It’s no secret Mike Sullivan wants to play an up-tempo, speed-based style. His practices are fast and prepare the Penguins to play that way. But Sullivan also understands the importance of backing off.
Which is why the Penguins coach isn’t a terribly strong believer in the hockey tradition of morning skates — players congregating at either 10:30 or 11:30 the morning of a game and skating for anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour.
It used to be done to expunge alcohol after a night of hard drinking. Now, with as regimented as things are across the NHL, Sullivan really doesn’t see much of a need.