COLUMBUS, Ohio — Thursday morning at Nationwide Arena, Mike Sullivan prepared for a scenario he had not yet faced as Penguins head coach.
Coaching a game that counted in the standings but didn’t actually mean anything.
Sullivan said the Penguins, who Wednesday night were eliminated from playoff contention, will approach the season finale the only way they know how.
“Our message is that we have a responsibility to ourselves and a certain level of professionalism that we’re going to put our best game on the ice,” he said.
Speaking to reporters for the first time since the Penguins were officially knocked out, Sullivan lamented “missed opportunities,” praised the team’s core players and reflected on the end of their remarkable playoff streak after 16 years.
“When you pour your heart and soul into something and don’t succeed, it stings. I don’t think I’m the only one that’s in that category. Our whole group is a little bit dejected right now. We’re all human,” he said. “In a lot of ways, when you do win and have success, it’s times like these that make it so rewarding.”
The Penguins entering Thursday’s finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets had won just 40 of their 81 games. They had some encouraging stretches but also had four losing streaks spanning four games or more. They lost several times against lesser opponents, including Tuesday’s crushing loss to Chicago.
Sullivan said the team’s inconsistency is what stood out to him most this season.
“I think there were stretches of the season where we saw the team that we envisioned we would see — a competitive group that is hard to play against. And there were other stretches of the season where that wasn’t the case,” Sullivan said. “Trying to solve that consistency was our biggest challenge.”
The Cup-winning coach added: “We had opportunities to solidify points, and there were a fair amount of missed opportunities. And we all have to own that.”
Even with the season ending early, with no playoffs for the first time since 2006, Sullivan believes the Penguins “have a playoff group” and the “makings of being a competitive team,” adding that they didn’t meet their own standard.
That said, he praised stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.
“They obviously had really good years in so many different ways,” he said. “The fact that they continue to play at such a high level is so impressive. Their appetite to win, you can see it on the ice every day when you watch them.”
Sullivan, under contract through 2027, will need time to unpack this lost season and try to pinpoint everything that went wrong and why. We will see if that prompts changes in terms of his philosophy or the team’s playing style.
“There will be a whole lot of reflection on how to improve and get better,” he said. “I think there are always lessons through these experiences where we’ve got to continue to grow as people, both players and coaching staff alike.”
Matt Vensel: mvensel@post-gazette.com and Twitter @mattvensel.
First Published: April 13, 2023, 5:40 p.m.
Updated: April 13, 2023, 8:39 p.m.