Official fire johnston thread - join the crew

[tfrizz]

And HCMJ...the orchestrator of this...

, thanks man. Needed a pick me up.

So everything bad is because of HCMJ, and everything good is in spite of him? I can't imagine why so few coaches were interested in the Pittsburgh job...

[dodint]

The comment was funny. As if the plan was to send the back-up goaltender in against Buffalo to face 53 shots. Hell of an orchestration.

I have no idea what was said after that, I didn't bother reading more.

[Jim]

If you gave HCMJ crap for us being 0-3, you need to give him credit for us winning 7 out of 8


It's not a one way street

It is 2-way... but the wheels on the bandwagon stick way out and block the road from oncoming traffic.

[Morkle]

Never give the opposing team credit for doing something well. Always blame the coach.

[Tico Rick]

A little snippet from DK today:

Sidney Crosby’s unwillingness to move below the goal line on the power play is not only open defiance of the coaching staff’s wishes but also a case of denial. Crosby is excellent down there, and it would be a tremendous boost — for the team and the individual — if he complied.

If your superstar captain refuses to do what the coaches ask him to do, do you bench him or fire the coach? Or do nothing and hope the problem goes away?

[Gaucho]

In this case first of all you second-guess the source.

[mikey]

Yeah, that is a very odd thing to come out about the team's best player and captain to one of its lead (?) beat writers...

Let this message serve to inform DK that shenanigans have been called...

[shmenguin]

DK isn't perfect, but he's not Rossi. there may be a nugget here. wasn't there something recently about him grabbing a white board and drawing up plays while tocchet looked on? i forget id the source was credible on that.

regardless, he stinks on the power play anymore, and his position should be changed drastically or terminated.

[beachboy76]

A little snippet from DK today:

Sidney Crosby’s unwillingness to move below the goal line on the power play is not only open defiance of the coaching staff’s wishes but also a case of denial. Crosby is excellent down there, and it would be a tremendous boost — for the team and the individual — if he complied.

If your superstar captain refuses to do what the coaches ask him to do, do you bench him or fire the coach? Or do nothing and hope the problem goes away?

DK also came out and said that Crosby has never requested linemates in his career, he'll play with whoever they give him. Never once has he demanded certain linemates.

If he's open to who he plays 90% of his shifts with, I highly doubt he's going to refuse to go where he's told to go on the PP. I too will second-guess the source.

[beachboy76]

DK isn't perfect, but he's not Rossi. there may be a nugget here. wasn't there something recently about him grabbing a white board and drawing up plays while tocchet looked on? i forget id the source was credible on that.

regardless, he stinks on the power play anymore, and his position should be changed drastically or terminated.

He grabbed a whiteboard in the Leafs game and was going over some things with his linemates. He probably noticed something that the Leafs were doing out there and was just going over a couple things to make sure they were on the same page. I highly doubt he was trying to show up the coaches like many are making it out to be.

[meow]

wasn't there something recently about him grabbing a white board and drawing up plays while tocchet looked on?

That was blown way out of proportion. Tocchet wasn't near them and Sid had to board for about 6 seconds. It was no big deal and someone tried to make it a big deal.

[MalkinIsMyHomeboy]

I have no problem with Sid drawing up plays. Tocchet will never be the hockey mind that Sid is...that's just how it is

[meow]

I doubt he is even drawing up plays. It was most likely a, "next time I do this, you do that to create a little bit more space" or whatever. Playing with such a binary player like Hornqvist, I don't doubt that Sid is trying to pull a little bit of creativity from him.

[llipgh2]

DK also mentioned in the same column that HCMJ and GMJR are at odds about Sprong. GMJR wants to keep him and wants him to play more, and...well, we all see how HCMJ uses (or doesn't) Sprong.

[columbia]

Tocchet has lost the team; time for him to go.

[Jim]

Tocchet might have been tough on the ice, 20+ years ago... but he isn't tough as a coach, at all!

[beachboy76]

Tocchet might have been tough on the ice, 20+ years ago... but he isn't tough as a coach, at all!

Source?

[FistOfCaufield]

Tocchet might have been tough on the ice, 20+ years ago... but he isn't tough as a coach, at all!

Source?

Troy Loney for the first part.

[Jim]

Tocchet might have been tough on the ice, 20+ years ago... but he isn't tough as a coach, at all!

Source?

No source, but how about a link?

[tfrizz]

A little snippet from DK today:

Sidney Crosby’s unwillingness to move below the goal line on the power play is not only open defiance of the coaching staff’s wishes but also a case of denial. Crosby is excellent down there, and it would be a tremendous boost — for the team and the individual — if he complied.

If your superstar captain refuses to do what the coaches ask him to do, do you bench him or fire the coach? Or do nothing and hope the problem goes away?

Well... considering everybody and their dogs agree that Crosby's needs to be on or below the goal line on the PP, I'd take him off the top unit until he decides he was to cooperate.

[columbia]

I was told that Crosby never just does what he wants to do (particularly on the PP).

[tfrizz]

DK also mentioned in the same column that HCMJ and GMJR are at odds about Sprong. GMJR wants to keep him and wants him to play more, and...well, we all see how HCMJ uses (or doesn't) Sprong.

The one thing I'll say is that Johnston ran a highly successful junior franchise, so I'm inclined to think that if he feels Sprong would benefit from going back to Charlottetown... then Sprong would probably benefit from going back to Charlottetown.

The thing, for me, is that there's too much depth on RW to justify keeping him. And I, like the coach, would be very hesistant about moving a player who's played RW exclusively in recent years to a top 6 LW position at this point in his career. I'd be much more inclined to see if Fehr or Bennett could move to LW, or if Bonino could and Fehr slot into the center position. But even if you get someone to move, you're still only opening up a 4th line spot for Sprong...

[NTP66]

I agree - I simply don't see any reasonable explanation for why Sprong should remain with the Pens, and do hope that he's sent back.

As for previously mentioned comments about Crosby and the whiteboard: this is much ado about nothing. Go to a game and pay attention to the bench and you'll see this happen every single game.

[FLPensFan]

DK also mentioned in the same column that HCMJ and GMJR are at odds about Sprong. GMJR wants to keep him and wants him to play more, and...well, we all see how HCMJ uses (or doesn't) Sprong.

The one thing I'll say is that Johnston ran a highly successful junior franchise, so I'm inclined to think that if he feels Sprong would benefit from going back to Charlottetown... then Sprong would probably benefit from going back to Charlottetown.

The thing, for me, is that there's too much depth on RW to justify keeping him. And I, like the coach, would be very hesistant about moving a player who's played RW exclusively in recent years to a top 6 LW position at this point in his career. I'd be much more inclined to see if Fehr or Bennett could move to LW, or if Bonino could and Fehr slot into the center position. But even if you get someone to move, you're still only opening up a 4th line spot for Sprong...

Moving Fehr or Bennett or Bonino still leaves Sprong's long-term future as nothing more than a 3rd liner or injury fill in for Kessel/Hornqvist. Sprong is on record several times that he's played both wings, and has no objection to playing either side. I go back and look at his shifts, and the goals he scored in preseason and his lone NHL goal, and I still think he favors the left side of the ice, so much so that he is probably getting in trouble for being out of position.

Bottom line, though, is his long-term future is best served by him being able to play LW, or at least both sides effectively. Better to do it now and let him learn than wait. Again, the kid is supposed to have top end talent. I don't see how you effectively judge where he truly is by playing him on the 4th line, and not trusting him at all in the final 10 minutes of a game, winning or losing. He did enough in pre-season to earn a roster spot. Give him a chance to see where he's at by playing him in different situations....late in the 3rd, top 6

You want to do it sparingly, fine. The perfect opportunity happened last game, when Dupuis and Malkin were out their on the PK during the Lovejoy goal. Johnston sent out the Crosby line, with Kunitz in Dupuis's place. When those situations arise (I realize Sprong didn't play), give Sprong a shot there. It's a shift here and there. See how he does with more skilled linemates. Young legs would be very helpful for this team throughout the season.

[tfrizz]

DK also mentioned in the same column that HCMJ and GMJR are at odds about Sprong. GMJR wants to keep him and wants him to play more, and...well, we all see how HCMJ uses (or doesn't) Sprong.

The one thing I'll say is that Johnston ran a highly successful junior franchise, so I'm inclined to think that if he feels Sprong would benefit from going back to Charlottetown... then Sprong would probably benefit from going back to Charlottetown.

The thing, for me, is that there's too much depth on RW to justify keeping him. And I, like the coach, would be very hesistant about moving a player who's played RW exclusively in recent years to a top 6 LW position at this point in his career. I'd be much more inclined to see if Fehr or Bennett could move to LW, or if Bonino could and Fehr slot into the center position. But even if you get someone to move, you're still only opening up a 4th line spot for Sprong...

Moving Fehr or Bennett or Bonino still leaves Sprong's long-term future as nothing more than a 3rd liner or injury fill in for Kessel/Hornqvist. Sprong is on record several times that he's played both wings, and has no objection to playing either side. I go back and look at his shifts, and the goals he scored in preseason and his lone NHL goal, and I still think he favors the left side of the ice, so much so that he is probably getting in trouble for being out of position.

Bottom line, though, is his long-term future is best served by him being able to play LW, or at least both sides effectively. Better to do it now and let him learn than wait. Again, the kid is supposed to have top end talent. I don't see how you effectively judge where he truly is by playing him on the 4th line, and not trusting him at all in the final 10 minutes of a game, winning or losing. He did enough in pre-season to earn a roster spot. Give him a chance to see where he's at by playing him in different situations....late in the 3rd, top 6

You want to do it sparingly, fine. The perfect opportunity happened last game, when Dupuis and Malkin were out their on the PK during the Lovejoy goal. Johnston sent out the Crosby line, with Kunitz in Dupuis's place. When those situations arise (I realize Sprong didn't play), give Sprong a shot there. It's a shift here and there. See how he does with more skilled linemates. Young legs would be very helpful for this team throughout the season.

I agree that Sprong needs to be moved to LW to maximize his value to the team. I'm just not on board the "let's throw him on Crosby/Malkin's LW today" train because I think that's too much to throw at such a young player. They could either start him out on the LW with a lesser role (3rd/4th line) and let him get comfortable, or send him back to Charlottetown and ask them to play him on LW.