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

[Gurglesons]

When Pascal Dupuis, possibly every coaches wet dream, suggests that there's a communication problem between Sullivan and Malkin/Kessel, people ought to listen. Particularly when the team has been underperforming and the coach has been turfing quality players of late.

Pascal Dupuis said 3/4ths of a team typically doesn’t listen to their coach.

 

[Turin]

When Pascal Dupuis, possibly every coaches wet dream, suggests that there's a communication problem between Sullivan and Malkin/Kessel, people ought to listen. Particularly when the team has been underperforming and the coach has been turfing quality players of late.

Why do we have any reason to believe Malkin and Kessel share the same communication issue? How is there a gap in communication when Malkin played unbelievably for over a year straight? Kessel doesn’t listen to anybody, even under Tocchet he was still baby shit soft in the regular season, he just had somebody he could talk gambling to.

 

[K Fleur]

Well almost all Dupuis' time as penguins he had Bylsma/Johnston as coaches. I hope 3/4ths of the team wasn't listening to those idiots.

 

[Turin]

I've known these things about Sullly for quite some time, after Tocchet left such things have become very obvious. Regardless of what PD said, and I do agree with him, this friction within the team has been prevalent. I can't believe anyone who avidly follows this team would remotely question it.

Were these things obvious when the early 2018 Penguins were one of the best teams in the league? Funny how obvious all these problems become when your D sucks and your goalies are below average.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Pascal Dupuis said 3/4ths of a team typically doesn’t listen to their coach.

Matt Duchene confirmed that info to a Uber drive

 

[Turin]

Does anyone else find it hilarious that only the people who hate Sullivan are taking this story about what Dupuis said seriously? I'm not going to pretend I'm the only person who notices that, right?

I’ve yet to notice somebody who hates Sullivan who doesn’t irrationally love Sprong or have a concern fetish for Geno. (Love you but you know it’s true).

 

[Gurglesons]

Matt Duchene confirmed that info to a Uber drive

It was funny to hear BizNasty and Whitney’s opinions on that and also the stuff Ference said.

It’s obvious most hockey players let off steam. I’m sure Malkin is pissed at Sully AND Kessel right now because he’s playing like shit and the team is losing.

Doesn’t mean there is an issue. Everyone knows how it goes at work and these dudes are all aggro meat heads.

 

[Icarium]

And like I said a billion times - Sullivan NEEDS someone to reign him in, like Tocchet did.

If you want to keep Sullivan, get a better ****ing Assistant Coach. The lack of traction there leads to me being frustrated because Sullivan could be a legendary coach, but without someone to play devils advocate for the **** he says, he's just going to come off as an angry tyrant like his mentor.

Recchi is a joke and another one of the old boys club hires.

You can say it two million times but you still have no way of knowing if Tocchet reigned Sullivan in or not. So many assumptions taken as facts in this topic. It's pretty hilarious, really.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

You realize Pettersson is the youngest D on our roster and is playing every night?

More due to who we moved him for.

To move him for Sprong and then not play him would really show the world even more how idiotic this franchise is.

 

[Gurglesons]

More due to who we moved him for.

To move him for Sprong and then not play him would really show the world even more how idiotic this franchise is.

Always a reason for the young players playing that you don’t want to see playing to bring down Sully.

I hope they go on a playoff run just to see how quickly you and WC turn around your tune.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Always a reason for the young players playing that you don’t want to see playing to bring down Sully.

I hope they go on a playoff run just to see how quickly you and WC turn around your tune.

Probably about as quick as the excuses you'll come up with when they don't go on a deep playoff run.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Does anyone else find it hilarious that only the people who hate Sullivan are taking this story about what Dupuis said seriously? I'm not going to pretend I'm the only person who notices that, right?

Does Sullivan hate Sullivan? Because he's the one who went off on those comments today.

Never mind the fact that I don't hate Sullivan at all, much as I think some of his roster decisions have been pigheaded and self-defeating.

 

[vodeni]

You can say it two million times but you still have no way of knowing if Tocchet reigned Sullivan in or not. So many assumptions taken as facts in this topic. It's pretty hilarious, really.

I like when people comment on interdealings between coach and his assistants....pure speculation, like they know who does what...

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Pascal Dupuis said 3/4ths of a team typically doesn’t listen to their coach.

He also went out of his way to single out Malkin and Kessel.

Why do we have any reason to believe Malkin and Kessel share the same communication issue? How is there a gap in communication when Malkin played unbelievably for over a year straight? Kessel doesn’t listen to anybody, even under Tocchet he was still baby **** soft in the regular season, he just had somebody he could talk gambling to.

Disconnects can develop between players and coaches, as everyone here has seen first-hand.

Those two were singled out in the comments, and it's not hard to understand why. What common thread could Sprong, Malkin, and Kessel possibly share? Hmm.

 

[IcedCapp]

A believer can look at a piece of toast and see a symbol

A non-believer can look at the same piece of toast and see something burnt.

Is Malkin frustrated? Unquestionably.
Is Kessel frustrated? Unquestionably.

Are they frustrated because Sully is a bad coach? Or frustrated because the team isn’t playing well and injuries have robbed them of playing in ideal conditions?

Your preconceived notions about those involved probably shapes your interpretation of the current situation

 

[Gurglesons]

Probably about as quick as the excuses you'll come up with when they don't go on a deep playoff run.

I’ve been against the construction of this team for two years. Nice try.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I’ve been against the construction of this team for two years. Nice try.

No you've been blaming JR solely for the issues, without giving Sully any blame in any of this. Don't bull shit me man.

I will admit, I am harsh with Sullivan and have wanted him fired and have wanted a new assistant coach for him since the summer. But I can admit that.

 

[Turin]

He also went out of his way to single out Malkin and Kessel.



Disconnects can develop between players and coaches, as everyone here has seen first-hand.

Those two were singled out in the comments, and it's not hard to understand why. What common thread could Sprong, Malkin, and Kessel possibly share? Hmm.

What does Sprong have to do with this?

Kessel and Malkin share nothing besides both not playing that great night to night right now. Kessel being 3 months removed from his best season and Malkin 1 month removed from a 3 year stretch of 95-100 point hockey.

 

[Turin]

No you've been blaming JR solely for the issues, without giving Sully any blame in any of this. Don't bull **** me man.

I will admit, I am harsh with Sullivan and have wanted him fired and have wanted a new assistant coach for him since the summer. But I can admit that.

Probably because we know what a good roster and Sullivan looks like.

 

[IcedCapp]

What does Sprong have to do with this?

I’m not sure if this is rhetorical or not, so I’ll answer seriously just in case:

The same people pushing these Dupuis comments as a sign of how bad Sully is also make up 90% of the posts in the Sprong thread.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

What does Sprong have to do with this?

Kessel and Malkin share nothing besides both not playing that great night to night right now. Kessel being 3 months removed from his best season and Malkin 1 month removed from a 3 year stretch of 95-100 point hockey.

Like Kessel and Malkin, he doesn't "play the right way".

You get rope if you're a productive superstar. If you're a struggling superstar, the heat gets turned up.

Dupuis' comments seemed to have cut a little too close to the bone for Sullivan. He didn't say they were inaccurate, he said they were irresponsible - and we know how important it is for Sully to keep everything in the room. He's probably pissed that he can't bounce Dupuis for his loose lips like he did Cole.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

I’m not sure if this is rhetorical or not, so I’ll answer seriously just in case:

The same people pushing these Dupuis comments as a sign of how bad Sully is also make up 90% of the posts in the Sprong thread.

Interesting, because the same people that back up Sully, are also 100% active in that thread to tell people they're wrong when they aren't. Neither side is right or wrong.

It's just a lot of denial of the facts and people not seeing what is there and people seeing what isn't there. No one will ever agree on that topic, just like they won't on this until the season is over.

 

[Gurglesons]

No you've been blaming JR solely for the issues, without giving Sully any blame in any of this. Don't bull **** me man.

I will admit, I am harsh with Sullivan and have wanted him fired and have wanted a new assistant coach for him since the summer. But I can admit that.

I’ve said multiple times I have no problem with them going nuclear and firing Sullivan.

I just don’t think it’ll have the effect you want.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Believe it or not, making a criticism or pointing out a potential problem is not a wholesale trashing of a player/coach/etc. Tough for some people to make the distinction, apparently.

 

[IcedCapp]

Interesting, because the same people that back up Sully, are also 100% active in that thread to tell people they're wrong when they aren't. Neither side is right or wrong.

It's just a lot of denial of the facts and people not seeing what is there and people seeing what isn't there. No one will ever agree on that topic, just like they won't on this until the season is over.

I’m no Sullivan fan. Which kinda highlights my point