Shero was by far the bigger problem in Pittsburgh, and it makes perfect sense to allow the new GM to come in and decide his coach's fate. ownership should not be deciding a coach's fate anyway.

while i would not have complained if both were fired, i definitely did not see bylsma staying and shero going. if anything i thought bylsma was a foregone conclusion and they were undecided about shero. i thought shero may stay and then talk of trotz would start. or tocchet or stevens. a few years ago, they were interested in the current sharks HC.

totally surprised by this decision. keeping the shero staff in the front office and the scouts he put in place, i am not sure what this fixed. how does removing only shero address the short comings? that waiting list will continue to lessen.

Any coach that was on on the chopping block are being kept for at least one more year in the hopes of landing Mike Babcock next season.
So far it's been the Leafs, Sharks and now Pens.

Shero didn't draft Malkin or Crosby.

His first draft pick was Staal
- cap1681

I thought he was a part of that decision process. Thanks for the clarification.

TBH, that makes it worse. He was not able to do anything with the roster that he was given, with 2 of the best playesrs in the game on it.

Shero was by far the bigger problem in Pittsburgh, and it makes perfect sense to allow the new GM to come in and decide his coach's fate. ownership should not be deciding a coach's fate anyway.
- DoubleDown

the only real big problem in pittsburgh for the past few years has been the goaltending, the defense isn't the greatest, but managed to get the job done, while the offense has been the strength of the team until this round of playoffs

James Neal is a dummie... Just wanted to say that

Press conference at 3 PM to announce the hiring of Mike Milbury as new GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

I thought he was a part of that decision process. Thanks for the clarification.

TBH, that makes it worse. He was not able to do anything with the roster that he was given, with 2 of the best playesrs in the game on it.
- ImThatGuy

you know, except win a Stanley Cup

Press conference at 3 PM to announce the hiring of Mike Milbury as new GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
- Cptmjl

and p.mcguire as stick boy

the only real big problem in pittsburgh for the past few years has been the goaltending, the defense isn't the greatest, but managed to get the job done, while the offense has been the strength of the team until this round of playoffs
- Flyfreaky

i think there are bigger problems in Pittsburgh than goaltending. but yes, mediocre goaltending and a so-so defence is a recipe for playoff failure. because in the playoffs your offence will struggle at times and you need to be able to win low-scoring games on any given night.

Press conference at 3 PM to announce the hiring of Mike Milbury as new GM of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
- Cptmjl

Are you sure they are not waiting for the tandem of Snow and Cappy after the Isles announce their new owner?

i think there are bigger problems in Pittsburgh than goaltending. but yes, mediocre goaltending and a so-so defence is a recipe for playoff failure. because in the playoffs your offence will struggle at times and you need to be able to win low-scoring games on any given night.
- DoubleDown

yes, that's what i'm talking about as this team is built for long playoff runs

not gonna happen with suspect goaltending and mediocre defense

thus, i don't think that there are bigger problems and unfortunately for shero he never addressed the goaltending issue

according to Botta and IPB Barroway has the money to buy the Isles. Up to Wang to finish the deal.

Pens should hire Torts! Malkin, Crosby, and Tortorella would be a hilarious combination

according to Botta and IPB Barroway has the money to buy the Isles. Up to Wang to finish the deal.
- mighty13duck

i'm gearing up for islander dispersal draft in 2017

i'm gearing up for islander dispersal draft in 2017
- Flyfreaky

need more defenseman?

need more defenseman?
- mighty13duck

In my opinion the Pens ownership fired the wrong person. Coach Bylsma should have been let go last year but Ray, I think, is not the problem. I hope that Washington moves quickly to bring Ray there as he would be an excellent fit as would Barry Trotz behind the bench. Barry coached in the Caps organization before in the AHL with Baltimore and Portland from 1990 to 1997 winning a Calder Cup with the Pirates in 1994. Ray was assistant GM of the Preds when Trotz was hired as that club's first coach in 1994 and knows him well. In his eight seasons as GM of the Pens Ray transformed that club from a franchise that missed the playoffs from 2002-06 into a perennial championship contender, including two Stanley Cup Final appearances and a Cup title in 2009. The Caps could not do better than bringing Ray (whom I have known since he was nine years old) and Barry (a friend of 25 years) to Washington.

In my opinion the Pens ownership fired the wrong person. Coach Bylsma should have been let go last year but Ray, I think, is not the problem. I hope that Washington moves quickly to bring Ray there as he would be an excellent fit as would Barry Trotz behind the bench. Barry coached in the Caps organization before in the AHL with Baltimore and Portland from 1990 to 1997 winning a Calder Cup with the Pirates in 1994. Ray was assistant GM of the Preds when Trotz was hired as that club's first coach in 1994 and knows him well. In his eight seasons as GM of the Pens Ray transformed that club from a franchise that missed the playoffs from 2002-06 into a perennial championship contender, including two Stanley Cup Final appearances and a Cup title in 2009. The Caps could not do better than bringing Ray (whom I have known since he was nine years old) and Barry (a friend of 25 years) to Washington.
- iScoop

agree, the pens messed this one up

Any coach that was on on the chopping block are being kept for at least one more year in the hopes of landing Mike Babcock next season.
So far it's been the Leafs, Sharks and now Pens.
- NewfieStud

Let the '15 Mcdavid/Babcock sweepstakes begin

Shero came in, cleaned house of some internal organizational and hockey staff issues and brought in the finishing touches. He was blessed with the previous draft of several star players and a free hand to put the mess right.

Unfortunately he also suffered the usual things that come with success and players leaving as Cup winners for $$ and trying to maintain a balance of players in proper roles and salaries with a couple of huge contracts.

I think most sensible GM's could have gotten the finishing touches around Malkin-Crosby-Fleury and the other role players in the system and won a cup (especially with the NHL mandating that they win the cup,LOL)

I am no fan of the Pens but when you are so committed to the centerpieces of the team financially and draft high year after year it is difficult to refill the talent pool or have the financial freedom for acquiring free agents etc.

Shero did a good job, but I am curious about any interference that may have come from above in his player personnel decisions or if he had a totally free hand

In my opinion the Pens ownership fired the wrong person. Coach Bylsma should have been let go last year but Ray, I think, is not the problem. I hope that Washington moves quickly to bring Ray there as he would be an excellent fit as would Barry Trotz behind the bench. Barry coached in the Caps organization before in the AHL with Baltimore and Portland from 1990 to 1997 winning a Calder Cup with the Pirates in 1994. Ray was assistant GM of the Preds when Trotz was hired as that club's first coach in 1994 and knows him well. In his eight seasons as GM of the Pens Ray transformed that club from a franchise that missed the playoffs from 2002-06 into a perennial championship contender, including two Stanley Cup Final appearances and a Cup title in 2009. The Caps could not do better than bringing Ray (whom I have known since he was nine years old) and Barry (a friend of 25 years) to Washington.
- iScoop

I agree. Shero/Trotz is the best move at this point. I was leaning towards Benning or Murray, assistant GMs currently, but in my opinion Shero is the best available.

I think the issue is that the Caps aren't a very attractive team to GM or coach. But, neither is Vancouver.

Haha.....kettle....black....

Why not try a JFJ joke while u are rolling. Your franchise is a joke. And your team is terrible still and shana is not going to fix it.
- TJTD

Your team is only 3 years removed from us winning our last cup..
and you haven't won anything..ever..who cares if you made the final,
no one cares who was second.. so to call the leafs a joke, should think about all of it first, as in, without Toronto, half the league wouldn't survive..this is what he meant by A-hole fans..you fit right in.

The more I think about it, it's actually a brilliant move. They don't want to pay Dan to coach against them in Wash or Carolina.

They owe him two mil a year for two more years, But if Dan wants out he can tear up his deal and leave. He'll become a "consultant" exiled to reporting to his kitchen every day.

Disagree. Shero drafted Crosby and Malkin and not much else.

Depleted the organization of any depth by trading for rentals that did not quite work out. 1 SC.

Not good enough when you have 2 of the best players in the league on your roster.
- ImThatGuy

Picking those two was shooting fish in a barrel. He made nice trades early on and did assemble the right pieces for the 2008 finals and 2009 cup runs. As pointed out, he drefted well defensively but perhaps as the expense of the forward prospect corps. There were also moves that didn't work (2013 deadline moves among others).

Bottom line: He is a very good GM who ran his course in Pitt, but will be hired very soon I'm sure.