Oh, toronto......

[COOL MAN]

......even with the 3-0 lead, weren't you just waiting for the cheapie which was going to turn all the momentum Ottawa's way ??

Lots of Twitterverse commentary out of Pittsburgh this morning about the team sacrificing HCMJ before the Islanders game for the sole purpose of shaking up the team (apparently, in favor of Rick Tocchet). I myself don't think that will happen; but I do find myself wondering.....if the Pens indeed end up missing the playoffs.....that neither Johnston nor GMJR are asked to come back next season.

While at least Pierre LeBrun made passing mention of the issue in the aftermath of last night's abortion, it's a shame that.....especially after the Pouliot injury.....the Pens were left with essentially nobody on the blue line to move the puck out of their own end. Sens were obviously coming with seriousness, but talk about taking full advantage of a seriously-wounded opponent.

Can't prove it, of course, but I myself don't think the Sens pull that one out if either Letang or Ehrhoff are in the lineup.

 

[torontoeers]

Oh I tend to agree re: our morbidly depleted D, gimmie anyone to move that puck out and probably would have ended up different....2 Leaf buddies message me before the game 'uh oh Ottawa tonight!!!', was 3-0 when I saw it and in hindsight FOOLISHLY reported the score...as I saw things start to fade away thought man am I ever gonna get an earful now!

Rock and a hard place now with the whole coach scenario imo...Johnston has talent at his disposal but no horses to play the fast pace transition. Does he deserve to be fired? Maybe not but , could be the only course of action to achieve ANYTHING this season. In the big picture I'd like to at least make the postseason and let it play out with him at the helm, see what he can do next year early...if they come out of the gate sputtering? Fire him before we get to the 15-20 game mark....what do you think? No easy answer....arrggh!

 

[COOL MAN]

Originally posted by torontoeers:
Oh I tend to agree re: our morbidly depleted D, gimmie anyone to move that puck out and probably would have ended up different....2 Leaf buddies message me before the game 'uh oh Ottawa tonight!!!', was 3-0 when I saw it and in hindsight FOOLISHLY reported the score...as I saw things start to fade away thought man am I ever gonna get an earful now!

Rock and a hard place now with the whole coach scenario imo...Johnston has talent at his disposal but no horses to play the fast pace transition. Does he deserve to be fired? Maybe not but , could be the only course of action to achieve ANYTHING this season. In the big picture I'd like to at least make the postseason and let it play out with him at the helm, see what he can do next year early...if they come out of the gate sputtering? Fire him before we get to the 15-20 game mark....what do you think? No easy answer....arrggh!

Even assuming HCMJ isn't fired next week.....especially if the playoffs save his job at least temporarily.....I suspect the franchise will still talk formally to Babcock's people under almost any circumstances. However, I myself doubt they'll step up to the plate financially to the Leafs or Philly's (or, for that matter, Detroit's) extent. And since Babcock is looking to be the highest paid HC in the League.....no matter from where it comes.....I don't see Pittsburgh as the ones who'll pay it; especially as their season-ticket base continues its decline.

Beyond that, while he doesn't appear to care all that much publicly as what the media has to say about him, I have a suspicion Mario didn't like the way the was taken to task by League-wide media after the botched Disco Dan situation (not to mention how much they all-of-a-sudden became huge Ray Shero fans after he got canned). So, already boxed-in publicly, I think it very unlikely he cleans house a second season in a row; a move which would make him look almost Harold Ballard-like.

But, if it ends up not being Johnston.....and it's not Babcock......I wonder who's next. They had their shot at Barry Trotz had they not screwed up their postseason hand so badly last year. OTOH, I don't know how Johnston can blamed for all the injuries....including the loss of half their defense at crunch time..... and sickness on the squad. Unfortunately, he's the kind of guy who unfortunately makes an ideal and convenient scapegoat for a overly-spoiled fan base.

One more thing; there was a long Twitter-based piece released last night by Pens bloggers about the theory that Mario's moneybags ownership buddy, Ron Burkle, might be ready to sell his interests in the team. If so, that could signal a possibility the Pens go from a cap team to one with a salary budget. And, I'm not sure how you do that (and remain competitive) with three players making >1/3 of the cap.

Anyway, you thought last off-season was wild......wait until this one if they end up missing the playoffs (or if they make it, and get blown out in Round 1).

 

[bEER_Nation13]

As much as I'd love to see Babcock coach Penguins, he's heading to Buffalo. Buffalo will unload the $$ for him, he'll have McDavid with some other young highly talented players, and Buffalo will allow him to control everything.

 

[COOL MAN]

One new item

In today's (THU 4/9) morning paper, GMJR has come out publicly in support of Johnston......saying he's done "a good job under difficult circumstances and has still gotten us to 96 points and given us a chance to get in the playoffs here in the last couple games".

So, that appears to be the end.....at least currently.....of the who's-going-to-be-coaching-in-2015/16 discussion; what it doesn't say, though, is if Rutherford will be back. There's been no previous indication he's going to leave; but I still believe their missing the playoffs could be the impetus for him to leave (or be forced to leave).

 

[torontoeers]

Just listened to a Sutter interview on radio here, and he doesn't seem overly concerned of them missing the playoff. ...seems VERY confident in fact that they will make it. But I suppose what is he going to say other than 'we'll be in there'?

Another concern which is out of the Pens hands is NYR sitting Nash tonight (amongst others) vs the Sens! Pens are likely pissed about this but really the Rangers earned the ability to do so....and the Pens certainly 'earned' the position they're in right now, although injuries have a lot to do with it...I'll be keeping one eye trained on that NY/Sens matchup tonight for sure....