It starts with a text message, typically from captain Sidney Crosby.
When the Penguins acquire a new player, as they did last weekend in Riley Sheahan, the acclimatization process is nothing anybody takes lightly, from general manager Jim Rutherford, to director of team operations Jim Britt, to coach Mike Sullivan, to the players themselves.
It’s one of the reasons the Penguins have been so successful with this current regime, and it falls into the category of something Sullivan talks about often — a competitive advantage.
Only this isn’t playing with speed, having a lethal power play or cultivating a clear identity. We’re talking about preschool-level stuff — making others feel welcome.
Whether it means sending flowers to a displaced spouse or cracking a few jokes in the players’ lounge, it’s something the Penguins do tremendously well.
“We have so much respect not only for the talent in our room but also the quality of people,” Sullivan said. “They make players who come in feel comfortable. We believe we have good players who make the surrounding players better.”
In Detroit, Sheahan lost confidence. He even admitted to expecting a trade as far back as training camp — as soon as the Red Wings signed Andreas Athanasiou, Sheahan figured he might be moved. Tough way to live, for sure.
Coming off a truly horrible season, Rutherford knew Sheahan would be a project but proceeded anyway, making several offers to Red Wings general manager Ken Holland over the summer, believing the Penguins were in a unique position to make this work.
Sure enough …
“As it soon as it happened I texted him,” Ian Cole said. “You try to make that transition as easy as you possibly can, whether that’s dinner or helping him find a place to live or whatever that may be. [Riley’s] an old friend of mine. We go back a long ways. Anytime you can try to help or make that transition easier … especially on this team, you try to help guys assimilate as quickly as possible.”
Rutherford thinks the world of Sullivan for a multitude of reasons, but one of them is what Sullivan and his staff do for new players: They correctly and patiently integrate them into the team concept.
Sullivan did this plenty in his own NHL career as a journeyman center, and he’s smart enough to realize what new players need. So he gives them a couple of things to focus on but mainly asks them to do what they do best. Meanwhile, Sullivan worries about surrounding them with the proper people and deploying them in situations designed to find success and build confidence.
For example, look at Sheahan’s linemates. You have to figure he’ll get a chance to play with Phil Kessel at some point, but right now Sheahan has been skating with Carl Hagelin and Patric Hornqvist.
Why? Because they’re honest, responsible players who aren’t necessarily prone to defensive lapses, and they’re also regarded as two of the more communicative players the Penguins employ. Hagelin is easygoing. Hornqvist might be a maniac, but never, ever in a negative sense. As a result, Sheahan has been relaxed.
“I haven’t been bombarded with too much information,” Sheahan said. “It’s been an easy transition. I know they’re going to be patient. It’s a great organization. You can just tell the last two years and even before that, they make sure players a lot better. It’s a tribute to the coaches.”
The list isn’t short. Trevor Daley, after he struggled to fit in with the Blackhawks. Justin Schultz from Edmonton. Hagelin from Anaheim. Even Cole, a bit part in St. Louis, has flourished with the Penguins, enough to expect a solid payday this summer.
Find what the player does well. Build a plan around that. Chip away. Stay positive. Grow confidence. Off the ice, make sure the player is included. And pretty soon, you have a $5.5-million-a-year version of Schultz, the identity the Penguins helped form via Hagelin’s wheels or a shot-blocking menace in Cole.
“You can look through the roster and see some guys who have made some significant improvements,” Sheahan said. “If they’re willing to try that with me, it’s an honor. I definitely have some confidence coming in that they can change my game and help me improve.”
From a player’s perspective, this sort of stuff is almost cyclical. Those who’ve thrived here love sharing their experiences.
In almost every case, Pittsburgh has been vastly different than what they experienced in their previous place of employment. Sullivan called it a “new lease on life.” For Hagelin, it was a matter of feeling like you’re a part of something.
“It doesn’t really matter where you get put in the lineup, you know you’re going to play with some skilled guys,” Hagelin said. “It usually gives you confidence when you’re touching the puck more and spending some more time in the offensive zone. I think that’s one of the key things.”
Crosby didn’t know a ton about Sheahan before the deal — one of his descriptors postgame in Tampa, Fla., a couple of hours after the deal, was that Sheahan was a center — but that didn’t stop him from his typical introductory text.
Hey, it’s Sid. Welcome. Anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask. You’re going to like it here. We’re happy to have you.
Other messages from players eager to reach out had Sheahan’s phone dinging and created a sense of excitement for this experience.
Upon arriving at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, Sheahan had started to get a read on his new team. No cliques. Very inclusive. Plenty of laughter. A winning culture.
It’s the same type that allows you to take a chance on a center making $2,075,000 per season who might’ve been viewed as damaged goods by the rest of the league.
But for the Penguins, it was an opportunity to tighten some screws, hang a bit of drywall, apply a fresh coat of paint and revisit the entire thing in a couple of weeks, believing that it’ll work.
“The guys who have come in and joined our team have worked extremely hard at improving their game and helping our team have success,” Sullivan said. “We think Riley’s a good player. We’re trying to put him in a position where he can play to his strengths. We’re trying to play him with some high-quality players. And we believe Riley will work extremely hard at trying to be the best player he can be to help this team win.”
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: October 27, 2017, 6:42 p.m.
Updated: October 28, 2017, 5:13 a.m.
