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Video: Penguins GM takes some responsibility for team’s struggles

As you’ve probably already heard, the Pittsburgh Penguins made a coaching change earlier today.

They replaced Mike Johnston with Wilkes-Barre Scranton coach Mike Sullivan.

Assistant coach Gary Agnew was also relieved of his duties, while Jacques Martin and Rick Tocchet will stay on as Sullivan’s assistants.

With the Penguins having played last night against the Kings, no player was made available to the media to comment on the firing today, but General Manager Jim Rutherford did speak.

“I felt, with where we are right now and how we played over the first part of the season, that this team has more to give.”

Rutherford took some responsibility for not giving Johnston enough pieces on defense and also admitted that some players need produce more than they have.

Failing to get his stars to produce is a major reason why Johnston lost his job this morning.

With star forwards like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel, the Penguins were expected to be one of the top scoring teams in the NHL.

Not only have they scored the fourth-fewest amount of goals this season, but their power play currently ranks 26th in the NHL at 15.6 percent.

Rutherford admitted that the Penguins had been considering making a coaching change for a while.

Sullivan’s first game as head coach won’t be an easy one. He’ll get a crack at the division-leading Capitals on Monday night.