Coaching change for the Penguins, NHL and NHLPA must address expansion issues, Dylan Larkin showing star potential & more in your morning coffee headlines.
Check out the notable highlights from Saturday’s NHL action.
NHL Headlines.
Penguins fire head coach Mike Johnston.
TRIBLIVE.COM: The Pittsburgh Penguins fired head coach Mike Johnston and assistant coach Gary Agnew. MIke Sullivan, who coached their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, is the new Penguins bench boss.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: On the one hand, this doesn’t come as a surprise. The Penguins were struggling at both ends of the ice and in danger of falling well out of playoff contention. This move should bolster the Penguins offense, which was uncharacteristically struggling to score this season. However, there are concerns about their anemic powerplay, which is still being run by Rick Tocchet, as well as with ownership and management. There’s also a lack of skilled blueline depth. The Penguins might not be out of the woods yet.
NEW YORK POST: The NHL and NHLPA will have to work out what the rules for the next league expansion draft will be, especially those regarding players currently carrying no-trade/no-movement clauses in their contracts. It’s believed these issues must be sorted out before the end of June 2016.
THE DENVER POST: While some in the media tend to play up the sparse attendance in so-called “non-traditional” NHL markets like Carolina and Florida, there’s not much attention placed upon the same poor crowds in Brooklyn and New Jersey
DETROIT FREE PRESS: Red Wings rookie Dylan Larkin has the makings of a rising star, leading the Wings in goals this season and the league in plus-minus.
NBC SPORTS: Anaheim Ducks forward Nate Thompson faces a hearing with the NHL’s department of player safety regarding an illegal hit to the head of Caroline Hurricanes defenseman Justin Faulk.
CBS SPORTS: Edmonton Oilers defenseman Oscar Klefbom suffered a fractured finger in a recent game and will miss the club’s upcoming four-game road trip.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Klefbom is the Oilers’ best defenseman this season, so losing him is a significant blow to their blueline.
CSNPHILLY.COM: The Philadelphia Flyers have returned defenseman Andrew MacDonald to their AHL affiliate.
Nike Johnston can be proud of his last game behind the Pittsburgh bench. The Penguins and Kings played one of the best games I’ve seen this year and every Pittsburgh player, from top to bottom, played his butt off. To me, that shows a coach who has the respect and support of his players.
Jim Rutherford might want to look in the mirror to find the problem with his team.
That would be Mike Johnston of course.
Mike Johnstons biggest issue this year was personel decisions and player deployment. They have a stable of young, talented PMD’s and he was playing Rob Scuderi 20 +’minutes a night. And Ben Lovejoy on the shutdown pair that Brian Dumoulin is carrying. It would be best to get Scudero and Lovejoy right out of the lineup all together. Pascal Dupuis retirement was a blessing as well. He was playing on the first line and his skills were non existent. It’s time to let some of the young guys play. WBS isn’t in first place in the AHL by accident. They have incredible goal tending and forwards with speed and skill. Time for some real changes.
To be fair, Lovejoy has actually been just fine. The issue is the Pens, when healthy, boast one top pair D, one top four D, and the other 4 are 5/6/7 guys.
On an already deep blueline, Lovejoy is fine as a #5/6 guy.
But yeah, if Sullivan plays Scuderi over Clendenning, I might fight my TV screen.