PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t had a memorable season, and many in the fan base want to point fingers at why the wins aren’t coming. Many have looked at Kyle Dubas’ roster construction, while others have looked squarely at the Penguins coaching staff.
Head coach Mike Sullivan has been at the Penguins’ helm since the 2015-16 season and there has been no indication of his seat becoming warm. A former NHL player, however, believes there are some growing issues within the Penguins locker room.
According to 20-year NHL veteran Jeremy Roenick on his Snipes and Stripes podcast, Sullivan is losing his players.
“I heard a rumor over the weekend,” Roenick said. “Some of the players are starting to turn on Mike Sullivan. They’re starting to lose faith and lose interest in Mike Sullivan.”
This is the first time anyone has mentioned that there may be some sort of rift in the Penguins room, but Roenick thinks it’s something that the front office should look into over the offseason.
“Maybe that is a big decision that Pittsburgh has to make,” Roenick said. “When you lose the ear of the players, as a coach… you need a new trajectory behind the bench. That might be the next call for the Pittsburgh Penguins.”
When the 2024-25 season kicks off, Sullivan will also kick off a new three-year contract signed two seasons ago. General manager Kyle Dubas recently doubled down on his faith in Sullivan, so a coach firing in Pittsburgh seems unlikely.
The Penguins are fighting for a playoff spot, and many in Pittsburgh circles believe that Sullivan is the right guy for the job going forward. It’s fair to question a few aspects and failures in recent years, but there is faith from top to bottom that Sullivan can be a big part of a resurgence.
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