12 games remain on the Pittsburgh Penguins schedule, and they may need every last one to qualify for the 2023 postseason. The Penguins have been in that position once during their 16-year postseason streak.
Plenty of blame has fallen on Ron Hextall, Brian Dumoulin, Jeff Carter, and Tristan Jarry, but how much of the Penguins struggles are due to head coach Mike Sullivan?
Sullivan is considered one of the best head coaches in the league, and some argue that he may even be the best coach in Penguins history. However, as with every NHL head coach, Sullivan has his flaws. Chief among them is Sullivan's deployment of struggling veterans like Dumoulin and Carter.
Sullivan has made quick and decisive decisions to sit younger players who have struggled this season. Players like Kasperi Kapanen and Danton Heinen were healthy scratched for a handful of games multiple times due to their lack of positive performance.
Meanwhile, Carter has continued to not only dress but is often deployed in high-leverage situations due to his faceoff ability alone. Sullivan's continued endorsement has made it clear that Carter will not be scratched this season.
Sullivan's leash for veteran players is miles longer than for younger players despite the continued struggles of those veterans. He is loyal to his guys to a fault, and it has hurt the Penguins on multiple occasions this season.
While Hextall hasn't brought much young talent to Pittsburgh this season, those that have made the trek from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton have received little opportunity to prove their worth.
Alex Nylander had the most opportunity of the young players, lasting six games before being scratched. Jonathan Gruden, Fillip Hallander, and Sam Poulin played between two or three games before being re-assigned to the AHL.
Sullivan's flaws from this season boil down to his loyalty to the struggling players that have gained his trust and the difficulty for younger players to join that group. While the Penguins overall struggles go beyond Sullivan's coaching decisions, it is fair to say that he has not gotten the most out of the roster this season.
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