Dunlap: Sullivan Must Yield To Murray
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) - This is all really simple.
All it takes is one question, a direct and pointed question.
It goes like this from Penguins coach Mike Sullivan to goaltender Matt Murray --- "So, how many games do you need?"
Yeah. It is that simple.
As the Penguins get set to drop the puck tonight at Ottawa, it marks the point in the regular season with 10 games remaining. They have a playoff spot locked up; they just need to concentrate on getting healthy. In theory --- to me at least --- these are all exhibition games, they amount to zero more than a tune-up for the playoffs no matter what people tell you about playoff matchups. I look at it that way because I subscribe to the "you have to beat everyone eventually to win the Stanley Cup" model.
All that said, before the Penguins face the Senators tonight, I truly hope Sullivan asked --- or will ask --- Murray that simple question: "So, how many games do you need?"
What I'm getting at is real easy to decode … Murray should be given the free reign to decide how many of these games he wants to play as a tune up to get ready for the postseason. It should be wholly his decision and the decision of no one else.
If he wants to play all 10, Sullivan should let him run out this string.
If he wants to play half or them, so be it --- he plays half and sits half.
If he wants to play one and wear a baseball cap in the runway for the other nine, let him.
Goalies are weird birds by nature in terms of how they operate, so Murray should be able to decide exactly how he wants to handle the run-up to what will be a very important span of time in his career and also that of this franchise.
It seems undeniable and an irrefutable fact that Sullivan will go with Murray as his No. 1 guy in the playoffs, whether it is personal preference, Murray is the better talent, a mixture of both or a default within Sullivan's brain that Murray needs to be "the guy" in the postseason. Let's just come to that reality, because that's the way it is going to go down no matter who your favorite goalie on this team is. Yes, Mike Sullivan is going to start the playoffs with Murray as his top guy, you can just about bet the ranch on that.
Do I agree with the thought that Murray is the No. 1 and Marc-Andre Fleury the No. 2? On most days, I do. Although Fleury is making it an awful close race at this point, I still feel like Murray has to be given the starter designation for the beginning of the playoffs until he plays his way out of the crease.
That's why, as we sincerely are now in the final countdown and lead-in to those playoffs, Sullivan needs to yield to Murray. Great coaches know when to get out of the way and this is one of those times. It's time --- over these last 10 games --- for Sullivan to turn to Murray and let the goalie decide just what approach will have him at his optimum level once the real season, the postseason, begins.
Colin Dunlap is a featured columnist at CBSPittsburgh.com. He can also be heard weekdays from 5:40 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Sports Radio 93-7 "The Fan." You can e-mail him at colin.dunlap@cbsradio.com. Check out his bio here.
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