DK's Daily Shot of Penguins: Fire Mike Sullivan?

Is firing Mike Sullivan the best move?

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[MDIFAU]

There was a fire Sullivan chant starting on Saturday

[borisslager]

There is no choice but to fire him. The team quit. They keep giving up. Last, his style doesn't work with this defense. He wants pinching; these defensemen can't pinch and recover

[PENS]

I am speaking from a level headed stand point. I'm not one who advocates for people to lose their jobs, but I do think all coaches in every sport do have a shelf life, especially in the NHL. I do think Mike Sullivan's shelf life with the Penguins has expired. Now I don't think he's a bad coach and he probably could succeed elsewhere with another team that better suites the system he likes to run.

Now, I don't think he will get fired during the season for one reason

- There was a strong chance that this team was not going to be very good this year. The offseason moves made pretty much indicated that they were thinking future and not contending. Now, that does not excuse the lifeless performances that the team has given. Had this team been tagged a legit contender and made moves to warrant them as such, then I definitely think you would see a change

Also, if Mike Sullivan does get let go during the season, I don't think it's going to change anything you see on the ice. The reason for that is because I don't think they will hire his replacement immediately. They would just promote David Quinn or Mike Vellucci to be the interim coach for the rest of the year, and you're not going to see much change. I don't think Sullivan's replacement would get hired until the offseason. That would be the only way you would see change in the Penguins is an outside hire, should a change be made.

I think the only way a change is made during the season, is if the lifeless efforts continue. I do expect a decision on him will be made, but I don't think it will be until after the year is over next spring.

[raymondnesbitt]

I know Sully isn't fully to blame.. but I mean you can change players, and GMs so many times and still get the same results. One place they haven't touched is HC. Maybe a different system could fit some of these guys better. The history of changing HCs with this core has shown what? Success. The proof is right there lol

[icedzeppelin]

6:23 ...DK, first i love your takes on like 98% of your football and hockey stuff. However, here u say " If anyone thinks that everything's going to change..."

DK, our last three Stanley Cups have been won "after" a mid-season coaching change. So as a fan base we do have reason and past experience that give us reasonable belief that a mid-season coaching change COULD change everything. I remember a great line from the 2009 Stanley Cup Champs Video, I believe from 29er, "it's alot easier to change one person than a whole team"...bye Therrien, hello Bylsma and Cup. Bye Johnson, hello Sullivan and two cups. Same def could happen here with this crew.

[ljkking]

A new coach could stop giving preferential treatment to the vets when it isn’t warranted. He could concentrate on defense and stop the pinching. He could stop the fast hockey because they don’t have fast players.

[jerryyeager]

Thank you DK, I just hope they solve this defensive problem sooner than later. Great show DK

[raymondrak]

Sullivan seems to favor veteran players over rookies. That prevents the rookies from developing. Other teams don't hesitate using rookies.

[stevexboxfriends]

If the object of the exercise is to tank then keep Sullivan in place. No idea what the point of Dubas is.

[anthonyaraujo]

First off I really love your coverage of all Pittsburgh sports teams your team does a great job.. anyways if I have to hear that phrase the core 3 ever again I'm going to throw up... I'm so sick and tired of hearing how they can't fire the Coach and they can't trade this player that player this player... It's a mess and it really didn't need to come to this level... My biggest problem with the team is not so much lack of talent but their lack of passion and heart...

[michaelwiecha]

You asked how to get the 11.5M value out of Karlsson... how about we turn him into a forward? The results could not get worse...

[ppd]

This is the line of thinking that let this go this far. "Well firing him won't do anything anyway so why even do it??"

Maybe because we have to see what happens and we really don't know what would happen. We also don't want Sullivan in charge of a rebuild in any form. Sully and young players? Nope.

The Capitals had a dreadful team in the same exact scenario and brought in a new coach that makes that team compete.

[achurchpianistyou]

I actually think yes they would. A change is exactly what this team needs. Remember St. Louis going from last to Stanley cup a few years ago. Most coaches benches players for poor play not Sullivan

[maestaspg]

So essentially, it breaks down being the good ole, 'boy system. No wonder the team sucks!

[travisbrown]

Sullivan constructs this lineup, and the discipline that comes with policing their efforts from game to game. What don't you get, DK? The minute he gets replaced, we get to see some real, drastic lineup changes. If it works, awesome! If it doesn't, which we all know it probably won't, that's ok, too. A rebuild requires a breakdown of all personnel. This team needs to be rebuilt in a grittier image. We need bigger/more physical forwards and defencemen, as well as several fast, puck-moving forwards. Bring in guys like Kirby Dach for the rebuild via trade, and draft a franchise defensemen to pair with Owen Pickering like Matthew Shaefer of the Erie Otters. If he isn't available, get another physical forward like Malcolm Spence. Kids like that will recreate the Penguins brand. Teams used to fear us. They knew guys like Hornqvist and Kunitz would crush you in the neutral zone. We no longer have those guys, and teams are walking all over us. Sullivan has to go, and we need to move on from the nostalgia. I was against it at first, but after the Utah game, I'm sold. TEAR IT DOWN.

[terpoholicsloth]

For me it's less about a new coach fixing everything instantly, it's more about not seeing things like AHL defense on the first pairing and powerplay. Not to mention the ever growing list of young players that make it out of pittsburgh and do something with the opportunity.

[landanthompson]

Can't believe there's a question mark in the title

[kelseywhitlatch]

4:21 my issue is you pretend DK that it can’t get any better… fact is, cannot really get any worse can it?

[seantcampbell]

I think firing Sullivan would have the Jake Guentzel trade effect on the team.

[pittsburghfan]

I've never been a fire Sullivan (or Tomlin) guy. Both are great coaches. In Sully's case, he seems to have lost the room. If coaches have a shelf life and FSG refuses to fire Sully, don't you need to completely overhaul the roster so that the guys in the room aren't stale to his message and actually fit his system? That requires young and fast guys. I'm not sure how much longer I can subject myself to the torture of watching this team.