Ryan Wilson: Mike Sullivan to lead the red white and blue Mike Sullivan to lead the red white and blue

This generation of US national team can be really special. Billy G better not (frank) up the roster construction by inviting the Abdelkaders of the world to try to out grit Canada again.

Hopefully he ends up with a lot of time to dedicate to these gigs.

This generation of US national team can be really special. Billy G better not (frank) up the roster construction by inviting the Abdelkaders of the world to try to out grit Canada again.
- Victoro311

Any Sullivan coached team isn’t out gritting anyone, no matter the roster.

Schultz,Dumoulin,Daley, Hainsey,Cole, Maata that was the high talent, high speed defense that won the cup in 2017.Am I missing something . The way RW talks about that team you would think it was an all star team talent wise. That defense had plenty of role players. Players that filled a specific need. Not high end talent like EK who has shown what a difference maker he is. He has proved over and over how high talent always wins.

So even if the Pens continue to suck, we're stuck with this guy until '27. Great.

Any Sullivan coached team isn’t out gritting anyone, no matter the roster.
- Grinder47

Blah blah blah

Schultz,Dumoulin,Daley, Hainsey,Cole, Maata that was the high talent, high speed defense that won the cup in 2017.Am I missing something . The way RW talks about that team you would think it was an all star team talent wise. That defense had plenty of role players. Players that filled a specific need. Not high end talent like EK who has shown what a difference maker he is. He has proved over and over how high talent always wins.
- johnnypie

Well, you missed that he said 2016, not 2017, so swap Hainsey for Letang and you have your high end difference maker.

Beyond that, he didn't key on the defensemen, you did. For that Pens team, the forwards were a buzzsaw. Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel led three different scoring lines that usually found an advantage, while Cullen centered an effective fourth line that could play against other teams scoring lines. Plus back then nobody had Matt Murray figured out yet so he was elite.

Were there role players? Yes? But even in your examples guys like Schultz and Daley who were role players were still skill guys. And that's what RW ultimately said: Pens loaded up on skill and speed throughout the lineup. Not all of it was elite, but enough was, or played like it (see Bonino, Nick).

Well, you missed that he said 2016, not 2017, so swap Hainsey for Letang and you have your high end difference maker.

Beyond that, he didn't key on the defensemen, you did. For that Pens team, the forwards were a buzzsaw. Crosby, Malkin, and Kessel led three different scoring lines that usually found an advantage, while Cullen centered an effective fourth line that could play against other teams scoring lines. Plus back then nobody had Matt Murray figured out yet so he was elite.

Were there role players? Yes? But even in your examples guys like Schultz and Daley who were role players were still skill guys. And that's what RW ultimately said: Pens loaded up on skill and speed throughout the lineup. Not all of it was elite, but enough was, or played like it (see Bonino, Nick).
- Tojo.

Tojo. Brother. You’re putting in too much effort.

Schultz,Dumoulin,Daley, Hainsey,Cole, Maata that was the high talent, high speed defense that won the cup in 2017.Am I missing something . The way RW talks about that team you would think it was an all star team talent wise. That defense had plenty of role players. Players that filled a specific need. Not high end talent like EK who has shown what a difference maker he is. He has proved over and over how high talent always wins.
- johnnypie

How they won with Ron Hainsey as their top pairing defenseman is a mystery of life. My theory is black magic and lots of human sacrifice.

Tojo. Brother. You’re putting in too much effort.
- Victoro311

While I think it's a fruitless endeavour due to the people he's been responding to, I appreciate the well thought out and structured responses. Good reads.

How they won with Ron Hainsey as their top pairing defenseman is a mystery of life. My theory is black magic and lots of human sacrifice.
- jmatchett383

Elite goaltending and extremely opportunistic scoring.

How they won with Ron Hainsey as their top pairing defenseman is a mystery of life. My theory is black magic and lots of human sacrifice.
- jmatchett383

Other than the Caps, they also had an easier path than most Cup teams do that year.

Can you fire a future Olympics coach NOPE You are stuck with that dinosaur forever

The 2017 team with that defense were just playing out of their mind. Every player took their game to the next level and played really well.

Give Sullivan a team with speed and he’ll do fine.

Elite goaltending and extremely opportunistic scoring.
- MattStrat

Hainsey did his part to fill in though. No part of his game was sexy but he made a good breakout pass, and had his man covered in the DZone.

Other than the Caps, they also had an easier path than most Cup teams do that year.
- MickV

did they? Columbus had 108 points that year, Ottawa took them to 7 games, double OT. I'd say Nashville was the only "easy" path given that they were a 94 point wild card team but given that they only lost 4 games total in 3 rounds, I dunno... maybe they were better than their regular season point total.

It’s never easy to win in the Stanley cup playoffs.

I don’t know if yins are into podcasts or not, but I was out fishing early this morning and no music seemed to feel right. I listened to James Wisniewski on the Cam and Strick podcast. It was pretty hilarious.

did they? Columbus had 108 points that year, Ottawa took them to 7 games, double OT. I'd say Nashville was the only "easy" path given that they were a 94 point wild card team but given that they only lost 4 games total in 3 rounds, I dunno... maybe they were better than their regular season point total.
- j.boyd919

CBJ with Bob in net in those years just stunk in the playoffs.

OTT only had 98 points so to get them in the ECF was a much easier team than you'd typically get at that point. (Yes, they took the Pens to Game 7, but that's only because the Pens weren't as good as they were the year before.)

Then you get a WC team in the SCF, who sure played well and had a super-hot goalie in the first 3 rounds, but ultimately lacked the firepower you'd often see in a final.

Tojo. Brother. You’re putting in too much effort.
- Victoro311

No it isn't. Notice how most of them disappear. You're welcome.

Hainsey did just fine for us.

No it isn't. Notice how most of them disappear. You're welcome.
- Tojo.

Hahah

Hainsey did his part to fill in though. No part of his game was sexy but he made a good breakout pass, and had his man covered in the DZone.
- Grinder47

That end to end rush was pretty sexy

With Swayman, Demko, Hellebuyck, Stolarz, and Oettenger to pick from, the US should do fine.