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Rangers Media Already Beginning to Turn on Mike Sullivan After Disappointing Interview
Media members covering the New York Rangers are already beginning to turn against the new head coach Mike Sullivan after a disappointing interview.
Following a disappointing season that saw the Blueshirts miss the playoffs for the first time in three years, the Rangers' general manager Chris Drury decided to make a change in the head coaching position. Indeed, he fired Peter Laviolette after two seasons behind the bench and named Mike Sullivan as his replacement.
Sullivan parted ways with the Pittsburgh Penguins after 10 years, after missing the playoffs for the third straight time.
Despite his latest struggles, Sullivan is one of the most qualified head coaches out there, and it's not surprising to see him find another job so quickly.
However, things might not be as easy as he thought.
He held his first media availability yesterday, and he's already being criticized for it.
George Grimm, an author who released books about the Rangers, didn't like Sullivan's presser, saying he didn't go into enough detail about his plans or his departure from Pittsburgh.
In his own words:
"Sullivan's press conference was right out of 'The NHL Coach's Guide to Press Conferences.' He didn't give any specifics, didn't say anything controversial. He said a couple of things meant to inspire the fans and made sure to express how excited he was for the opportunity to coach a historic team like the Rangers.
"But judging by his low-key demeanor, it was hard to tell whether he was more excited about coaching the Rangers or cashing MSG's checks! He emphasized that he was looking forward to forming a partnership with Chris Drury, who he called 'Dru' a few times."
"Drury chimed in, saying that they would discuss all player moves, but that he would not be dictating lineup decisions. Sullivan referred to his experiences many times during the 20-minute meeting with the media."
"As expected, Sullivan refused to talk about why he left Pittsburgh or what may have been wrong with the Rangers last season. He did say that he had a lot of respect for the Rangers, and that there's a lot of talent in that room.
But talent alone does not win championships - teams win championships. And I think that's gonna be our challenge from Day One: to become a team in the truest sense of the word. That's the challenge that each team faces when they open training camp, and we're no different in that regard."
"He said he has talked to almost every player on the roster and sees a lot of leadership and passion there, but did not elaborate on how he would harness it."
"He added that he would discuss naming a team captain with Drury, but that leadership manifests itself in many different ways. He called Adam Fox an elite talent and looks forward to working with him."
"As for working with the younger prospects, Sullivan said that 'There's no set recipe for developing players. Each player and situation must be handled in an individual manner.' No one is entitled to anything, and every player earns it."
"Overall, it was as expected - a textbook press conference. But Sullivan did say one thing that can give Rangers fans some hope: 'We're gonna push these guys every day to maximize the potential that exists here.'"
"I was very uninspired. It was just a lot of blah-blah-blah!"
"But judging by his low-key demeanor, it was hard to tell whether he was more excited about coaching the Rangers or cashing MSG's checks! He emphasized that he was looking forward to forming a partnership with Chris Drury, who he called 'Dru' a few times."
"Drury chimed in, saying that they would discuss all player moves, but that he would not be dictating lineup decisions. Sullivan referred to his experiences many times during the 20-minute meeting with the media."
"As expected, Sullivan refused to talk about why he left Pittsburgh or what may have been wrong with the Rangers last season. He did say that he had a lot of respect for the Rangers, and that there's a lot of talent in that room.
But talent alone does not win championships - teams win championships. And I think that's gonna be our challenge from Day One: to become a team in the truest sense of the word. That's the challenge that each team faces when they open training camp, and we're no different in that regard."
"He said he has talked to almost every player on the roster and sees a lot of leadership and passion there, but did not elaborate on how he would harness it."
"He added that he would discuss naming a team captain with Drury, but that leadership manifests itself in many different ways. He called Adam Fox an elite talent and looks forward to working with him."
"As for working with the younger prospects, Sullivan said that 'There's no set recipe for developing players. Each player and situation must be handled in an individual manner.' No one is entitled to anything, and every player earns it."
"Overall, it was as expected - a textbook press conference. But Sullivan did say one thing that can give Rangers fans some hope: 'We're gonna push these guys every day to maximize the potential that exists here.'"
"I was very uninspired. It was just a lot of blah-blah-blah!"
Criticizing a coach even before he takes part in his first game behind the bench seems a bit far-fetched. Hopefully, for Rangers fans, Sullivan will be able to bring his team to the next level. If not, more critics are likely to go his way.
| POLL | ||
MAI 9 | 191 ANSWERS Rangers Media Already Beginning to Turn on Mike Sullivan After Disappointing Interview Do you think Mike Sullivan will win a Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers? | ||
| Yes | 50 | 26.2 % |
| No | 141 | 73.8 % |
| List of polls | ||