Sullivan Sternly Defends Penguins Power Play, Will Have Role in Transition
Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, in his season-ending press conference Saturday, touched on several topics, including his role in the management transition team. But by far his most impassioned words came when he was asked about the power play.
The Penguins feature top-end talent to deploy with the man-advantage – including Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Jake Guentzel — and they converted on 21.7 percent of their chances in 2022-23. There were times they moved the puck with authority and created strong chances. There also were times they gave up shorthanded scoring chances, or had a tough time gaining the offensive zone and getting set up.
Sullivan gave a long defense of the power play, often with his voice stern and his expression defiant.
“I think our power play finished 14th in the league, if I’m not mistaken. Is that correct? Our net power play finished 10th. Is that correct?” he started. “OK, so when you subtract the goals against from the goals that they scored, they’re 10th in the league. So they’re top third in the league. Actuals, all right?”
He then got into some analytics that, he said, showed “they’re getting some pretty good looks, and they’re getting to spots to get those looks.”
“Now, the expectations are high with that group, right?” Sullivan continued. “And would we have liked it to be better in certain circumstances? Sure we would have. (Are) there areas for it to grow? Absolutely. We’re always trying to find ways to help that group improve and get better. I think with a little bit more finishing on some of those looks, they actually could have climbed higher, but that’s hockey.”
Sullivan said the Penguins assessed the power play throughout the season, including strategy and personnel, and will continue to do that through the offseason.
To sum up, Sullivan said, “I don’t think it was as bad as sometimes (people) perceived it to be. I think there were moments we could have been better. There were also long stretches where they were difference-makers for us.”
Sullivan will be doing more than assessing the power play in the near future. Dave Beeston of Fenway Sports Group, owners of the Penguins, identified the coach as part of the transition team in the search for new upper management after general manager Ron Hextall, president of hockey operations Brian Burke and assistant GM Chris Pryor were fired after the team failed to make the playoffs.
“FSG will go through a process to find a new general manager that will lead our team moving forward,” Sullivan said. “In the meantime, we’ve got to do our best to continue to operate efficiently and effectively. And there are a number of people … that are part of that process, me being one.
“My role in it is just going to be the hockey side, assessing our team, where we’re at, where we think we need to go moving forward, identifying needs, things of that nature. So I think I will just be one voice (in) a group of people that will do our best to make sure that the Penguins continue to operate at an efficient and effective level.”
As far as a key member of that personnel, goaltender Tristan Jarry received kudos from Sullivan. Jarry has said he dealt with injuries all season, and he is a pending unrestricted free agent.
“I think Tristan is a top-tier goalie in this league,” Sullivan said. “I’ve said this all year long, and I believe he’ll continue to be moving forward. … This year was a particular challenge for him for a lot of reasons, but I think Tristan is a very good goalie in this league.”
As for the team as a whole, Sullivan also gave his stamp of approval.
“I believe this team has the makings of being a very competitive hockey team,” he said. “Our core players have the ability to play at an elite level.
“Our challenge moving forward … is identifying how we can continue to improve and get better.”
While some players, such as Jarry, have been dealing with injuries, Sullivan said as far as he knew none would require surgery.
Categorized:Penguins
I hope his comments are only for public consumption in defense of his players and staff and not what he really thinks. If not, he is delusional and needs to be shown the door by the new GM.
SULLIVAN YOU ARE THE PROBLEM. You are stubborn and old and soft. You need to add size and toughness. You are no longer the fastest team but far from it. Things will not get better until you leave period!
Penguins powerplay= pass, pass, pass, skate around, pass, pass, low % shot, skate, pass, pass, etc!
I’m trying to figure out how much input a coach, any coach, should have. Especially at the point where the Penguins are now. I mean, who’s going to set the direction of the franchise going forward? The coach? Or the yet to be hired higher ups? In any organization, I certainly hope it’s the higher ups. Otherwise, you’ve got problems.
The same kinda problems if we let the players make the decisions?
This coach needs to be forced to play young players. If not everyone will be thirty something l
He has to use the players his GM has acquired for him. The age of the team isn’t the coach’s fault. The penguins aren’t exactly bursting with young talent ready to make a difference at the NHL level. I don’t know why people seem to think they are.
The Standard is The Standard.
This may not be as big as change as most think. First the Pens need to commit $10M+ to goaltending. They need a 1A:1B. Jarry and Hill. Trade DeSmith. Second they need to let all other UFAs walk. We need the cap space and we need to get younger, faster, and bigger. Third, the Pens need to make a commitment to top RFAs by signing them to league minimum regardless where they play. 4 of our prospects need to fill out our bottom 6. O’Conner, Poeling, plus 2 others. This will leave $6M for a third line center and a… Read more »
Playing a lot of NHL Franchise mode are we? 😅
“Continue to operate at an efficient and effective level”. WTF???
This statement shows he must go.
Almost every effective PP has a quarterback with vision, a hard, accurate shot and an ability to get it on net consistently. Almost every elite PP has that and a physical presence in front of the net. This team has neither. Until that changes, it will be more of the same. The system won’t matter a whole lot. #Hexed
I mean, we have the QB. Net front presence hasn’t been here since Hornqvist left so I will agree with that.
Letang’s shot doesn’t scare anyone. Worse yet, he ranks very poorly in percentage of shots attempts on goal. That’s why a Chychrun trade would have been so beneficial. He’s young, can skate and has a lethal shot. Too bad Sullivan was overruled on it.
There seems to be too much emphasis on analytics, all that really matters is the Ws and Ls. Yes you need to pay attention to details, but at some point you’re not seeing the forest for the trees.
I’ve actually thought there hasn’t been enough emphasis on analytics with the GM decisions. I’m no analytics buff at all, but the fool wasn’t acquiring or retaining players for their underlying numbers that’s for sure. 😅 A good analytics guy finds you those players that everyone else passes by but make an impact that goes beyond the eye test and translates into those W’s.
Will Sully finally get players that fit his finesse skating, deep offensive zone cycling, quick break out hockey playing style or will he keep trying to fit square pegs into round holes? The oldest team in the NHL skates like the oldest team in the NHL.
I really hope so. GMRH did a god awful job of identifying his coach’s system and building a team for it. It’s almost like he wasn’t aware of the way his team tried to play. Like completely not aware of it.
Where did the article on Jarry’s back disappear to?
This damn team needs a goalie that can play more than two games in a row. Jary is a wuss…
The guy who played through a painful injury(s) all season … call him soft or weak seems to be incorrect.
Why are the Pens playing painfully injured players?
Are they cheaper?
Dan, Jarry when he does play is very average. Look how he played down the stretch against games that were like playoff games. He isn’t worth his weight in any pressure situations. He’s soft and DeSmith is a minor leaguer. Before this season and his injuries, I felt the same way about him. I have zero confidence in him. If they bring both of these sieves back next season, we are screwed.
Alright you all know I was very cynical and pessimistic last year at this time. If this comments by HCMS are also reflected by the next GM and the new GM is not a strong Independent voice with full Authority and a wealth of knowledge , then I’ll be totally disgusted. Everything now depends on the new GM.
Sullivan, I love you. Back to back Championships cements you in Pittsburgh as a great for eternity. No one can ever take that away from you nor would I ever try. With that being said…… What an absolute crock of shit.