The following story was prepared by Frank D. Murgia of MoveTheNeedle.net
specifically for Faceoff Factor. Murgia has just returned to his hometown of Pittsburgh after a 10-year stint in Hollywood producing shows for MTV, ESPN and Playboy TV Sports. He can be reached at ithappens AT movetheneedle DOT net.

Yesterday we saw a report about possible dissention in the Pittsburgh Penguins locker-room. Since then, a lot of people have been calling for a replacement of Michel Therrien. Here’s why that’s a bad idea.

First, I can say for sure that I think the players are young, full of talent and that Therrien runs a very tight system and ship. As one of Therrien’s main flaws I can see him being a little arrogant and cocky but they are young kids and they need to be called out and put in check.

It’s no question he treats them like small children and not young adults in regards to how he calls them out, benches them, etc. This is true, but that locker room is very close, and may be too close for its own good.

Colby is Sid’s best friend and loved in the locker room and by the fans. All of those players and fans are going to take Colby’s side and any player’s side. The old Mario teams were close, but those guys were a little older and in their mid to late 20’s. You can’t let a bunch of 19 to 23 year olds run the ship no matter how close knit and talented they are.

They need to lace them up, take it and learn from all of the line shifting and benching. They need to get tough skin and not be babied. Otherwise, come playoff time, 19-23 year old babies are going to get bullied again by grown men. If Therrien goes, the players will think they won and that they are so talented that they can do anything. They are too young to be thinking that. They can have a skilled offense but will have no toughness come playoff time.

I do believe his system works and the line changing works. It works after a few months of building that chemistry. It did last year. The switch flipped after the all-star break. I think it will flip in mid-December this year, earlier than last year. That is how growth and chemistry works with a young team. These are talented kids who want to have set lines and want to score and fly around, but that isn’t the nature of the game anymore. Even the old Oilers were talented but not that young.

If Shero fire’s Therrien to protect the locker room, it is a bad move. A new coach may be the trick, set lines may be the trick, a new offensive system may be the trick, but I think no matter whom the coach is this year’s team is not better than winning 2 rounds in the playoffs. I think they win two rounds no matter who the coach is. That is the natural progression of how things work regarding the ages and talent levels of these players.