Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - No, Mike Sullivan is NOT going to the Rangers!

Episode Date: May 10, 2023

More rumors and details have come out about the Pittsburgh Penguins general manager search and that's where Hunter starts for this episode of the Locked On Penguins podcast. He dives into Frank Seravalli's report on how the front office is going to have a similar structure to the last one while also looking at a few of the candidates that have reportedly gotten interviews. Hunter is a bit skeptical about most of these names getting to the second round of interviews and he explains why before discussing how Frank is likely getting this information. Hunter also discusses why it's fine for the Penguins to be casting such a wide net since the first round of interviews isn't even over yet. After that, Hunter explains why Mike Sullivan is not going to the New York Rangers. He goes into how Sullivan is involved with the GM search (though he won't have the final say) and how FSG picked him over Hextall at the end of this season. Oh yeah, he also is signed for four more years. Finally, Hunter analyzes the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and why it has been a total dud compared to the first round.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!IndeedStart hiring NOW with a SEVENTY-FIVE DOLLAR SPONSORED JOB CREDIT to upgrade your job post at Indeed.com/LockedOn. Offer good for a limited time. Terms and conditions apply. Need to hire? You need Indeed. GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase.eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit is only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.FanDuelMake Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go to FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as non-withdrawable free bets that expire in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

So we're starting to get even more details slash rumors about the Pittsburgh Penguins general manager search. That's coming up to start the show right after this drop. You're locked on penguins. Your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins. Part of the Locked on podcast network. Your team every day. Hello and welcome back to another edition of the Locked on Penguins podcast. I'm your host Hunter Hodes.

Remember to follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. call all the shows quarter at the owners or Penguins. And of course, thank you all so much for making this. You will first listen today. We are free and available on all platforms. Today's episode is brought to you by GameTime. Download the GameTime app. Create an account and use code locked on NHL for $20 off your first purchase.

So let's jump right in. We got some more detail slash rumors about the Penguins General Manager search. There has not been many rumors slash leaks to come out, but we did see a report from Frank Cerrovali of Daily Faceoff. And I have a lot of thoughts about it. We're going to jump right into it here. As Post on Daily Face Off, I will read what he says. He says, I am told that the Penguins will go with the same exact structure that they had previously.

That means a president of hockey operations and a general manager. So they're hiring for not one, but two positions, according to Frank. And he said, I believe the Penguins who have been very quiet. They are nearing the end of their first round of interviews. I'm going to throw a list of names that have been in the mix. Some of these candidates are for GM, other are for President of Hockey Ops, so they're speaking to quite a long list of people. These include Mark Bergervin, Jason Botrell, John Chica, Matthew Darsh, and Ryan Martin, he's the assistant general general manager of the New York Rangers. He says those are some of the people I have heard her in the mix.

That is not a full list by any means, but it gives some insight into what they're thinking and some of the names that have popped up. Okay, based off that report, some people may be worried because some of the names, on there are general managers or some people who have been general managers before that I've not done a great job like Bergen. I thought his tenure Montreal was, if you want to argue so-so at best, but it turned really bad towards the end of it. He really doesn't fit the innovative, analytically inclined approach that Fenway Sports Group is looking for. I personally believe that he reportedly got an interview and I am glad that Sarvali reported this because I had also heard from someone about a week ago that he had been interviewed by Mario, which leads me to my point

here, was that he is a close friend of Mario. Mario is, I think, assisting a little bit in the GM search. It's not fully, you know, it's mainly Daveyston and Kevin Acklin's search, but I think he's helping out a little bit where he can just because, you know, he was the one to hire Brian Berg and Ron Hicksall in the first place. But outside of him being a friend of Mario's version, that is, I don't really think there's much to like about him. And again, I don't really, I'm not going to read too much into it. He doesn't really fit the mold that Fenway Sports Group is looking for. And we all saw what happened when you hired the typical friend of Mario hockey man for the last couple of years.

Brian Burke. He assisted with the search. He was a friend of Mario. Mario asked him to come aboard for the press of hockey ops. He came aboard. Ron Hextall. friend of Mario hockey man he came aboard as well David Morehouse had the final say on it but he had Mario's blessing they came aboard you all saw what happened it was a disastrous tenure I would like to

think this time that they would the new ownership group which is in charge mainly in charge of this search would see that the last regime failed with like that hot with the two hockey men in their front office and they're not going to be like oh let's do that again except let's bring in someone like Berzschen. It would just kind of be a lame hire. They can do so much better than that. So I'm not really too worried about it. Also, these people that Sarvali named, I think they're out there for a reason. I don't think anyone in the ownership group is leaking this stuff. I think this is coming from agents of these people, especially Berzsivin, like basically just telling me insiders, hey, you know, my client's been around this search. He's been interviewed. Put him out there.

I really think that's what it is. I understand that most of these candidates are not, they're not, that's an epic cream of the crop. I'll say that. John Chica, I think was kind of fraudulent in Arizona. I do think he could be better in a different situation with more like a structure around him and a better organization. I don't really like the work that he did in Arizona.

Jason Bottsrell, I know he has the history here. He was Jim Rutherford's Associate GM. he was here before that as well. But when he took the Buffalo job and was the Saber General Manager outside of the Tage Thompson acquisition in the Rhino-Reilly trade, I don't really like the work that he did.

I also didn't like how Buffalo really filled out their analytics department after he left. You know, maybe it was because, you know, the Pugulas were a little more hands-on with Foddrell being there. He could be better in a different situation with more of a structure around him. And I know he's done a better job in Seattle,

but still I didn't really like the job that he did in Buffalo. Matthew Darsh, he is the one that at least intrigues me a bit. He's the director of hockey ops in Tampa Bay. He's worked under Julian Brisbaw under Steve Eiserman. He's done a pretty solid job there. My only question is how much of a role did he play in the ridiculous 10-genote trade, which they gave up a ridiculous amount of first-on-pex.

Don't know what the heck that trade was about. Julian Brisbaw took a rare L on with that one. And then Ryan Martin, I don't know too much about him. Though I text a couple Rangers when this day, I got some feedback on him. They basically just told me, Hunter, be very wary of anyone from the team's run office just because of their record with talent evaluation. I was like, okay, I'll take that under advisement, just because the Rangers at times have been a little eh when it comes to that.

So, again, for the most part, these names, it's it's five only there's only five that he listed people people piero lebrun said last week they're doing first round interviews there's going to talk to at least 10 to 12 candidates honestly i would argue they're probably going to talk to 15 maybe 20 this is what casting a wide net means you're going to talk to people of numerous different hockey backgrounds whether it's an old head like mark bergivin whether it's someone like John Chico who I don't think did a good job in Arizona but he's a computer guy

a numbers guy if you want to refer to him as that Jason Botrell hockeyman as well Matthew Darsh little more innovative there's no been rumors rumors about Eric Tolski or Kyle Dubus but these type of names that you see they come from different backgrounds

and I am sure there are plenty other people who they are discussing and again this is only the first round of interviews. This is what casting a wide net is. Once this list gets cut down to maybe like the final four to five candidates, then if some of these old hockey men are still on there, you can freak out a little bit. But you also have to remember they are hiring for two positions according to Frank. I don't know if one of them will be for a hockey man and one of them will be for a younger guy

or they can be two younger guys, two older guys. I don't know. But don't No one needs to freak out about it just yet. This is still in the very early stages. I've also been told by a couple of people that no one really knows who the full list is, like who is on that full list. So take that for what you will, okay? There's really no, if you're listening to this podcast, there's really no reason to panic at all.

I know we're about almost a month into the search here. I personally think ins, we are not. close to finding out who this next normal manager is. I think it's going to be done in the next few weeks, maybe by mid-June. But I don't think they're close at all. I think they're really paying attention to seeing what happens tonight. Wednesday night, when you listen to this, with the Maple Leafs, if they lose and get swept, I do think there's going to be major changes.

I would assume they would call Kyle, the Maple Leafs and Kyle Dubas within five minutes to get permission to interview him, because remember, he's still under contract for at least another month. until the end of the season. So they would have to get permission. I actually, I said last week, I got that a little bit wrong. They can't just call Kyle. They would have to call the Leafs. But I think they would probably also wait to see if the Leafs would just fire him.

And then they can be like, oh, we'll call him at that point because his contract is about to be up. But that is the latest on the GM search. Again, I wouldn't sweat anything. The Penguins are keeping this a secret. There's not much has gotten out. I truly do not think anyone within this ownership group or the organization is putting this stuff out there. I truly think Frank got his info from agents of some of these people who are just like, hey, yeah, my client's a little bit involved in this search.

He got an early interview. That's what I think it is. I personally don't think Bergerving will be hired. Jason, Jason Botrell, maybe could see it. I still think it's unlikely. I think the most likely of this crop, if one advances to the second round and then gets hired, is Matthew Darsh. That's how I'm reading into it, at least.

So everything's good. I'm glad that they're hiring a GM and a president of hockey ops. I just hope that the president of hockey ops has an actual role. It is not just like a buffer between, you know, Kevin Acklin and Dave Beeson and ownership like Brian Burke was for the last regime. I really hope that this person is actually involved in, the hockey decisions because I truly don't think Brian Berg was involved with that at all.

I think it was just Hextall doing his thing. So that's all I have to say when it comes to updates on the GM search. Let me know what you all think. Are you all any nervous about the updates that I just provided? Or are you just waiting to see where this goes and all that? But that wraps up this first segment. Coming up in the second segment, Mike Sullivan to the New York Rangers, I'm going to tell you why it is completely false.

and that Penguins fans, you all have nothing to worry about when it comes to that. That's coming up after this commercial break. But before we jump into that, Indeed is the hiring platform where you can attract, interview, and hire all in one place. Instead of spending hours on multiple jobs sites, searching for candidates with the right skills, Indeed's a powerful hiring platform that can help you do it all. We streamline hiring with powerful tools that find you matched candidates with instant match over 80% of employers get quality candidates whose resume on Indeed matches their job description

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If you need to hire, you need indeed. All right, I'm back on this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I am your host, Honour Hodes. Are you going to follow me on Twitter, Hunter Hodes, follow the shows, Twitter, Ellen Show Penguins. And of course, thank you all so much for making this your first list of the day. We're free and available on all platforms. So let's just get into this, Mike Sullivan.

garbage is the best I can describe this. I have never seen a fan base want a head coach that is employed by another team so badly. I mean, I know Mike Sullivan's a great coach. You don't have to tell me that. You don't have to tell a lot of people in the sandbase that. A lot of other people that cover the team that. But wow, I've never seen a rival fan base want a coach like this this bad. And we've heard a lot about it over the last 24 to 48 hours.

Larry Brooks of the New York Post put out a ridiculous tweet that made me almost dodge my eyes, eyeballs out. He tweets, I won't pass along this scenario that was just presented to me. Dubus leaves Toronto to become the Penguins' GM, bring Sheldon Keith with him to be the head coach. The Penguins fire Mike Sullivan, who in turn becomes free, and he becomes the Rangers head coach. Larry, I can promise you, as Stephen Tyler says in Erasmith, dream on. That's what I say to that. Dream on. I know everyone has all the dreams out there. You go to bed at night. Genevout, I don't know, scoring the game winning goal in a game seven for a team that you root for. You dream that you're going to, I don't know, date this person who you're ridiculously attracted to.

But this, good luck. The penguins are not going to fire or how. heck even trade Mike Sullivan to the New York Rangers. That is not happening. Let's go over those reasons. I don't know why. I don't know why I even have to do this, but I'm going to do this because I am tired of being at it. Number one, he is assisting in the GM search.

Does he have the final say of who the penguins are going to hire? No, but he is helping out Dave Easton and Kevin Acklin when he can't. Number one. Number two. They just signed him to a contract extension, Fenway Sports Group. Last year, he has, what, at least four years left on that deal, the new deal? He's not going anywhere. Number three, they committed to Sullivan, especially after this season, when they sided with

him over Hexol. And that was confirmed by Elliott Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast today when he said they sided with Sullivan over player personnel issues and other stuff. So there's obviously, based off that, there's a difference of opinion when it comes to the head coach and the person, obviously Ron Hextall, who was assembling the roster together. And again, he's one of the, he's arguably, I mean, I don't think it's arguably. I think he is the best coach in franchise history. He becomes available.

He has hired in 10 minutes. One more thing. Sheldon Keith coming in from Mike Sullivan is a downgrade. I am sorry. If you disagree with that, that is your opinion. but Sullivan has the championship pedigree. He's led teams to championships. Sheldon Keith, fine coach, but I don't think he moves the needle all that much.

I do think of the Maple Leafs Luce Luce tonight. You could see a full house clean with both Keith and Dubus out of there, but I don't think Dubis, excuse me, not dovis, I don't think Keith is an upgrade over Sullivan. So Rangers fans will continue to have copium. All they want when it comes to Sullivan, it is not going to happen. Mike Sullivan will be the Pittsburgh Penguins head coach for at least this season.

Could it be on a shorter leash? Yes. Could very much see that. If the team stumbles out of the game, they stink. Maybe he gets canned and someone gets promoted to the interim basis before they have to hire someone full-time. But he is going to be this team's head coach for at least a foreseeable future. It's not going to happen.

Again, Larry Brooks and Rangers fans, if you ever tune into this, podcast dream on he is not leaving this organization and he's especially not going to be the head coach in new york rangers i don't want that on my conscience excuse me and i don't think any of you all want that on your consciences either do you want to see mike solvin coaching a division rival of yours and then playing that team four to five times a year no no you don't so i guess i guess that's whatever to me. It's just, it's ridiculous that I even have to discuss it. It ranges that people with the New York media are just being really crazy to say the least.

So that's really all I want to say about that. You know, if there is a change to the coaching staff, it's probably going to be to the assistance whenever the new front office comes in. That's what I'm going to say about that. So that wraps up this second segment of today's episode of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. Coming up to end the show, we're going to get into the playoff games from last night. A look at what's going to happen to potentially tonight with the Maple Leafs. They are on the brink of elimination, what that could mean for Fenway Sports Group,

all of that plus so much more coming up in this next segment. But before we jump into that, we do have to discuss game time. Now, there have been plenty of times where I have been stressed out trying to buy tickets, whether it's the Steel Panther concert back in March, whether it's guns and roses, about a year and a half ago. So I understand buying tickets can be stressful at times, but they shouldn't be stressful 100% of the time. That's where game time comes in.

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Again, create an account and redeem code locked on NHL for $20 off. Download game time today. Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. All right, I'm back here on this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. I am your host, Honour Hodes. I'm going to follow me on Twitter, Hunter Hodes. Follow the shows to Twitter and also show Penguins. And of course, thank you all so much for making this your first listen slash watch of the day.

We're free and available on all platforms. Remember, this is your team every day. my German Shepherd downstairs, had to bled out of a nice little barch, you must have saw some sort of dog walk by. But, and with some playoff talk, is it just me or is this second round garbage? Serious question.

These games have been awful. And I mean awful. There are blowouts every night. Last night, the Hurricanes Devils game, oh, it looks like it's going to be a good game. One-nothing, New Jersey, one-one, two-one, And then the hurricane just blitz for three more goals in the second period.

And it's, actually, no, four more goals. And it's just six one going into the third. And I'm like, really? For real? And then after that, the nightcap game, Dallas jumps out to a 5-1 league going into the third. I'm just going to read a, keep reading Dark Force Rising, if that's how it's going to be. These games have been brutal. We really got spoiled in the first round.

every game in that Carolina, New Jersey series has been a blowout. Same thing with Seattle and Dallas, the Vegas, Edmonton series. They've traded blowouts with each other. Those games haven't been close. The only series that's been close, yet the Maple Leafs are down 3-0 is that series. Toronto and Florida. All those games have been super close. One goal games.

Last one went to overtime. The Panthers are 3-0. You wouldn't know it. But man, have these games been It's been bad? You know, I mean, it's definitely crazy that we're likely going to have a Carolina-Florida Eastern Conference Final.

If you have that on your bingo card, raise your hand, please. I would like to see it. But that's the big one for tonight. Toronto, Florida, Toronto, trying to stay off elimination, trying to not get swept. If they do get swept tonight, I can only imagine Kyle Dubis will get a call or the Maple Leafs, I should say we're going to call

from the family sports group within five or ten minutes. I definitely think they are waiting to try to interview him. I listened to this on 32th, I'll say from Elliot Friedman. He said, we're talking about the penguins here in the belief that they're willing to wait a little bit to get the right guy.

He said, someone said to me on Tuesday that they're not willing to wait that long, but they are still willing to wait at least a little bit, which again, I definitely think they have their eyes on Divas eye. I don't know that for sure, but I feel like they're waiting to try to get their hands on him so that they can interview him as maybe they see him as the top fit for the job. I don't know that for a fact, but I think if they lose tonight and in really bad fashion,

beliefs are not. They're going to be really quick with their changes. I don't think they're going to be, they're going to want to take long with it. The draft is in, what, seven weeks now? they're going to want to do it really quickly. Heck, the Penguins remember they lost Thursday and then they fired Hextall of Berkin prior the next day,

not even 24 hours later. I don't know if it'll be that quick the Leafs, it could be, but I assume if they lose tonight, it's probably going to be less than a week. It'll be less than half a week before they make their serious changes, but that's going to be a big one to watch tonight. Vegas, Edmonton,

hopefully there's not another blowout in that one. Vegas is up to you're going to. to one. I did say with Vegas, I think people were underestimating the Knights a little bit. They have the firepower to match the Oilers. And the big thing in that series is when the oilers are not in the power play, they are very vulnerable. I don't think they're that good of a five-on-five team. If you can keep the game to even strength, you can beat them. You just can't be stupid and take dumb penalties against them because they have a historic power play, have two of the best players on the planet,

they will make you pay every single time. So if the night's going to say out of the box, and I like their chances of going up three games to one. I don't like how Stuart Skinner has played in this series for the Oilers. I want to see how he plays in this one. Again, already discussed Toronto, Florida. A lot of pressure on the Toronto stars tonight. You know, I always think of, you know, that Michael Irvin, you know,

video, what are you prepared to do about it? and we're going to find out what the leaves are prepared to do about it tonight. Carolina up three games to one in New Jersey. I just think the devils look out of their depth in this series. They probably are going to have to go back to Schmidt in Raleigh. I don't really know why they went back to Vanichek. It just kind of seemed like a weird move. We continue to be really impressed with the hurricanes on how they're on three games to one right now.

They've won six of eight. Oh, well, not six of eight. excuse me um they've won seven they've won yeah they've won seven uh playoff games so far geez um seven of ten i should say and they're looking really good doing it and they opened up a can of whoop you know what i'm going to say open up a can of whoop ass on the devils in that game and then the stars two two going back to Dallas that's been a fun one i still like the stars to win it but still definitely a little bit of a little bit of a bad round here to the games have just not been close.

We got the jackpot in the first round. I'm hoping the conference finals are going to be a bit better than this because this has been awful to watch. I've been turning off the games after second periods. Blowout Central. But I think that's going to do it for this episode of the Lockdown Penguins podcast. Really appreciate all of you listening slash watching. We'll continue our season reviews for our Thursday episode.

We'll probably do Brian Paling. And then I'm hoping to secure a guest or two for the end of the week on Friday and then into next week as we continue into the offseason. So again, thank you all so much for listening. I very much appreciate it. And I'll be back with another episode for you all on Thursday. Talk to you with that.