CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Mike Sullivan spoke loud and clear. Evgeni Malkin did not.
The Penguins finished a third straight season without qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs. Before getting on with their offseasons, they met with the media.
Here are 10 observations from the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.
• Mike Sullivan isn’t going anywhere.
It’s not a particularly well-guarded secret in the hockey world that certain members of the New York Rangers organization have something of an infatuation for Sullivan, who has coached the Penguins since 2015. The coach was asked about his future to open his season-ending press conference on Friday.
“My intentions are to be the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins,” Sullivan said.
The notoriously verbose Sullivan cut off his answer following those words, letting some awkward silence fill the room.
Few topics aggravate Sullivan less. He told me on two different occasions during one-on-one interviews this season that he has absolutely no intentions of leaving the Penguins, that his loyalty to the franchise is extreme, and that he desires to coach these Penguins until they are champions again.
I believe him.
• Sidney Crosby left the door open to compete in the World Championships in Sweden later this spring. He didn’t say yes, didn’t say no. Crosby said he’d be in contact with Kyle Dubas about this, which makes sense, since Dubas not only runs the Penguins but will also be the general manager for Team Canada at the World Championships.
A part of me would be pretty surprised if Crosby were to partake in the event. But, I will say this: Lately, when asked about his conditioning and ability to remain essentially ageless, Crosby continually discusses his need to “keep going.” He said that, unlike when he was young, taking time off actually seems to hurt him these days, as it takes him longer to regain his legs and hands when he’s away from the rink. In other words, he’s working harder than ever to remain great.
So, maybe a two-week workout in Stockholm would nicely complement his agenda.
• Crosby spoke for nearly 10 minutes with the assembled media and then shook hands with all of the reporters, one by one, as is his custom at the conclusion of each season.
One of my favorite Crosby quirks is that he always greets us barefoot at the conclusion of each season. Someone asked why.
“I never wear shoes in the locker room,” he explained.
Most Canadians I’ve known always very politely remove their shoes when they walk into your home. Most of us Americans aren’t always so quick to do this. Maybe Crosby thinks of the locker room like we think about a living room. Whatever the case, it made me laugh.
Evgeni Malkin has one year remaining on his contract. (Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images)
• Malkin was surrounded by reporters after Thursday’s game against the Washington Capitals. He declined to speak, explaining that he would instead speak on Friday.
Malkin was nowhere to be found on Friday.
He surely would have been asked about his hockey future. Malkin has one year remaining on his contract.
The future Hall of Famer has previously stated that he intends to finish out his contract with the Penguins before deciding if he will retire or continue playing.
• I have to give Tristan Jarry some credit. I’ve been plenty hard on him and, deservedly so, in my opinion. When the franchise goaltender is sent to Wilkes-Barre not once but twice because of poor play, well, that’s a problem.
Jarry finished the season on a strong note, however. I also sense that the difficulties of this season have developed some maturity and authenticity in Jarry.
He was asked about his difficult start to the season.
“That’s on me,” he said.
Jarry isn’t always good about uttering those words. Good for him for taking on some accountability.
Being placed on waivers was the low point of his career.
“It was something upsetting for me,” Jarry said. “It wasn’t something I ever expected when I signed by contract. It was something that happened. I had to build from it.”
To his credit, I believe that he did grow from it. Don’t be surprised if he’s the opening night goaltender in October.
• Bryan Rust isn’t likely to play for Team USA in the upcoming World Championships because he and his wife are close to expecting a child.
His body deserves some time off (which isn’t to say he can expect to get much sleep in the next few months). As Sullivan pointed out earlier this week, it’s difficult for Rust to play all 82 games in a season because of the abuse his playing style puts his body through.
The next player in Pittsburgh to permanently wear a letter on his chest will be Rust.
• The mood in the locker room was far too cheery for the occasion. Most of the Penguins took this season hard and have obvious expectations regarding the future. To this day, Crosby and Rust look like they’ve just lost Game 7 after every regular-season loss, for instance.
A handful of these Penguins, however, don’t seem to make winning a priority. It’s something you typically see on bad or below-average teams, especially when they employ too many veterans. The youth movement is the way to go for these Penguins. It will accelerate their path back to the playoffs and cut a bad apple or two along the way.
• I chatted with Rutger McGroarty for a few minutes after he met with the media, and I have to say, he’s as delightful a kid as the Penguins have employed in quite some time. He’s got charisma. Or “rizz,” as people his age prefer to call it. He’s smart. He’s funny. He’s got a personality that fills up the entire locker room. Everyone is drawn to this kid. Pittsburgh is going to love him.
• Erik Karlsson spoke all season about his performance in fairly glowing terms. The truth was revealed following the season, though, as Karlsson admitted that his game has been too up and down during his two seasons in Pittsburgh.
My sense is that Karlsson and his family genuinely like it in Pittsburgh and that he prefers to stay with the organization moving forward. I’m not so sure everyone in the organization feels the same.
• The energy that McGroarty and Ville Koivunen bring to that locker room is noticeable and contagious, even when everyone is saying goodbye for the summer. It’s so painfully clear that these Penguins have been starved of a youth infusion for far too long. Finally, it’s beginning to arrive.
(Top photo: Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images)