Kingerski: What the Mike Sullivan Media Availability Really Said (+)

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan addressed several media members on Friday. The primary beat reporters (including from Pittsburgh Hockey Now) and local TV both lobbed and peppered Sullivan with questions in a wide-ranging press conference one day after the team introduced Kyle Dubas as the new president of hockey operations.

Sullivan had answers.

Very few coaches are fortunate enough to outlast two GMs, yet Sullivan is about to join his third regime. While the Fenway Sports Group, who owns the Penguins, have stated their fondness for Sullivan, his fate was technically left up to the new president or GM.

That question was quickly answered in Dubas’ introductory press conference, and it seems the Penguins are moving ahead full speed barring down on the details to remake what looked like a tired, old roster.

Perhaps it was the six weeks since a game, or perhaps an explosion of sunshine in Pittsburgh, but Sullivan struck several notes of casual optimism combined with something else that had been missing for some time.