It goes without saying Penguins coach Mike Sullivan doesn’t get a lot of love on our blog. For various and sundry reasons my esteemed colleague, Other Rick, wants Sully to be fired yesterday (if not the day before).
I would’ve moved on from him this past summer following a season where he and his staff seemed to have few answers for the team’s myriad issues, to say nothing of missing the postseason for the first time since 2006.
Too, after nearly eight full seasons of Sullivan behind our bench, I felt we needed a fresh approach, systematically, and a new voice in the dressing room.
I’ve criticized his obstinance and unwillingness to adjust his system to fit the talent on hand. Nor am I a fan of the perceived restrictions he places on roster construction (tough guys and kids need not apply).
One thing I’ve never questioned? His quality as a man and a human being. Win, lose or draw, Sully stands in there night after night and answers questions from the media as honestly and forthrightly as he can. Yeah, he gets snippy sometimes, especially following a particularly frustrating loss.
