Can the Penguins (and Mike Sullivan) Change Their Approach?

“Mike Sullivan needs to change his approach. He keeps doing the same thing, but the rest of the league has adjusted to the way we play. If he doesn’t learn to adapt, they’re going to replace him.”

Those very sage words were spoken, out of the blue, by Wright’s Gym member Jim Hartley as he approached the front desk yesterday afternoon. Which struck a chord and planted a seed for this article.

First, a little backdrop. In 2015-16, our Penguins won a Stanley Cup due in no small part to their exceptional team speed. Maybe they weren’t the fastest team in the league, but they certainly played the fastest.

For the most part, our opponents were overwhelmed. Even a mobile, skilled team like Tampa Bay…