The narrative that Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan doesn't like young talent is wrong.
Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan is one of the greatest coaches currently working in the NHL and is arguably the greatest coach in Penguins franchise history. However, that doesn't mean he doesn't have flaws in his coaching style.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that Sullivan doesn't like the Penguins young talent. The latest example of this was his usage of rookie Jonathan Gruden late last week, playing him an average of 5:20 through three games.
Other examples are the lack of opportunity for players like Alex Nylander, Valtteri Puustinen, and Fillip Hallander. And it's true. All three of those players and Gruden have averaged 8:30 of ice time per game in seven combined games over the past two seasons.
However, his issue is not specifically with younger players. When Sullivan first took over as the Penguins bench boss in 2015, a staple of those teams became the youth movement. Players like Conor Sheary, Bryan Rust, and Tom Kuhnhackl played integral roles in those early Sullivan teams.
The real issue for Sullivan is trust. It may be his biggest weakness. He is loyal to the players that have won for him, even when it may not be the best decision for the team. Meanwhile, newer players take longer to gain Sullivan's trust and get significant playing time.
Look at the last two games as a prime example. Ty Smith was statistically the Penguins best defenseman over a nine-game stretch between December 30th and January 18th. According to Natural Stat Trick, he led all Penguins defensemen at even strength in shot attempts percentage with 57.89%, as well as expected goals percentage at 58.80%.
Nevertheless, Smith was a healthy scratch over the past two games in favor of Chad Ruhwedel and Mark Friedman. Two players who have played fewer games than Smith over the past two seasons but have a more extensive history with Sullivan.
Even more puzzling is his loyalty to Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin. Dumoulin continues to struggle this season after rehabbing knee surgery in the offseason.
His $4.1 million cap hit and modified no-trade clause make him difficult to trade, but the Penguins continue to deploy him as a top-four defender while he continues to struggle. Is this out of necessity? Or is it due to Sullivan's loyalty to a pillar of his cup-winning teams?
This loyalty extends to players like Brock McGinn and Jeff Carter. While they weren't present for the Penguins Championships, they have gained Sullivan's trust, insulating them more than players like Danton Heinen, Drew O'Connor, and Drake Caggiula.
When the Penguins are healthy, this loyalty affects which players make the lineup. But when the Penguins are injured, as they often are, it causes Sullivan to underplay those bottom-line players, forcing them to overuse their top lines, which could wear them down.
If Sullivan continues to insulate these players, the Penguins may end up with a similar fate. Playing a lineup with the same players and similar issues straight into a first-round exit.
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