Bye coach stick check

Team: 2021-22 Pittsburgh Penguins

Initial Creation Date: May 26, 2021

Published: May 26, 2021

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

It starts with the coach period. Most of us knew this was coming one way or another.
Sully's days are done. They have to be. He's too arrogant, his head is way to big. He doesn't know how to coach. He rode a good team that was significantly faster than everyone else to a cup, and mistook that for him being a genius. We'll it's clear he isn't.
You can't win with a team that is easily rattled. And being 5'10 all across the board is where that ends. You also can't win when a coach can't admit his game planning and decision making sucks. There is no need for 5000 shots from the blue line while you skate 3 forwards who all have a better shot but do nothing but pass the puck around till Matheson or Pettersson are shooting. FFS, if you have to slap someone upside the head to make it clear to shoot the F puck than do it already. Sully is incapable of figuring out how to coach a team.
This team needs some tough love. They won two cups and are way to comfortable. They pass up on shots, they don't check, they don't stand people up at the blue line, they don't take away space. None of that says win a cup. It's been that way all year, and that's how you knew this was coming.
The coach goes, and the changes come in.
This team needs to play the youth. I'm tired of hearing excuses as to why not. Most of these roles are low minute roles and they don't have any cap space so it's going to have to be that way.
There also has to be a real message sent this offseason. Guys not playing hard need to know there is no more free passes. That includes Crosby. It needs to be made clear. Other teams are going to pound on you, you better finish your checks and play hard. If Crosby is too much of a () to hit anyone, then sit him. Period. It's about tone. The whole team has to buy in, or no one will.
No one expects him to go out there and be Matt Martin. But if you got a guy lined up for a hit, you take it, you don't just turn and skate away. They aren't letting up on you and they need to add enough guys around them to make sure people can back up the smaller players. This is the only way to get teams to stop leaning on them. Period.

The hardest part in looking at this team is realizing two things.
A. there is no tomorrow. Sitting on guys is not the solution. It's time to play them.
B. there are only so many spaces on it. Which means it's time to move some guys out to collect those future assets.

This team adds a little bit more size and Grit. Poulin is 6'2 220lbs. Is the first big physical forward they have had in a long time.
Caulfield is a big physical 4C, who has been groomed for that role already in the NCAA.
Legare isn't the biggest guy but he's 200+lbs and gritty. He'll be ok on that 4th line.
The backend they add a rough guy in Dillon and Nemeth.
They also bring in a guy in Poolman who has a little bit of size.

Lastly Lawson is a pretty big guy and can help play a more physical game.

But truth is that has to start with the coach. It has to be made clear they have to be willing to play physical.

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