Mike Sullivan is in the final year of his contract with the Penguins, and Jim Rutherford has made it clear he feels no particular urgency to work out a new deal. Rutherford has consistently praised Sullivan's work, but that apparently hasn't translated to any serious talks about a deal to keep him here.
Rutherford summed up his perspective on the situation this way a few days ago: "Mike's a terrific coach who's done a very good job here. He has good communication with the players, and I would like to see him stay long-term. But when I will get to that, I don't know."
Not surprisingly, that has led to a lot of speculation outside the organization that the two have had a falling-out, that their partnership will end when Sullivan's current contract does, if not before. Such thinking got a boost a week ago, when Mike Vellucci -- who has ties to Rutherford and led Charlotte to the Calder Cup this year -- was hired to coach Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
It's worth noting, though, people inside the organization don't appear to have any concerns about how Rutherford and Sullivan are getting along.
"In all honesty, no," said one member of the organization. "These guys have the exact same relationship they've had. It's absolutely something that's more of an issue for those outside."
Not much wiggle room there, although the person in question added, "I totally get why people would feel that way."
MORE PENGUINS
• The acquisitions of Alex Galchenyuk and Brandon Tanev, combined with the subtraction of Phil Kessel, couldn't exactly represent a sea change for any organization, certainly not of the scope Rutherford seems to have coveted since the season ended. Specifics are scarce since that run of activity, but the feel I get from within the team is that they're open to another move up front, that they're open to -- though not optimistic about -- finding a taker for Jack Johnson's contract, and that they're very comfortable moving Marcus Pettersson and/or Juuso Riikola into more prominent roles. But no, nothing seismic there, either. -- Dejan Kovacevic
• Management was understandably impressed by the performance of recently drafted wingers Samuel Poulin and Nathan Legare during the Penguins' development camp, but a few guys who aren't part of the organization made strong impressions, too. Minnesota State's Jared Spooner and Brandon Biro of Penn State are prominent on that list, but don't look for either of them -- or any other college player who was at the camp, to get a contract offer from the Penguins anytime soon. Accepting such an offer would terminate the player's college eligibility and, in the process, anger his coach, who would be losing a valuable contributor he fully expected to have around next season. If signing such players were to become a trend, it could alienate the college coaches who have, in large part, been receptive to the idea of their players taking part in development camps. -- Molinari
• The front office seems pretty happy with the performance of its professional and amateur scouting staffs lately, and no one from either group is expected to lose his job during the off-season. Word inside the organization, though, is some scouts could be shifted from one staff to the other, or responsibilities might be fine-tuned before next season. -- Molinari
PIRATES
• Felipe Vazquez’s name will continue to come up in rumors between now and the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline because he is both very good and very affordable. The closer has converted 19 of 20 save opportunities this season and is due just $15.5 million over the next two seasons as part of his four-year, $22-million contract. One baseball source told me, though, his team has gotten the impression the Pirates would only part with Vazquez if they were to get a young major-league player who could make an impact immediately, at least one premium prospect and a third prospect. – John Perrotto
• A great many misconceptions seem to exist about Josh Bell's contract status with the Pirates, which happens when a player transcends as he has into the eye of the more casual fandom. Here are two things to know, in a nutshell: 1. He's under team control for three more years through the arbitration process and, while that will be expensive, it won't be prohibitively so. 2. Scott Boras is his agent, which means he'll be advised strenuously to play out that term and enter free agency. In that context, there's actually very little the Pirates -- or any team -- could do to prevent that. Bell's been with Boras a long time, Boras has been good to him, and there's a mutual trust. When it's his time to leave, that'll be it, and there won't be much that can be done to prevent that. -- DK
• Once it was confirmed Bell would be participating in the All-Star Home Run Derby in Cleveland next Monday, he called Andrew McCutchen, the last of the Pirates to participate in the event, for advice. McCutchen told Bell to swing at just 70 percent of normal effort or else he would tire too quickly in the four-minute timed rounds. However, Bell admitted to me that might be easier said than done. “It’s going to be hard not to want to hit every ball as hard as a I can and as far as a I can,” he said. Bell said he would begin by hitting left-handed, which he considers his stronger side, but would not totally rule out taking a few right-handed hacks. Bell has averaged one home run per 14.9 plate appearances as a left-handed hitter this season and one home run per 11.1 plate appearances from the right side. – Perrotto
• Right-hander Cody Bolton has struggled in his first two starts at Class AA Altoona following a promotion from high Class A Bradenton, going 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA and allowing eight runs in 9 1/3 innings. However, the 21-year-old began the season by posting a 6-3 record with a 1.61 ERA in 12 starts in the Florida State League. He also had 69 strikeouts and 14 walks in 61 innings. Few, if any, Pirates prospects have bolstered their stock more this season. The Pirates selected Bolton in the sixth round of the 2017 amateur draft following his senior year of high school in Tracy, Calif., and signed him to above-slot bonus of $300,000 to forego a scholarship to the University of Michigan. Bolton has good command of a four-pitch mix that includes a fastball that reaches 97 mph, sinker, slider and changeup. The Pirates rarely fast track prospects but Bolton is leaving them no choice. -- Perrotto
STEELERS
• In five seasons with the Steelers, Darius Heyward-Bey caught 33 passes, including just three in his final two seasons. The Steelers chose not to bring the 32-year-old back this season as part of an overhaul of their receiving corps. But that doesn't mean Heyward-Bey's presence isn't still felt. For example, when speaking to 2018 practice squad member Tevin Jones about his prospects for making the Steelers' roster in 2019, he immediately mentioned Heyward-Bey's influence on him. "Hey-Bey, he taught me that there's more to being a receiver than just being a receiver," Jones told me. "He showed me that if you can play special teams, you can earn a spot on the roster. It's more than just being a receiver." The Steelers' coaching staff loved to point out to young players on the roster that Heyward-Bey was the seventh-overall pick in the 2009 draft before reinventing himself as a special teams player. Despite never catching more than 64 passes or 1,000 yards in a single season in his career, Heyward-Bey lasted 10 years in the NFL. He earned $38.3 million in that period. Yes, the Raiders, who overdrafted him in 2009, paid just over $30 million of that for their mistake. But Heyward-Bey made $8 million in his final six seasons -- one with the Colts and five with the Steelers. For a young player just hoping to earn a spot on the active roster, that's a great lesson. -- Dale Lolley at Rooney Complex
• Keep an eye on Jones when the Steelers go to training camp later this month. I've been told by more than one person in the know he's a guy the team really likes. He just needs to work on his consistency. Jones is 6 feet 2, 225 pounds, which makes him the biggest receiver on the team's roster. He was a 4.53-second 40-guy coming out of the University of Memphis, so he has decent speed, as well. Jones had four catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns in the preseason in 2018. Another such preseason in 2019 could earn him that roster spot -- if he proves he can play special teams. -- Lolley
• Another player who turned some heads in the team's offseason program was quarterback Delvin Hodges. The Samford product and 2018 Walter Payton Award winner set the career FCS passing yards record with 14,584 passing yards. He showed off a very accurate arm during OTAs and training camp. Hodges might not have a canon, but it's strong enough. Unless there is an injury or two, he has little to no shot to earn a spot on the Steelers' roster given what's ahead of him. But Hodges has the look of a player who could be an NFL-caliber backup with seasoning. -- Lolley
