Would you fire Dubas right now??

[yinzer69]

This ought to be an interesting and fun social experiment.

[KG]

lol

He got the best return of the trade deadline in a major buyers market. He said the Carolina package was "by far the best" he received. You have to take him at his word.

Also, nobody with term really got dealt unless there was retention attached. This summer I think we will see some major changes to the roster and coaching staff hopefully.

I will say, next season I am not getting baited into buying anything these "insiders" are saying. They were all horrible this deadline.

[Pitts]

WTF? Not playing.

[yinzer69]

WTF? Not playing.

obviously your vote would be YES.

[E-Ramone]

I voted no, but I'm not really convinced that he has a definite vision of what he wants this team to be yet. I was optimistic that he'd make some bold decisions, but so far, he seems to be nibbling at it. The Karlsson trade was solid, but that alone isn't changing the direction or identity of the team. We're about to go two straight seasons without making the PO's so the clock is ticking here. I'm holding out hope that substantial changes are coming over the off-season.

[pronovost19]

Not ready to fire him yet. Obviously we hold a lot of bad contracts right now.

[thehockeyguru]

The team has 12M in cap space this off-season with only PO, Bemstrom and Ned out of contract.

I want to see how Dubas retools

[Badger Bob]

Let's see what happens this summer before we make any judgements. Obviously, we expected more at the deadline, but we have no idea what kind of hard lines other GM's were taking with demands.

[Antonio]

If i were to vote yes, it would be because he hasn't fired the coaching staff, which as this point is criminal to me. I wouldn't vote yes still at the point although I'd be tempted based solely on that. When the off season comes and goes and he doesn't fire him then (which he won't), then I'll say yes.

[Puck-Lurker]

No. I haven't found much fault with Dubas' decisions thusfar. Hindsight is nice, but irrelevant. Jarry's deal annoys me, all the NTCs and NMCs annoy me, but that's about it.

If he'd fired Sullivan along the way, I'd be fully in the NO camp. Coaching needs to be replaced and be accountable for the nosedive the team took (in terms of playoffs) at the closing "the window".

[Bo_Pens]

He is absolutely horrendous. Spouted off we need youth about a month ago which everybody on let’s go pens knew 2 years ago. We trade nylander.. he does not dump youth. Sullivan’s system of dump and chase only works with young legs. This has been proved multiple times. Completely lost faith……. Pirates season soon, that will be over in three weeks. Then the Steelers with their ridiculous coaching can roll the misery for a cycle of 12 months. Beyond frustrating and RUTHORFORD (or how ever you spell his name) WAS squeezed out because he told the pens the truth…. Malkin, Rust, Letang, must go! look where we are 24 months later. Ridicilious…. GM. General Motors, not general manager. another wasted season.

[VA Fan]

I think it is still too early to talk about firing Dubas. I think emotions are running high with Jake leaving and some truly awful performances by everybody on the team at times and I include the captain. I agree I want to see a coaching change not because I think it would have necessarily done us any good this year but primarily because it was the only real tool that could have been tried to shake some life into this team. I get the relictance to fire Sullivan from Dubas. He has not really been here that long and to be honest when this team goes on a run they look like world beaters. I think Sullivan if he stays through the off season and I think he will has to be on a short leash. I would feel more comfortable if there were some changes in are assistant coaches and maybe Wilkes too that look like we have already have more than a place holder in place when the hook for Sullivan comes. If the team does not really improve next year and for me that is at least in the hunt if not making the playoffs depending upon what our personnel looks like going into the season and yes whether or not are captain decides to resign then we may need to entertain the fire Dubas discussion.

[IntangibleBeer]

To those calling for the firing of Kyle Dubas, please step back from the ledge.

This was a horrible market, a buyer's market, and yet KD got something for Jake when the team s*** the bed and missed the playoffs.

It is entirely possible that after the season is over, Jake takes a good look around at NHL landscape and at Carolina and decides he wants to keep his family in Pittsburgh. At that point having cleared Carter's contract and realized the cap increase, it is entirely possible that KD could step up with $8.5-9M x 5 or 6 years and re-sign him. It is also possible that KD will act on his evaluations of the team and relieve HCMS of his duties.

My point is - it's too soon to tell. And waay too soon to

[DelPen]

Today, no. Ask me again on April 18, if Sullivan is still the coach then I change to a yes.

[Pens4Life]

Big fat NOOO!

But if Sullivan is still here next season ,then someone needs to go..

Sully gone in offseason and Jake -resigned would be ideal scenario haha

[Guinness]

He is absolutely horrendous. Spouted off we need youth about a month ago which everybody on let’s go pens knew 2 years ago. We trade nylander.. he does not dump youth. Sullivan’s system of dump and chase only works with young legs. This has been proved multiple times. Completely lost faith……. Pirates season soon, that will be over in three weeks. Then the Steelers with their ridiculous coaching can roll the misery for a cycle of 12 months. Beyond frustrating and RUTHORFORD (or how ever you spell his name) WAS squeezed out because he told the pens the truth…. Malkin, Rust, Letang, must go! look where we are 24 months later. Ridicilious…. GM. General Motors, not general manager. another wasted season.

This is, without question, one my favorite posts on this board, ever. And not just because I learned a new word from it ("ridiclious"... I'm going to use that at every opportunity I can, for sure) but also for the glorious non-sequitor between the third and (I think) 4th sentences.

I doff my chapeau, sir. Well done.

[Guinness]

I'm not necessarily a Sully hater, but he does need to go. He just doesn't have the room anymore, and his track record for damned near a DECADE has been abysmal. NO coach, with a roster that has had 3 for sure HOF'ers, if not maybe one or two more over that time span, should be able to get away with ONE PO series win since 2017. I appreciate what he has done here, but... dude... it's time. Hockey coaches don't live all that long.

It's just not the players. And if it's not the players, it's the coach.

[Puck-Lurker]

We have four players remaining on the team from our 2016 Cup team.

Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Rust.

The same for our 2017 Cup Team.*

*(Jarry did play one single regular season game against Rags that year.)

[Three Stars]

“Mike’s been here a long time, he’s like the players,” Dubas said, “and when you make the decision to remove someone from the group that’s hugely popular and contributes in such a great way, nobody’s happy about it.

“And I wouldn’t want it any other way. I wouldn’t want anybody to be happy about those things. That’s part of this job, and it’s part of their job to be upset when those things happen.”

I like this quote. It’s one part power move and one part frank assessment. The implication is that Dubas is going to do whatever he feels is necessary, and while he acknowledges that the team and the coach may not like it, they also have to acknowledge how their contributions (or lack thereof) led to this event. “This team is going nowhere, so now I gotta sell your buddy because it no longer makes sense to keep him for the long term”.

The real question is how the core responds.

[stonewizard51]

I was a no vote. I'm waiting to see what he does in the offseason.

[Guinness]

“Mike’s been here a long time, he’s like the players,” Dubas said, “and when you make the decision to remove someone from the group that’s hugely popular and contributes in such a great way, nobody’s happy about it.

“And I wouldn’t want it any other way. I wouldn’t want anybody to be happy about those things. That’s part of this job, and it’s part of their job to be upset when those things happen.”

I like this quote. It’s one part power move and one part frank assessment. The implication is that Dubas is going to do whatever he feels is necessary, and while he acknowledges that the team and the coach may not like it, they also have to acknowledge how their contributions (or lack thereof) led to this event. “This team is going nowhere, so now I gotta sell your buddy because it no longer makes sense to keep him for the long term”.

The real question is how the core responds.

Yeah this is well said. Basically it's KD saying, "I'm the boss - you'll coach the players I give you." That's the kind of GM we need here. Sully just needs reined in. Well, really he needs to go, but absent that, he needs reined in.

I'm actually at the point where everyone not named Sidney Crosby is, from KD down, available. And i've never been at that point since maybe 2003. I would have traded the Civic Arena that year, it was such a dumpster fire! lol

[Puck-Lurker]

“Mike’s been here a long time, he’s like the players,” Dubas said, “and when you make the decision to remove someone from the group that’s hugely popular and contributes in such a great way, nobody’s happy about it.

“And I wouldn’t want it any other way. I wouldn’t want anybody to be happy about those things. That’s part of this job, and it’s part of their job to be upset when those things happen.”

I like this quote. It’s one part power move and one part frank assessment. The implication is that Dubas is going to do whatever he feels is necessary, and while he acknowledges that the team and the coach may not like it, they also have to acknowledge how their contributions (or lack thereof) led to this event. “This team is going nowhere, so now I gotta sell your buddy because it no longer makes sense to keep him for the long term”.

The real question is how the core responds.

Yeah this is well said. Basically it's KD saying, "I'm the boss - you'll coach the players I give you." That's the kind of GM we need here. Sully just needs reined in. Well, really he needs to go, but absent that, he needs reined in.

I'm actually at the point where everyone not named Sidney Crosby is, from KD down, available. And i've never been at that point since maybe 2003. I would have traded the Civic Arena that year, it was such a dumpster fire! lol

You can extrapolate this to Sully himself (not saying Dubas intends this)

By all reports, players are happy with Sullivan. Sullivan can be removed if Dubas thinks that's what he needs to do.

Probably reading too much into it.

[Cow_Master66]

I'm not necessarily a Sully hater, but he does need to go. He just doesn't have the room anymore, and his track record for damned near a DECADE has been abysmal. NO coach, with a roster that has had 3 for sure HOF'ers, if not maybe one or two more over that time span, should be able to get away with ONE PO series win since 2017. I appreciate what he has done here, but... dude... it's time. Hockey coaches don't live all that long.

It's just not the players. And if it's not the players, it's the coach.

I wouldn’t expect him to be fired during the season. There’s really no reason to either.

[Guinness]

“Mike’s been here a long time, he’s like the players,” Dubas said, “and when you make the decision to remove someone from the group that’s hugely popular and contributes in such a great way, nobody’s happy about it.

“And I wouldn’t want it any other way. I wouldn’t want anybody to be happy about those things. That’s part of this job, and it’s part of their job to be upset when those things happen.”

I like this quote. It’s one part power move and one part frank assessment. The implication is that Dubas is going to do whatever he feels is necessary, and while he acknowledges that the team and the coach may not like it, they also have to acknowledge how their contributions (or lack thereof) led to this event. “This team is going nowhere, so now I gotta sell your buddy because it no longer makes sense to keep him for the long term”.

The real question is how the core responds.

Yeah this is well said. Basically it's KD saying, "I'm the boss - you'll coach the players I give you." That's the kind of GM we need here. Sully just needs reined in. Well, really he needs to go, but absent that, he needs reined in.

I'm actually at the point where everyone not named Sidney Crosby is, from KD down, available. And i've never been at that point since maybe 2003. I would have traded the Civic Arena that year, it was such a dumpster fire! lol

You can extrapolate this to Sully himself (not saying Dubas intends this)

By all reports, players are happy with Sullivan. Sullivan can be removed if Dubas thinks that's what he needs to do.

Probably reading too much into it.

Yeah, I know the team likes him or whatever. They haven't won a single freaking playoff series since 2018, and that was just ONE. That's not all on Sullivan, but it's pretty damned hard to pin it on anyone else. It's time to go. We fired Scotty Bowman for pity's sake... no coach should be immune!

Not doing shiite since 2017 is NOT acceptable with 2 generational talents on this roster. It's just not. And I don't know who else to point the finger at than the coach. I mean, he has OPENLY stated that he let's the players run the power play... well, dude, it's the worst in the league. So MAYBE step in, do your job and freaking get that **** going in the right direction!? This dude has the gravyist job in the world - "oh things aren't working out so great?? Well those guys are in charge of that... and who is in charge of them? Oh yeah, that's me. But it's def not my bad..."

Never had a job like that. None of my bosses would let me get away with blaming guys who report to me F up, and let me get away with "well they did it, not me." No. I'm the boss. If they're underperforming, that's on me. Period.

I don't know what Sullivan is doing or how he's managed to live probably 3 years past his shelf life here, but you just simply can't keep losing year after year and expect to be able to keep your job.

This guy has to get out of bed every October and think, "I can't freaking believe this!"

[maopens]

No. But if I own the team, I bring him in for a meeting.

In the off-season, I want the old guys he brought in last summer gone, get what you can get and move on. The team needs to be younger.

Bring Sullivan in and give him strict rules. Play the young guys until they prove they are no capable. That doesn't mean 4 shifts in their first game. Harkins is gone so deal with it Mike. If you stray from the rules then you will be gone. Very short leash.

Reirdan is gone. I'd rather leave the power play without a coach than to watch that mess again next season.

Do what you can to figure out WTH happened to Graves. Was it this coaching staff? Does he have dementia and forgot how to play? If you determine he is what we saw, then you have to move that contract somehow, some way.