Let’s continue to get wrapped up in the moment, even if it’s been a few weeks since the Pittsburgh Penguins brought Lord Stanley back to the City of Champions. It’s time to get excited for the future, because, with both general manager Jim Rutherford and head coach Mike Sullivan, Pittsburgh has the perfect balance of leadership to continue to propel Pittsburgh deep in the playoffs.
At the conclusion of Saturday’s 2016 NHL Draft, one thing was clear: Rutherford wants to build more than just a fast team — he wants to erect a rugged team that can dish out carnage on the ice. Pittsburgh drafted a goalie, a winger and four defensemen. A trend with this year’s draft class seemed to be toughness, something Pittsburgh could use to have more of.
Although difficult to do, Rutherford wants to make this team even better than the team that won the Cup. And the foundation is being laid right now. Tie in the coaching style of Sullivan, and why shouldn’t fans be excited for the next few seasons?
So, what comes next?
Well, first, it’s probably time to face that either Marc-Andre Fleury or Matt Murray (both goalies) won’t be in Pittsburgh next season. In either situation, the Penguins will get a hefty return sum, either in the form of players or draft picks.
With either Fleury or Murray in the net for Pittsburgh, the Penguins would have a formidable netminder. Don’t forget that a lot of the reasoning behind the Penguins’ previous playoff disasters was related to what happened around the net. The defense couldn’t rid the puck of their zone and, that late in the season, Fleury wasn’t able to make some of the same pin-point plays because of exhaustion.
But imagine if neither Fleury nor Murray was traded. By having two goalies who have won a Stanley Cup in their own right, Pittsburgh all but guarantees a chance at qualifying for the playoffs. Yes, it’s early, injuries can occur and the team may just not mesh, but trading one or the other will decrease the team’s chances of making the playoffs — unless Pittsburgh gets a stud in return. And, for the moment, Rutherford seems content to keep both goalies on the roster.
In other potential trade news, during Saturday’s draft Rutherford made it clear he’s not looking to shop center Evgeni Malkin, despite rumors.
And why should the Penguins need to trade to get someone? It’s hard to forget that Pittsburgh already has a plethora of impressive talent that played such a vital role in this year’s championship season. And don’t forget about Scott Wilson, Oskar Sundqvist and Daniel Sprong, who are all expected to be key players for Pittsburgh in the future.
But perhaps the most important piece for the Penguins moving forward is the relationship between Rutherford and Sullivan. Rutherford is responsible for Sullivan entering and transforming the locker room. The head coach challenged his team, taught it discipline and encouraged fast play and quick shooting. This translated into the Penguins coming back from a first-half dud and ultimately bringing the big prize home.
Sullivan isn’t afraid to get in the face of any player on his roster, one reason why his team respects him so much. The lack of guidance and authority by former head coach Mike Johnston led to Sidney Crosby failing to live up to his standards. Crosby acknowledged things quickly changed with the installation of Sullivan.
“I wasn’t happy with the way I started, and I think (Sullivan) just put me in situations and gave me opportunities to try to work my way back into things,” Crosby said before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. “He was just good holding everyone accountable, myself included, and making sure that I got better.”
Between both Rutherford and Sullivan expectations are high — and they should be.
Image credit: Penguins.NHL.com
