The Pittsburgh Penguins are desperate for someone to break through in their bottom six. Who could be the catalyst that sparks that part of the lineup? The Pittsburgh Penguins are having a far from perfect season, and even as the season winds down, their inconsistencies continue to be a huge issue. There are eight games remaining in the season and the Penguins are yet to lock up a spot in the postseason and it’s still a very real possibility they miss out for the first time since 2006. While Mike Sullivan is noted as one of the best coaches in the NHL, is he missing a layer that could make him even better behind the bench? Take a look at what Rick Bowness just said about his Winnipeg Jets, who are in a similar situation as the Penguins. Just barely clinging to a spot in the playoffs, Bowness took a moment to call out his players, singling out their inconsistencies after a 3-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks. “If some of these guys think they’re giving everything in their tank they’re dreaming,” Bowness said. “We need a few more guys to jump on board. It’s not over.” Compare that to what Sullivan said about his team following their 7-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. "Listen, we win as a team, we lose as a team,” Sullivan said. [https://www.nhl.com/penguins/news/sully-says-we-just-didnt-get-it-done-tonight/c-342845008] “We just didn't get it done tonight." Sullivan has stated multiple times before that he’s not the kind of coach that will call out his players, but maybe he needs to be. Saying 'we weren't good enough' isn't enough to push the Penguins in the proper direction. It doesn’t have to be Michel Therrien levels of calling his players ‘soft,’ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7aDhhamxm0] but a little edge might come as a wakeup call to the Penguins. There are moments where it’s obvious Sullivan isn’t happy with certain things regarding the Penguins and their performances, but he’s quick to defend each player on his roster. Surely, that’s a coaching quality players love to be around, but sometimes there isn’t enough tough love. There is no doubt that the players love Sullivan, and this isn't to say he needs to be relieved of his duties any time soon, but it would be almost refreshing to hear some verbal lashes toward the team. The Penguins have been in need of a wakeup call for months and it’s going to have to come from somewhere else because their coach doesn’t have any interest in voicing his displeasure the way fans have. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! David Perron Hat Trick Buries Penguins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/news/david-perron-hat-trick-buries-pittsburgh-penguins] Jeff Petry Returns, Penguins Re-Assign Taylor Fedun [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/news/jeff-petry-returns-pittsburgh-penguins-reassign-taylor-fedun] Jeff Petry's Return Will Stabilize Penguins Defense [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/podcasts/jeff-petry-return-stabilize-pittsburgh-penguins-defense] Penguins Rolling With Hot Hand in Net [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-riding-hot-hand-net] Rickard Rakell Will Bring a Spark to Penguins Bottom-Six [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/pens-talk/rickard-rakell-bring-spark-pittsburgh-penguins-bottom-six] * undefined * undefined
