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Kyle Dubas Sheds Light on Private Conversation with Sidney Crosby
Photo credit: Pittsburgh Hockey Now
Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas is shedding light on his private conversation with captain and franchise icon Sidney Crosby after the coaching change.
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced a major change in leadership behind the bench today, as they've officially parted ways with coach Mike Sullivan.
Sullivan had been one of the longest-serving head coaches in the NHL, having been on the job since December of 2015 when he replaced the terminated Mike Johnston; Sullivan led the Penguins to back to back Stanley Cups in his opening 2 years with the club.
And while they remained a strong playoff contender over the next few years, Pittsburgh has fallen on hard times of late; they've now missed the playoffs the last 3 years in a row, which is the longest postseason drought of captain and franchise icon Sidney Crosby's NHL career.
Speaking of Crosby, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas explained he had a brief conversation with him to notify him of the impending change during a wide-ranging press conference earlier this afternoon in Pittsburgh.
When we go through and making coaching changes or any changes in the organization, I have to do what I think is best for the organization. I called Sid yesterday morning before I met with Sully to give him the heads up.
He's been through it before, but in terms of how he feels about it, I had a 5-minute conversation with him before about the fact that we were going through this to make a change. We didn't get into the ins and outs of it.
He's been through it before, but in terms of how he feels about it, I had a 5-minute conversation with him before about the fact that we were going through this to make a change. We didn't get into the ins and outs of it.
I have to do what I think is best for the organization and every single player.
Pittsburgh's next head coach will be the 6th that Crosby will have played under during his career.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 28 | 373 ANSWERS Kyle Dubas Sheds Light on Private Conversation with Sidney Crosby Did the Penguins do the right thing by parting ways with Mike Sullivan? | ||
| No, he should have stayed | 145 | 38.9 % |
| Yes, it was well past time | 228 | 61.1 % |
| List of polls | ||