Sullivan keeping his cool
“There’s going to be ups and downs, but he’s always willing to help us get better,” Jake Guentzel said. “He’s the same every day, how he develops players. He’s always teaching, and you can learn a lot from him. Pretty lucky to have a guy like that.”
• Where does this part of Sullivan come from?
Not going to link this to John Tortorella, Sullivan’s mentor whose postgame media sessions have often gone viral.
It’s probably more reasonable to chalk this up to Sullivan’s year in Chicago (2014-15), when he worked in player development.
Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville doesn’t give his team a free pass, but he has spoken in the past about considering it counterproductive to make too much of a public show out of any frustration he might have toward one player or a groupof them.
I asked Sullivan recently for his thoughts on staying calm during a storm and why he acts the way he does.
Wanted to provide his answer (it’s long), in full:
“I think it’s important when a team faces challenges and may go through some struggles that there’s some semblance of order,” Sullivan said. “It’s a hard way to live if you’re on an emotional roller coaster. Teams are at their best when there’s order on a daily basis.
“That’s not to say that we don’t bring some emotion, that we don’t have highs and lows. We certainly do. That’s human nature.
“As a coaching staff, I think we try to look at each game objectively; we try to separate the emotion from it. Then, we try to learn from it, and we share that with our players. Then, we have to move by it because if we don’t, it’s going to be hard for us to improve as a team. If we hang on to a loss too long, it can affect our fu-ture performance.
“That’s a discipline that a team has to acquire if they’re going to have success through the ups and down and ebbs and flows of a long NHL season. I think part of my responsibility as the head coach is to make sure that I try to bring some semblance of order to the daily process.”
• It’s really, really hard to imagine this situation with Ian Cole lasting much longer.
When Cole was a healthy scratch for three games in late November, then went back into the lineup, there was a sense that everyone involved wanted to move forward and make the best of the situation — so long as Cole’s playing.
Well, he’s not. Cole only got in the lineup Saturday because Matt Hunwick was sick.
General manager Jim Rutherford likely will do something significant soon to shake up things. Cole is a legitimate asset for anyone looking to do business with the Penguins. Youdo the math. • What to make of Matt Murray’s season so far? He’s 13-10-1 with a 2.91 goalsagainst average and a .906 save percentage. Those numbers are somewhat screwy because of lopsided losses in Chicago and Winnipeg, but even without them, Murray’s goalsagainst average is 2.62, his save percentage .914.
How does he see his season?
“I feel like I’ve been pretty good. Not great. Maybe a little bit above average,” Murray said. “I have to be a lot better at making those bigger saves, and more of them throughout a game.”
• One bit of good news is Murray said he feels extremely good energy-wise.
“I feel stronger than I ever have before in my life,” Murray said, citing things like rest and recovery and managing travel. “I’ve been focusing more and more on taking care of myself. I feel like I’ve done a pretty good job of that.”
• Nick Kypreos floated on “Hockey Night in Canada” that the Penguins were shopping Kris Letang.
Can’t say for sure they’re not, but I’ve been told that nobody in Letang’s camp was aware of it happening, if Kyreos is correct.
Hard to imagine the Penguins would be shopping Letang, a franchise pillar with a no-movement clause, without at least outlining their intentions first.
• Are the Penguins going todo something big?
My understanding, as of this writing, was that it hasn’t been 100 percent decided. Could change in a hurry for the right offer, of course.
• Would think the trade value for Letang is the biggest variable in this equation.
Does the acquiring team see him as a top-tier NHL defenseman, a Norris Trophy-type guy? Or do they see the struggles, a fairly long injury history and a $7.25 million cap hit?
Thereare two very different ways of looking about this. If it’s the former, it would be tough to blame general manager Jim Rutherford for at least listening to offers.
• Have you noticed Sidney Crosby attempting fewer shots during five-onfive play?
Asked Sullivan whether he has talked to Crosby about shooting more, especially because it seems Crosby’s production often matches his willingness to shoot.
Sullivan said that conversationhas not occurred.
The coach also said he doesn’tsee a need to have it.
For the record, Crosby is averaging 2.9 shot attempts per game during five-onfive play this season. That would be a career-low for a full season. He averaged 3.7 pergame a season ago.
• One number that has been striking for a team that has shown so much resilience over the past two seasons: How bad the Penguins have been when they allow the first goal.
They’re 3-13-1 in such situations this season.
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.