Article by Gino Ferretti, representing Pittsburgh Sporting News
Lately, when the Penguins swing and miss, the stir is rarely seismic. After the gloom and doom Pens fans have had to endure pre-2006-2007, a small discomfort is just dust in the wind. But after five consecutive early exits for this perennial Cup contender, change was inevitable. Except nothing has been changed quite yet, has it? If anything, it was a reset. A reset that will undoubtably push the story line back to this point if a full change isn’t taken. This swing and miss has knocked the benefit of doubt in this franchise right on it’s keester.
Even Pedro Alvarez is jealous of this whiff.
For two days leading up to David Morehouse’s early Friday afternoon press conference, it was certain in the eyes of nearly every local and national hockey reporter that the Shero/Bylsma reign was undeniably over in Pittsburgh. So when Morehouse announced that in fact Ray Shero’s employment had been terminated, ears and eyes stayed glued for the other shoe to drop. It never did, though. In fact, it’s still on the foot of the franchise. Dan Bylsma was spared the guillotine. He’s still officially the coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins and is inexplicably safe for now. Morehouse announced that it will be up to the new GM to decide Bylsma’s fate.
Wait, what?
The Friday afternoon, and evening that followed, was chaotic to say the least. Fans and media were left wondering about the legitimacy of the teams intentions after witnessing an awkward press conference delivered by an uneasy team president. Cracks in a generally seamless recent hierarchy have caused many to question one of the most touchy and sacrilegious subjects in Pittsburgh sports.
Where’s Mario Lemieux in all this?
Look, I know the city is in debt to Lemieux for his wizardry on the ice, as well as off the ice. And he has enjoyed the benefit of flying under the radar as his team has taken giant strides at lifting itself out of irrelevancy. But answerability is being required of a team that has started a tradition of winning paper championships. While it’s not in Lemieux’s style to take on a Jerry Jones approach to his ownership, that’s not necessarily what is being asked of him. It’s answers. The fans want answers to how it’s possible to not build the NHL’s most competitive franchise year after year around two of the best players in the world.
The fans want answers to the direction of the franchise Mr. Lemieux gave hands on in resurrecting. The fans got newspapers quotes given from a fall out shelter in a location unknown. As a former captain in the NHL, Lemieux should know and respect answerability. Surely the man who once scored five goals five different ways should have no problem scoring some points with an optimism-hungry fan base. Lemieux has already saved the franchise from a change of scenery, so why not usher in his vision to clear some fog? Especially when the visibility of understanding the coaching vacancy/no vacancy is astonishingly still blurry.
Lemieux and team brass have done a disservice to Bylsma by continuing to allow him the keys to the house, but not making it a place he can call home. It’s highly unlikely that Bylsma will survive the first week of a new GM, as he will be sure to put his own signature on a very big first statement. But it shouldn’t be that way. If Morehouse claimed the decision to retain Bylsma or not would be up to this organization’s new GM, then there’s already hesitancy in the organization’s mind that he’s the right candidate to continue coaching, moving forward. If Lemieux and the Penguins are in fact attempting to block Bylsma from taking a coaching job in division, what’s the point if they are all content with the notion of a fresh perspective? A fresh perspective they signed off on by firing Shero, the chief organizer of team talent.
The Penguins are at a pivotal point in the history of their franchise. Their two star players are continuing to waste their peak on half mast attempts at greatness. Needless to say, Lemieux and brass must get it right this time no matter the challenge ahead.
For a team that’s had to panhandle their way back into the hearts of the Pittsburgh faithful with promises of superstars and dynasties, those diehards deserve more than paper quotes and paper champions.
The next time Lemieux and the Penguins have a chance to stir the wind, it better be enough to sweep the fan base off their feet.
