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Datsyukian-Deke

2017 ECSF Washington Caps vs. Pittsburgh Pens

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Crosby is participating in full practice today, which may mean a few things: 1) somewhat new protocol suggesting you shouldn't rest, but keep active...however, I doubt that means taking a lot of contact, which he would in practice, 2) if all goes well, ready to play game 5?  

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15 hours ago, Nightfall said:

Agreed.  I think we can also point to other coaches who have excelled when taking over a team, and then fast forward a few years later and they are fired.  I think its safe to say that a coaches message gets lost and new blood is needed to keep things going.

For sure. (See: Hitchcock, Ken.)

15 hours ago, Nightfall said:

Sullivan needs a larger sample size, but longevity in the NHL coaching realm revolves around getting the most out of your players.  So far, Sullivan has achieved that. 

I think what I like about him is that there appears to be precious little bulls*** in his approach to coaching this Pens team. He's logical, rational, reasonable, calculating. When he took over for Mike Johnston, he assessed the team's strengths and built the team's new systems and sensibilities around those strengths, whereas Mike Johnston had decided the Pens were going to be a team that tries to win games 2-1, "because defense" (or something). Sullivan got everyone to buy in; the players embraced a new team identity, one which helps make this team more than the sum of its parts. He seems to treat players fairly and the players seem to enjoy playing for him. By all accounts, he's extremely demanding -- but, at the same time, his troops always understand where he's coming from and what he wants from them and why he wants it. No behind-the-scenes drama. Players playing to their full potential. Good, winning hockey.

A couple pretty good pieces:

How the Mike Sullivan effect turned the Penguins into playoff bullies

How does Pittsburgh seemingly put every opponent, even the offensively elite Washington Capitals in Round 2, back on its heels? The straightforward answer is speed. The Conor Sheary-Sidney Crosby-Patric Hornqvist line skates. The HBK line, Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel, really skates. The Chris Kunitz-Evgeni Malkin-Bryan Rust line skates. Fleet-footed Rust put daggers in the Bolts' hearts in Games 6 and 7. The D-corps, from Kris Letang to Olli Maatta, skates. But it's more than that. This team's personality changed completely Dec. 12, 2015, when coach Mike Sullivan took over. They ranked 20th in 5-on-5 score adjusted Corsi and 28th in goals per game at the time of coach Mike Johnston's firing. Sullivan came in, and the Pens were second only to the Los Angeles Kings for the rest of the season in 5-on-5 score-adjusted Corsi. It seems Sullivan unlocked or unshackled this team.

And, talking to Sullivan and his players on media day at the Stanley Cup final, it's clear this is no shoehorned narrative. Pittsburgh didn't just happen to wake up under a new coach and bust a slump playing the same way they did under the old coach. No. Everything about the franchise's turnaround this season has been deliberate. Sullivan had a specific vision when he came in. Right wingers Kessel and Hornqvist both mentioned Sunday that Sullivan is a serious man. Hornqvist said he likes Sullivan's honesty. But what both players, and seemingly Penguins player, praise most consistently about their coach: his organizational skills. Everything he does is structured and calculated.

“One of the things we tried to do as a coaching staff is instill a game plan where we could play to our strengths," Sullivan said Sunday, his gaze hardened with focus and conviction. "When you look at our core players, they all want to play a speed game. They can all skate. They all have really good hockey sense. They have the ability to move the puck and change the point of attack. So speed in all its forms, whether it’s foot speed or team speed and your ability to move the puck and change the point of attack quickly, and to create opportunities or to create a competitive advantage, is what I envisioned with this group. So we’ve tried to implement some strategies to give these players an opportunity to play to their strengths.”

How Mike Sullivan's Magic Took the Penguins from Underachievers to Champions

Is Mike Sullivan the best coach in the NHL right now? Too early to say either way. However, I do think he's starting to make a case for himself. If the Pens repeat as champs this year, with a D group of Ian Cole, Justin Schultz, Olli Maatta, Trevor Daley, Brian Dumoulin, Ron Hainsey? I think it becomes a worthwhile discussion.

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They're just unbeatable. It's ridiculous.

On 2017-05-04 at 9:44 AM, Dabura said:

I'm starting to think Mike Sullivan might secretly be the best coach in the NHL.

I really hope Crosby is out for the playoffs and Pittsburgh still wins the cup. It's like Belichick winning the super bowl without Brady.

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THis penguins team reminds of the 08 wings... lethal top six but underrated PKers and warriors giving there heart out there. Wings wouldn't have made it past Nashville in the first round in 08 if it wasn't for the role players and franzen... franzen pretty much carried the team until the conference finals... hard to lose a series when a guy scores two hat tricks in three games

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49 minutes ago, F.Michael said:

I think Caps owner Ted Leonsis needs to petition the league for a move to the Western Conference...Pens always have their number.

Everyone has their number in the playoffs.  I believe they've only been to the Conference Finals once in their history.  It's not just the Pens. 

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Let's say it like it is.  Washington has been the better team in this series so far.  They've outshot the Pens soundly and Pittsburgh was fortunate to win game 4 after being badly outplayed.  Still a long way to go, though.  

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Pittsburgh was very lucky to win 3 games this series. Washington should've won in 5 games. And then destroy the rest of the competition. They're on a whole nother level.

Also LOL at the holtby haters. .932 career playoff save %. He was gonna turn his luck around against Pittsburgh at some point.

Edited by shocky2002

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