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20 years later, Sidney Crosby explains Michel Therrien's infamous postgame message calling the team soft
Photo credit: Tom Szczerbowski-Imagn Images
It's been 20 years since Michel Therrien infamously called his Penguins team soft, and Sidney Crosby revisited that moment and finally explained it all.
The theatrical press conference held by former Penguins coach Michel Therrien on Jan. 10, 2006, is now a moment that has helped shape the framework for what is arguably the greatest period in franchise history.
Long before Dan Bylsma, Mike Sullivan, or Dan Muse articulated their own approaches, Therrien entered a small room at the Civic Arena to passionately question the identity of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
What Michel Therrien did after that loss to the Oilers 20 years ago
Following a 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers, Therrien called the effort, commitment, and defensive play of the young roster soft, as the franchise languished during a stagnated rebuild cycle.
However, what differentiated Therrien during those first few games was that he wasn't operating from a rash decision.
He felt that the players had a greater potential that they weren't demonstrating, and he had no intention of allowing complacency to set in. Players such as Marc-Andre Fleury and Max Talbot had already seen that style of coaching in the AHL.
Why Sidney Crosby believes Michel Therrien's message worked
It would take years for Sidney Crosby to clarify what exactly happened from the players' point of view, and he did just that last night, revisiting that infamous moment and providing an explanation.
"He wanted to send us a message," Sidney Crosby said. "And it was sent. We got the point."
- Sidney Crosby
- Sidney Crosby
But the Penguins continued to struggle after Therrien's outburst and went into another long streak of losing. However, in their next season, they finally made their return to the playoffs.
The Penguins won their division in their next year but lost in the Stanley Cup Final. Times definitely did change thanks to Therrien.
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| POLL | ||
JANVIER 9 | 66 ANSWERS 20 years later, Sidney Crosby explains Michel Therrien's infamous postgame message calling the team soft Do you think the Penguins truly understood Michel Therrien's message and changed their ways? | ||
| Yes | 50 | 75.8 % |
| No | 16 | 24.2 % |
| List of polls | ||