players sat out.

I don’t know how you don’t watch last year’s playoffs and see exactly what Phil could potentially become when his skill wears off.

He’s what people have been saying Malkin is for years. His stretches of laziness and just annoyingly non-chalant play are directly harmful to this team and part of the reason we lost ten this year.

He’s a great player, but he’s clearly got a shelf life.

 

[Gurglesons]

Yes, it’s all Phil’s fault and never Sullivan’s fault for anything.

I’m confident in what I’m talking about and I’ll leave it at that.

Sweet.

You can have that mindset, but Sullivan is a pretty smart and even keel coach.

Every coach has their bias.

I’d suggest reading the Custance’s interview with Sully in Between the Benches. Pretty enlightening stuff and makes him come off very very well. He talks almost exclusively about his respect for Kessel.

Also, as the Tampa fan said last night. Cooper “ran out” Drouin amongst others. It happens. That’s honestly part of being a coach. Doesn’t mean it is wrong or right. Sprong can become an elite player in Anaheim and it doesn’t make our franchise “wrong”. They gave up W. Karlsson for nothing to CBJ.

 

[cheesedanish87]

No, lol god no.

The easy answer is the usual pens speak - "The answers are there, they'll play through it, that's a resilient group." - That's what you expect to hear, the lame canned response you always get.

Him saying what he said, less stirring up **** and more just being the guy that sees whats going on and is like **** it, I'm gonna say it because they won't.

He gave his opinion.

Your trying to take his opinion and use it as fact.

Your assuming he knows something because he took his sons hockey team to Pittsburgh.

 

[K Fleur]

Did I really just see someone with Kristopher Letang in their avatar pic post that Kessel was the Pens' worst player in the last playoffs?

 

[Jules Winnfield]

It’s funny how people are so quick to discredit a former player on the Pens who was beloved and is close personal friends with several current Pens and act like he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

 

[Gurglesons]

Did I really just see someone with Kristopher Letang in their avatar pic post that Kessel was the Pens' worst player in the last playoffs?

I literally said Letang was the worst player in the Caps series.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

He gave his opinion.

Your trying to take his opinion and use it as fact.

Your assuming he knows something because he took his sons hockey team to Pittsburgh.

And you're assuming what he says, has no validity.

We always get such canned responses from players that talk about the team especially during the struggles. It's always something about that group knowing what it needs to do and that they've done it before.

This time, it was different. Pascal has zero agenda, he's not affiliated to the team outside of having a ton of friends there still.

He gains nothing from saying what he said.

 

[Hockey Freak 7]

Sid & Geno would never say it, because that's who they are.

It's on JR to identify it and not be blinded by past success. That's how Shero hitched his wagon to a lame duck.

I love you!!!


boom shakalaka


Within the organization mike Sullivan isn’t on the same page with Rutherford. On how he use players etcc...

Malkin and Crosby are too humble to do so..

I can’t wait til Crosby or Malkin yell at Mike Sullivan or Mark Reechi


I knew it was coming and it’s talk about Sullivan within the organization that probably will not get out that much..

I have several conservations within organization and at the arena..

Some fans / supporters are too blind... with two B2b cups and poor non adjustable system schemes..

Hockey is a business ..


Mike Sullivan is common person in these situations.. Players get blame too often..

Nhl coaches have short shelf lives for a reason.. players are more important..



Etcc..


Mike has been brutal for two seasons.. what have you done for me lately?

 

[Gurglesons]

It’s funny how people are so quick to discredit a former player on the Pens who was beloved and is close personal friends with several current Pens and act like he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

It is funny how quick some are to discredit a coach who took a team that underachieved for nearly ten years and instilled a system and culture that led to the first back to back cup performance in twenty years.

 

[ChaosAgent]

And you're assuming what he says, has no validity.

We always get such canned responses from players that talk about the team especially during the struggles. It's always something about that group knowing what it needs to do and that they've done it before.

This time, it was different. Pascal has zero agenda, he's not affiliated to the team outside of having a ton of friends there still.

He gains nothing from saying what he said.

Bingo. Kessel/Malkin and the coaching staff are absolutely having a rift right now. You could tell from the indifference to the OT winner against the Kings. For Dupuis to give an honest answer is refreshing.

 

[Hockey Freak 7]

And you're assuming what he says, has no validity.

We always get such canned responses from players that talk about the team especially during the struggles. It's always something about that group knowing what it needs to do and that they've done it before.

This time, it was different. Pascal has zero agenda, he's not affiliated to the team outside of having a ton of friends there still.

He gains nothing from saying what he said.

Exactly. He’s very close with Crosby and Malkin..


He has very close ties within the organization and very cool with Rutherford plus Lemieux..

He wanted to stay in Pittsburgh and maybe have a role within the organization... instead he’s spending more time with his family..

Sullivan been having problems with players for a longtime .. He lost the room two seasons ago..

 

[PensandCaps]

Did I really just see someone with Kristopher Letang in their avatar pic post that Kessel was the Pens' worst player in the last playoffs?

...well he was.

Pens do better if Kessel didn't play at all

 

[Hockey Freak 7]

Bingo. Kessel/Malkin and the coaching staff are absolutely having a rift right now. You could tell from the indifference to the OT winner against the Kings. For Dupuis to give an honest answer is refreshing.

Not only that. Malkin is very frustrated and unhappy.. he was very quick to get the locker room and go home.. this Isnt the first time this happen.. you see it in his interview too

You see it when Sullivan bench down on him to talk to him.. Malkin doesn’t respond well and often time his head is down .. etc..


Also Crosby was having same frustration last season as well...


Once again, they will not come out and say it....



MIKE SULLIVAN IS THE HUGE PROBLEM OF THE PROBLEM..

Please don’t be surprised that Mike Sullivan will get fired.. Mark Reechi..


Mark Reechi?

Players don’t respond well to him nor like him ..

 

[Honour Over Glory]

It is funny how quick some are to discredit a coach who took a team that underachieved for nearly ten years and instilled a system and culture that led to the first back to back cup performance in twenty years.

I mean, your take is super easy to believe if the whole Ian Cole thing and the comments about Kessel completely didn't happen.

Buuuuut, since it did....

 

[Jules Winnfield]

It is funny how quick some are to discredit a coach who took a team that underachieved for nearly ten years and instilled a system and culture that led to the first back to back cup performance in twenty years.

Your blind loyalty is impressive. Good luck with that. Whatever he did is still clearly working.

 

[Gurglesons]

I mean, your take is super easy to believe if the whole Ian Cole thing and the comments about Kessel completely didn't happen.

Buuuuut, since it did....

I still don’t understand what the “Ian Cole” thing is. Our GM moved him out in a deal for Derrick Brassard.

When Ian Cole was traded he had played ten straight games averaging 17:45.

 

[Gurglesons]

Your blind loyalty is impressive. Good luck with that. Whatever he did is still clearly working.

I’m not really a huge fan of JR.

I think at this point the biggest change that could be made to have an effect is Sullivan. The issue is I don’t see what coach comes in and changes up what’s going on. Hard to coach a winning team when Maatta, Oleksiak and Johnson are three of your highest paid D.

 

[Jules Winnfield]

I still don’t understand what the “Ian Cole” thing is. Our GM moved him out in a deal for Derrick Brassard.

When Ian Cole was traded he had played ten straight games average 17:45.

Cole’s name first started to surface in trade reports in November, around the time he started becoming a healthy scratch.

Many in the Penguins’ locker room were puzzled by Cole consistently being scratched. The Penguins, in general, started the season poorly, but Cole’s play, in the minds of many players and Cole himself, wasn’t so disappointing that a benching seemed prudent.

There had long been tension between Sullivan and Cole. The defenseman was always especially chummy with the media, which frequently irritated the coaching staff.

Cole, in fact, was temporarily banned by the Penguins from speaking to the media late in the 2016-17 regular season.

Still, Cole never wanted to leave.

Despite issues with Mike Sullivan, Ian Cole never wanted to leave
Despite issues with Mike Sullivan, Ian Cole never wanted to...

 

[Gurglesons]

Despite issues with Mike Sullivan, Ian Cole never wanted to leave
Despite issues with Mike Sullivan, Ian Cole never wanted to...

So, JR traded him exactly like I said?

Guess who else didn’t want to leave, Nick Bonino. Was that Sullivan’s fault too?

 

[Hockey Freak 7]

Some fans forget players are freaking human beings..

With being said, Players are reflection of their coach on the ice..


They do what they are told to do every game with game plans and adjustments..


Sullivan and Reechi’s game plans and adjustments have been very shitty for two seasons..

Players are frustrated through their play..


Penguins are running 1.5 lines and no solid defensive schemes among defenseman to get through opposing team solid defensive game plan that take everything from them..


Mike Sullivan’s philosophy, system , personal agendas bias , throw something out like combos , lack of consistency is old and tiring..
Stars are struggling..


He needs to be handle accountable..


His post game interview quote about accountability was bulll shittt


He harps to much on the negativity and do not handle adversity well..
He needs to put his ego , favoritism, personal agendas aside to help players and this team to be hard to play against every game to win games..
Every players he isn’t gonna like.. Rutherford bring players here for a reason..

There’s no reason to continue to run players out of town to benefit him than this team...



He doesn’t not excel of coaching and build hockey players at national hockey league..
He only likes his one dimensional ‘guys’


He needs to learn to be better with roster that’s given to him and play players better in their strengths..
Also give Blueger, Johnson and Angello chance to play here..

Adam Johnson had a very good preseason games and training camps among other WB/s players.. He’s very speed, win battles, creates time and space, Pk and forecheck hard..
He does talk to a Rutherford a lot and have plenty of says..


We can agree to disagree..


@Honour Over Glory .. I think you get my point..