Ryan Wilson: Pascal Dupuis creating drama with Mike Sullivan Pascal Dupuis creating drama with Mike Sullivan

Said this at the end of comments in last blog:


"Scotty Bowman once said that coaching Lemieux and Jagr was like trying to teach a wolf table manners...

I kinda feel this is in the same realm. Those two elite talents are going to do their own thing a lot of times no matter what the coach is saying. Those 2 elite talents have much higher hockey talented brains than Sully ever did or will."

For my money, it appears to me that sully is responsible for a few key things over the last two years regarding this team. I would argue that MAF is gone largely due to Sullivans preference to MM. Kunitz was shipped out because he is old and can skate like he used to. Cole was booted and Reaves was never allowed to fully make the team. All of these moves are directly tied to Sullivan from what I see. All of these moves have backfired and taken important pieces from the room...a room that seemed to want all of those pieces in Pittsburgh still. This isn't even talking about sprong and that bs, as well having to suffer the consequences of it all with brass.

It's not hard to see that the team doesn't give a damn playing for sully anymore. It started the moment this team marched MAF out the door for no good reason than a few million dollars.

This is one of the first times I agree with pretty much 100% of an RW blog. I almost wonder if he read the replies in the last thread since invoked the d-pairings that forwards have been paired with affecting their ability to drive play.

I agree with this sentiment and the other point he made directly affects this issue: How JR has constructed the defense. I'm sure things would be different if Geno's partner on the back was Schultz and not JJ. All this to be said, you unfortunately can't pair Letang for 60 minutes.

If the Pens can hang on to a playoff spot by the time Schultz returns I'm sure this will help Malkin, but I don't think they can wait. They need to retool the defense and bring in a top-four RD NOW if they plan on holding on.

I agree with RW on this one.

NHL coaches have about a 5yr shelf life before they need to be replaced.

I agree with RW on this one.

NHL coaches have about a 5yr shelf life before they need to be replaced.
- Murphy_Dump

Get coach q before Philly does

That guy knows how to beat these pens and has for like a decade...need him on the good team

I kinda feel this is in the same realm. Those two elite talents are going to do their own thing a lot of times no matter what the coach is saying. Those 2 elite talents have much higher hockey talented brains than Sully ever did or will."

That is such a (frank)ing terrible way to think. You think Crosby walks around ignoring everything everyone says because he has a "higher hockey iq" than them.

The d-pairs right now IMO should be...

Dumo/Letang
Maatta/Riikola
Pettersson/JO

Looking at how Pettersson has propped up JJ's numbers I can only imagine what he could do for JO.

Riikola is still quite green, but he drives offense better than JJ and skates the way this team needs.

I'm not saying any of this is ideal, but I think it would be better than what they're icing right now.

Whichever line matches up against the other teams top line should get Tanger. I'm pretty sure that is Sid's line most nights.

Every year there is 1 or less Kris Letang and Geno still produces.

I know JJ is bad but to completely nullify Geno is a bit of a stretch. All players go through slumps.

That is such a (frank)ing terrible way to think. You think Crosby walks around ignoring everything everyone says because he has a "higher hockey iq" than them.
- joecool2931

No. Not that's not what I think at all. Seeing how there was no question mark, it was a statement by you, not a question, and an erroneous one at that.

When Sullivan first started he preached taking the shackles off and letting the high end guys basically do what they want....so why would anything be different now?

Do you really think Sullivan is telling Malkin he should (almost) always circle back into his own zone when he gets the puck? hahah

For my money, it appears to me that sully is responsible for a few key things over the last two years regarding this team. I would argue that MAF is gone largely due to Sullivans preference to MM. Kunitz was shipped out because he is old and can skate like he used to. Cole was booted and Reaves was never allowed to fully make the team. All of these moves are directly tied to Sullivan from what I see. All of these moves have backfired and taken important pieces from the room...a room that seemed to want all of those pieces in Pittsburgh still. This isn't even talking about sprong and that bs, as well having to suffer the consequences of it all with brass.

It's not hard to see that the team doesn't give a damn playing for sully anymore. It started the moment this team marched MAF out the door for no good reason than a few million dollars.
- taleisyreXIII

Kunitz and Cole being gone have absolutley nothing to do with Sullivan lol Those two were perfect (frank)ing molds of the way Sully wanted the game played and 100% bought into his system. MM and Fluery thing was born from Sully,he loved MM, but hey, that was part of our youth movement that brought us back-to-back championships, so im okay with it. GMJR shipped out the "important pieces" of the room that you elude to, not Sully. Not to mention 3M is a pretty damn good reason let alone every key goalie stat being better as well.

No. Not that's not what I think at all. Seeing how there was no question mark, it was a statement by you, not a question, and an erroneous one at that.

When Sullivan first started he preached taking the shackles off and letting the high end guys basically do what they want....so why would anything be different now?

Do you really think Sullivan is telling Malkin he should (almost) always circle back into his own zone when he gets the puck? hahah
- MattStrat

Never once did he say let them do what they want..."play the game the right way"

I know JJ is bad but to completely nullify Geno is a bit of a stretch. All players go through slumps.
- Thorny87

Gonna 100% disagree with you here. When you have someone like JJ behind you, you're going wind up doing far more work than you normally would. It will take away from allowing Geno to do his own thing.

For my money, it appears to me that sully is responsible for a few key things over the last two years regarding this team. I would argue that MAF is gone largely due to Sullivans preference to MM. Kunitz was shipped out because he is old and can skate like he used to. Cole was booted and Reaves was never allowed to fully make the team. All of these moves are directly tied to Sullivan from what I see. All of these moves have backfired and taken important pieces from the room...a room that seemed to want all of those pieces in Pittsburgh still. This isn't even talking about sprong and that bs, as well having to suffer the consequences of it all with brass.

It's not hard to see that the team doesn't give a damn playing for sully anymore. It started the moment this team marched MAF out the door for no good reason than a few million dollars.
- taleisyreXIII

1. MAF (AKA Golden Child) was gone because that was the logical thing to do. You don't keep a guy in his early 30s who was a playoff failure for many years over a 22 year old who just won back to back Cups, making less $.

2. Kunitz is gone because yes, he is old and too slow.

3. I remember when the Pens got Reeves, people on this blog thought is was an awful trade, but as soon as he leaves, they should have kept him.

Never once did he say let them do what they want..."play the game the right way"
- joecool2931

That's his cliche go to almost every post game or pre game.

He said take the shackles of them many times in the beginning of his tenure. That they are high end players that see and think the game differently than most.

You didnt answer my question.

Gonna 100% disagree with you here. When you have someone like JJ behind you, you're going wind up doing far more work than you normally would. It will take away from allowing Geno to do his own thing.
- Rinosaur

Geno always does his own thing. Too much sometimes

Geno always does his own thing. Too much sometimes
- Thorny87

Exactly.

Geno always does his own thing. Too much sometimes
- Thorny87

Right, when he has linemates who can't pull their own weight.

EDIT: It's one thing to pick up the brunt of work from wingers, but it's another when you're doing it for your dmen.

Headline: "Hornquivst returns to the lineup to complete concussion training with Tom Wilson."

Right, when he has linemates who can't pull their own weight.
- Rinosaur

1 guy out of 5? He does share the ice with the other superstar and Pearson/Horny.

That's his cliche go to almost every post game or pre game.

He said take the shackles of them many times in the beginning of his tenure. That they are high end players that see and think the game differently than most.

You didnt answer my question.
- MattStrat

Im not going to answer you question, it was (frank)ing retarded.

Take the shackles off =/= let the players do whatever they want.

1 guy out of 5? He does share the ice with the other superstar and Pearson.
- Thorny87

In today's NHL, offense is generated from the back-end and out, i.e. "transition game." When you don't have dmen who can help with the transition game, Geno is forced to go back and drive it himself, or get stuck in the neutral zone because there's no momentum.

1. MAF (AKA Golden Child) was gone because that was the logical thing to do. You don't keep a guy in his early 30s who was a playoff failure for many years over a 22 year old who just won back to back Cups, making less $.

2. Kunitz is gone because yes, he is old and too slow.

3. I remember when the Pens got Reeves, people on this blog thought is was an awful trade, but as soon as he leaves, they should have kept him.
- stevens87

I was against everyone of those moves the moment they happened..and was very vocal about them all.

There were 30 teams in the league when maf helped this team to 4 finals and 3 championships within a decade...he may have had some awful moments..but he deserved a lot more than what he got. MM was not even get a number one goalie. He had a sniff of NHL hockey and absolutely NEEDED MAF to get those championship rings he has.

In today's NHL, offense is generated from the back-end and out, i.e. "transition game." When you don't have dmen who can help with the transition game, Geno is forced to go back and drive it himself, or get stuck in the neutral zone because there's no momentum.
- Rinosaur

He has the 2nd most offensive zone starts on the whole team behind Kessel, his line mate. Offence isn't only born of breakouts.

"They came one shot away from losing to a bad Senators team in the Eastern Conference Finals."

If a team gets to the Eastern Conference Finals how the heck are they a bad team? Please explain, most holy one, RW.