Now that Mike Sullivan is out of Pittsburgh, the Penguins are suddenly looking for a new coach to lead this aging, yet still talented team. And it’ll go without saying that the Penguins will likely look at veteran coaching candidates, as so many teams do. But should they? Honestly, I would say no.
Why? One name that some fans may be thinking of is John Tortorella, who all but sounded like he didn’t want to coach a rebuilding team shortly before the Philadelphia Flyers fired him. An older coach, Tortorella is someone who could be a good fit in the Steel City, along with that hard-nosed, no-nonsense coaching style he brings.
Plus, with a team full of veterans, one may think it’s a done decision that the Penguins will go out and get a coach who’s used to leading older, more experienced teams. But it would be a mistake. Hiring inexperienced head coaches has paid off for the Penguins in the past, as neither Dan Bylsma nor Mike Sullivan had much experience as bench bosses before their respective head coaching stints.
Penguins have been historically good with inexperienced coaches
Mike Sullivan coached the Boston Bruins for just two seasons and never won a playoff series. The 2005-06 campaign was Sullivan’s last behind an NHL bench as the head honcho before he landed with the Penguins halfway between the 2015-16 season. Two Stanley Cups later, and Sullivan will be remembered more as a legend as opposed to his unceremonial dismissal.
Flashback to the 2008-09 season when Bylsma took over and led the Pens to a Stanley Cup. He had no head coaching experience in the NHL, yet he seemed unfazed throughout what were some of the best days in franchise history. No, he never won another Cup, but Bylsma also never had a bad season.
Meanwhile, when you look at John Tortorella, he’s put together an excellent resume and is closing in on 800 wins if another franchise gives him an opportunity. But he hasn’t won a Stanley Cup in over two decades and has more first-round exits in the time since than one may care to count. To be frank, hiring someone like Tortorella would be shortsighted.
If something isn’t broken, stop trying to fix it
If there’s something I admire about Pittsburgh sports - or strictly the Penguins and the Steelers - it’s their ability to look beyond the little-to-no experience at the position a head coaching candidate may have. And recently, or in the Steelers case since the 1960s, they’ve called out the right names.
So, while there’s a ton of experienced head coaches out there for the taking, the Penguins have already proven they don’t need them. No, instead, they need to focus on what’s worked for them throughout the best days of the Sidney Crosby era. Hire someone few fans know about, and watch them work their magic.
It’s already happened twice, with relative inexperience for Mike Sullivan and no experience for Dan Bylsma. So, make lightning strike in the same place once again with another dynamic coaching hire that may raise some eyebrows, but could pay dividends.