Penguins' Players Credit Turnaround To Sullivan's Teachings
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Pittsburgh Penguins are one of four teams left in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
One of the big reasons, if not the biggest, is head coach Mike Sullivan.
With the Penguins sitting at 15-10-3 under Mike Johnston, the Penguins felt it was time to make a change.
In December, they relieved Johnston of his head coaching duties and replaced him with Sullivan.
There was a bit of an adjustment period, but the Penguins have been a completely different team under Sullivan's direction.
Just ask anyone in the Penguins' locker room.
"He knows how to play to a team's strengths and he knows that one of our strengths here is speed," Matt Murray said. "He's just able to adapt and he's a great hockey mind. So, I think that's what makes him so special."
"He's good at pushing the right buttons. When he feels there's something he needs to address, he addresses it. He doesn't take shortcuts around anything. He lets you know what's going on. As a player, you want the coaches to be honest with you and he's a pretty honest guy," Trevor Daley said.
"You can see he really wants to win and that fits in well with this team. We all want to win, we're hungry and to have a coach that shares that, is always good," Nick Bonino said.
"He continues to challenge us doesn't let us get away with anything. Even when we are winning, he's still on us to try to get better and to improve. I think that's what this group needs. We like a good challenge and the guys have responded so far," Eric Fehr said.
Sullivan commands respect and even Sidney Crosby could tell that from day one.
"He showed us a lot of great traits right away, but I think we were all ears and wanted to listen and do whatever it takes to get back on track," Crosby said.
There's no question the Penguins are back on track and not too many guys could come in turn things around so quickly.
"He's got a good emotion, he's got good intensity, he's clear, he listens to the guys," Marc-Andre Fleury said.
"I think guys just responded really well to him, I'm not going to say ready for a change, but when it did come, we knew it was going to be a little bit different system and different to play for him and he's got that powerful voice. He's intense, he's into the game, he just wants us to play and have fun," Bonino said.
The guys on the team listen to him too and it's not just because of that deep voice.
"He can get pretty fiery and has a pretty loud voice that carries. So, when he says stuff, you generally listen," Fehr said.
"I think he is a good motivator, he's a good talker. He knows the game very well and knows what to say to get the guys going," Fleury said.
Penguins General Manager Jim Rutherford obviously made the right choice with Sullivan.
"He's just a regular guy, everything comes from the heart. He treats everybody the same. He treats his top players the same as he treats his depth players. If somebody has to be told we need a correction somewhere, they're told. But, all the players respect that," Rutherford said.
There are so many reasons to like Sullivan, even if he is from Boston.
"He's a funny guy. He has that thick Boston accent, He's got some good one liners that I like a lot," Daley said.
Some of the Penguins even think Sullivan could be an actor - if he wanted.
"He's got that persona, that Boston accent, maybe a Walhberg-type guy. A little bit taller, Matt Damon Boston accent, who knows? I don't know if he has the looks for it, but he has the voice for it," Bonino said.
