Mark Madden: Brian Burke will bring no-nonsense approach to Penguins - TribLIVE

Van Halen (David Lee Roth version) had a motto: “W.D.F.A.”

We don’t mess around, or words to that effect.

Brian Burke, the Penguins’ new president of hockey operations, operates under the same principle. Read his autobiography, “Burke’s Law.” Burke has been involved in hockey management for 34 years. If you don’t fit, you’re gone. It usually doesn’t take long.

Let’s see who fits.

Burke isn’t the lone new decision-maker. Ron Hextall got hired to be GM.

Hextall would seem to have final say. But Burke tops most totem poles organically. His personality may overwhelm Hextall’s.

It was necessary to hire a gang of two. One new employee would have spoken out against the madness but been shouted down by those who think it’s still 2017. That can’t happen with two.

The stated goal is to contend for a championship while retooling for the future. The realistic goal is to decide which of those applies.

Burke will, and in merciless fashion. W.D.F.A.

Earlier this season, when working on TV, Burke said the Penguins’ window was shut. When he was hired Tuesday, he said the opposite. Burke has complained endlessly about the Penguins winning the 2005 lottery that gifted them Sidney Crosby. He is not the most likeable guy.

So what? He is employed by the Penguins now. When Hextall played goal for Philadelphia, he once chased Penguins winger Robbie Brown around the ice with malicious intent.

The Penguins have played 11 games and won just once in regulation. They have yet to lead by two goals. Their goaltending stinks. Tactically, they’re living in the past. They haven’t won a playoff series since 2018 and were not competitive in postseason losses to the New York Islanders in ’19 and Montreal last season. The organization, coaches and key players see things as they used to be, not as they are.

It’s not a situation that calls for the most likeable guys.

It’s not a situation that coach Mike Sullivan should take lightly, either.

Under Sullivan, the Penguins are relying on speed like they did to win Stanley Cups in 2016 and ’17. That’s what the players want.

Burke and Hextall won’t care what the players want. Burke, in particular, won’t be enamored of acquiescing thusly.

Sullivan needs a Plan B. The Penguins play far too loose. They need an infusion of discipline, especially given the stench that emanates from their goaltending. They’re not fast enough to rely mostly on speed. They’re not as fast as they were, or as they think they still are.

Is Sullivan’s job in jeopardy? Yes. Not today or tomorrow. But, as of Tuesday, ’16 and ’17 ceased to matter. W.D.F.A.

The rest of the season figures to be mostly an evaluation process, an unsparing one that only fresh, educated eyes can provide. Fans will expect a big trade that steers the team toward legit contention.

But that deal just isn’t there. Not with these Penguins. The future can’t keep being sacrificed. “Win now” is a bad philosophy if you can’t win now.

The management shake-up won’t affect Crosby. He has influence but doesn’t need it. Crosby needs to button things up a tad. But he plays structured hockey.

It will affect Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

It’s not that the Penguins’ core three makes demands, per se. They don’t. But their will is divined, and be done. Until now.

It’s hard to imagine Burke and Hextall being laissez-faire with Sullivan like ex-GM Jim Rutherford was. It’s difficult to think more structure won’t be demanded.

It’s a tough situation. But does the organization realize how tough? Do Burke and Hextall?

The Penguins don’t want to be like Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles, inexorably fading after winning multiple championships. But that process already has started. That tide can’t be stemmed. The Penguins kept their core for a victory tour, and now it’s aging out.

Malkin would have fetched great value had he been traded in 2018 after the Penguins lost to Washington in the playoffs’ second round. He was 31 and just had tallied 98 points. Now he has two goals in 11 games and looks disinterested. Return would be minimal. (To be fair, trading Malkin at any time would be messy because of his full no-movement clause.)

Perhaps Burke and Hextall will conclude it’s time for a total rebuild. How that manifests itself is a tricky question. Tickets and merchandise need to be sold. (But Crosby is going nowhere.)

Burke and Hextall aren’t working cheap. Ownership has made a commitment. Dire conclusions might be reached. Unpleasant decisions may be made.

If so, it’s about time. W.D.F.A.

Categories: Mark Madden Columns | Penguins/NHL | Sports