Penguins fire Mike Johnston, Mike Sullivan named new Head Coach

[CarltonTheBear]

Mike Sullivan has been named head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, it was announced today by General Manager Jim Rutherford.

Sullivan replaces Mike Johnston, who was relieved of his duties earlier today.

Assistant coach Gary Agnew also was relieved of his duties.

Sullivan, 47, was in his first season as head coach of the Penguins? American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, leading his team to an 18-5 record and first place in the Atlantic Division.

The Marshfield, MA native was head coach of the Boston Bruins from 2003-06 and was an NHL assistant coach for eight seasons with the Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. He spent the 2014-15 season as player development coach for the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.

Sullivan will be joined on the bench by assistant coaches Rick Tocchet and Jacques Martin when he makes his Pittsburgh debut Monday night against the Washington Capitals at CONSOL Energy Center.

Damnit, how awesome would it have been if they hired Randy?

 

[Kin]

Wow. I didn't know Martin was an assistant there. Seems like he'd have been the obvious replacement.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

This was the Penguins defence in their last game (due to a Letang injury):

Warsofsky-Maatta
Lovejoy-Dumoulin
Scuderi-Cole

I mean there seem to be some legitimate complaints made again Johnson, but that's terrible. They let Martin, Orpik, and Ehrhoff all walk without replacing them and then traded an actual good defenceman in Simon Despres for a bottom pairing guy in Ben Lovejoy.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Wow. I didn't know Martin was an assistant there. Seems like he'd have been the obvious replacement.

Yup, I actually included that bit because I had no idea either. Weird.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

This was the Penguins defence in their last game (due to a Letang injury):

Warsofsky-Maatta
Lovejoy-Dumoulin
Scuderi-Cole

I mean there seem to be some legitimate complaints made again Johnson, but that's terrible. They let Martin, Orpik, and Ehrhoff all walk without replacing them and then traded an actual good defenceman in Simon Despres for a bottom pairing guy in Ben Lovejoy.

I'm trying to remember the articles about this I read recently - was it something like he was trying to get them to play a defensive style with all these great offensive players?  And it wasn't working offensively or defensively?

 

[Kin]

This was the Penguins defence in their last game (due to a Letang injury):

Warsofsky-Maatta
Lovejoy-Dumoulin
Scuderi-Cole

I mean there seem to be some legitimate complaints made again Johnson, but that's terrible. They let Martin, Orpik, and Ehrhoff all walk without replacing them and then traded an actual good defenceman in Simon Despres for a bottom pairing guy in Ben Lovejoy.

Is there a reason Pouliot hasn't gotten a call up yet? I know that apparently there was real heat between Rutherford and Johnston with regards to playing Sprong but Pouliot's 21 and has 40 points in 53 career AHL games.

Also...Scott Harrington for Sprong? Who says no?

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

This was the Penguins defence in their last game (due to a Letang injury):

Warsofsky-Maatta
Lovejoy-Dumoulin
Scuderi-Cole

I mean there seem to be some legitimate complaints made again Johnson, but that's terrible. They let Martin, Orpik, and Ehrhoff all walk without replacing them and then traded an actual good defenceman in Simon Despres for a bottom pairing guy in Ben Lovejoy.

Is there a reason Pouliot hasn't gotten a call up yet? I know that apparently there was real heat between Rutherford and Johnston with regards to playing Sprong but Pouliot's 21 and has 40 points in 53 career AHL games.

Also...Scott Harrington for Sprong? Who says no?

My guess is it'd take more than that to get it done. How about Harrington and Polak for Sprong?

Edit: Also (FWIW) from what I've read, Pouliot's game isn't ready defensively atm.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

This was the Penguins defence in their last game (due to a Letang injury):

Warsofsky-Maatta
Lovejoy-Dumoulin
Scuderi-Cole

I mean there seem to be some legitimate complaints made again Johnson, but that's terrible. They let Martin, Orpik, and Ehrhoff all walk without replacing them and then traded an actual good defenceman in Simon Despres for a bottom pairing guy in Ben Lovejoy.

Is there a reason Pouliot hasn't gotten a call up yet? I know that apparently there was real heat between Rutherford and Johnston with regards to playing Sprong but Pouliot's 21 and has 40 points in 53 career AHL games.

Was cited for public drunkenness in November, which probably didn't help.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Is there a reason Pouliot hasn't gotten a call up yet? I know that apparently there was real heat between Rutherford and Johnston with regards to playing Sprong but Pouliot's 21 and has 40 points in 53 career AHL games.

Had a very disappointing training camp apparently, that's why he didn't at least earn a spot on day one. But I'm pretty surprised they haven't given him a shot since then.

 

[Captain Canuck]

Wow. I didn't know Martin was an assistant there. Seems like he'd have been the obvious replacement.

Yup, I actually included that bit because I had no idea either. Weird.

He was "special assistant to the head coach" under Johnston.
He analyzed games from the media box level as an "eye in the sky" type coach. Very out of sight, out of mind type coaching, which is probably why people didn't know he was with the Pens.

I don't get the attachment to Tocchet at all, certainly doesn't have the coaching record to back up why he wasn't sent packing with Johnston and Agnew?

 

[Kin]

Had a very disappointing training camp apparently, that's why he didn't at least earn a spot on day one. But I'm pretty surprised they haven't given him a shot since then.

There's an old line about the ability of the transient to be overly selective that comes to mind.

 

[lamajama]

I hope this works because they had better make the playoffs!