As rumors rage across the Steel City about the possibility of Pittsburgh Penguins General Manager Jim Rutherford being relieved of his duties at season’s end, the obvious next target for termination stands behind the bench of the struggling squad.
In his first full season as head coach of the Penguins, Mike Johnston lead his squad to a playoff berth, but just barely. The team finished the regular season with 98 points, posting a record of 43-27-12. The aforementioned playoff entrance was only secured in the season’s final game against the league’s worst team, the Buffalo Sabres.