I am not defending HCMS. I think he's done a terrible job this season and the team has tuned him out. His line and personnel management has been awful. Any way you look at it, the Pens are not going to the playoffs. But here's my reasoning for why the Kyle Dubas will not fire Sullivan during this regular season:
It doesn't matter at this point. A change in coaching staff will have no effect. The Pens are all but mathematically eliminated.
What new coach (that the Pens might court) would be willing to step into this pile of hot dog-****? He will waste his efforts on a team that is completely demoralized and will change dramatically in the off-season. And none of that effort will carry over to next year. Best to start fresh with a new coach, some new troops, and the chance of making something happen in the new season.
Making Sullivan available immediately after the end of the season might allow him to catch on with another team. That would effectively negate his contract or (possibly) reduce what the Penguins might have to pay him.
Well it will also more than likely allow there to me more replacement candidates available from those also fired at the end of the season. But I still hold GMKD responsible for throwing this season away by refusing to move on from Sully while there was still time to save the season and utilize our talent under a new coach.
Dynasty1970 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 13, 2024 6:29 pm
Well it will also more than likely allow there to me more replacement candidates available from those also fired at the end of the season. But I still hold GMKD responsible for throwing this season away by refusing to move on from Sully while there was still time to save the season and utilize our talent under a new coach.
The time to have done it was at his first press conference on December 11th. He had seemed to be hinting before that that changes were going to be made.
The time to have kicked him to the curb was in the 21-22 offseason. Instead, they signed him to a 3 years extension out to 2026-27. Another one of Hextall's huge mistakes.
Yes, that Dec. 11 presser was the time to do it, at least for this year's results. It would've given plenty of time to have a new voice implement a new system so that management could evaluate players better. I still don't believe that some of these guys are the offensive black holes they seem to be now. ...That said, agree wholeheartedly that it should've happened at least a year earlier, if not more.
If Sullivan is still here after the draft I will start placing some of that blame onto Dubas. Heaping more if he's still here next season. And doubly so if he's still around for next trade deadline. Time to part ways with Sullivan -- and the best time is 18 April 2024. Within a day of losing game #82 to the also-not-going-to-the-playoffs Isles.
Badger Bob wrote: ↑Thu Mar 14, 2024 8:19 am
The time to have kicked him to the curb was in the 21-22 offseason. Instead, they signed him to a 3 years extension out to 2026-27. Another one of Hextall's huge mistakes.