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PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins have insisted during their extensive front office overhaul that the on-ice product doesnt need to change much for the franchise to return to the NHLs elite. Patriots Jerseys 2020 . Small tweaks, not big ones, are required. Mike Johnstons job is to figure out which ones to make and -- perhaps even more importantly -- how to make them work. The Penguins hired the well-travelled Johnston to replace Dan Bylsma on Wednesday, charging the hockey lifer with creating the right system for stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to thrive in both the regular season and beyond. Considering the talent at his disposal, the 57-year-old Johnston likes his chances. After spending the last six years with the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League preaching an uptempo attack, Johnston welcomes the opportunity to work with one of the most explosive offences in the NHL. "The core group is exactly where I want it," Johnston said. Good, because theyre not going anywhere. Instead, its everything around Malkin and Crosby -- who earned his second Hart Trophy as the NHLs Most Valuable Player on Tuesday -- that is changing. Johnstons hiring ends a tumultuous six weeks in which the Penguins were bounced from the Eastern Conference semifinals by the New York Rangers after blowing a 3-1 lead, fired Bylsma and general manager Ray Shero, and brought in longtime Carolina Hurricanes executive Jim Rutherford to clean up the mess. Rutherford settled on Johnston after a lengthy interview process that included an ill-fated run at Willie Desjardins, who opted to take the vacant job in Vancouver. Regardless of the path taken, Rutherford is confident he ended up at the right destination. "I feel very strongly that weve got the right coach," Rutherford said. One whose success will depend on his ability to take Pittsburgh on extended playoff runs. Bylsma won more games than any coach in club history but was fired on June 6 after going just 4-5 in post-season series since leading the Penguins to the 2009 Stanley Cup title. Johnston understands the onus to win on a given night, but stressed the focus will be on preparing Pittsburgh for the challenges of hockey in May and June, not October or November. "The bottom-line expectation for me is that, from training camp through the first part of the season, everything we do is setting the table for the playoffs," Johnston said. "The score is relevant but its not as relevant as the habits that we are going to have to make us successful in the playoffs." Pittsburgh is Johnstons first NHL head coaching job, though he spent two previous stints as an assistant with Vancouver and the Los Angeles Kings. He said he has a bit to learn about the challenges of an 82-game NHL season, which is one of the reasons the Penguins also brought in Rick Tocchet to serve as Johnstons top assistant. Tocchet played 18 years in the NHL, including two seasons in Pittsburgh, where the four-time All-Star helped the Penguins win their second Stanley Cup championship in 1992. The 50-year-old Tocchet also spent more than a season as the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2008-10. While Tocchet said that his old team has underachieved in recent springs, he doesnt see that as a stumbling block. "There are teams that wish they had (Pittsburghs) problems," Tocchet said. "The way Mike is going to coach this team, the way these guys play is high tempo. Its something guys are going to enjoy." Tocchet replaces Todd Reirden and Tony Granato, holdovers from Bylsmas staff who were let go on Wednesday. The Penguins retained goaltending coach Mike Bales and video co-ordinator Andy Saucier. Assistant coach Jacques Martin will also remain with the team in an undetermined capacity. Johnston is hardly a novice when it comes to dealing with pressure or highly skilled players. He was a part of Canadas coaching staff at the 1998 Winter Olympics, the first Games in which NHL players were allowed to compete. It led to nearly a decade as an assistant with Vancouver (1999-2006) and the Kings (2006-08) before he landed in Portland, where he spent six years helping young players navigate the choppy waters of professional life. The seas will be only more tumultuous in one of the NHLs most high-profile jobs. Johnston is OK with the pressure. With the 26-year-old Crosby and the 27-year-old Malkin in the midst of their primes, there are worst places to start. "This group wants to win," he said. "Theyve won the Stanley Cup, and I believe they want to do it again." New England Patriots Shirts . Villarreals victory in Valencia kept it in fourth place and in control of Spains last Champions League spot. Uche broke free in the area in the 10th minute and was brought down by goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who was shown a direct red card. Fake Patriots Jerseys . The Big Man finished 3-1 in Week 19, and sits at 53-24 on the season. Now Schultz is ready for more action. https://www.patriotsjerseysale.com/ . The 29-year-old Mills started three games for Oakland this season, posting a 1-1 record with a 4.41 earned-run average. He opened the season appearing in 14 games and making 12 starts for the Milwaukee Brewers triple-A affiliate in Nashville, posting a 4-2 record with a 1.LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Clippers hadnt even digested the final loss of their tumultuous season before they had to consider the growing possibility that owner Donald Sterling wont leave the club quietly. After a month of playoff pressure and incredible off-court drama, a 104-98 loss to Oklahoma City on Thursday night ended the Clippers best season in franchise history. Their summer could match the tumult of the last few weeks, given Sterlings apparent determination to fight his lifetime NBA ban for racist remarks. "I dont think thats an ideal situation for us to start next season with that still going on," All-Star forward Blake Griffin said Friday. If Sterling and his long-estranged wife, Shelly, manage to postpone their ouster with legal manoeuvrs, several Clippers arent sure whether they would play for the team in the fall. They hope they dont have to find out. "Personally, I think the longer it lasts, the worse its going to be," Griffin said. "I think something should happen, and I think it should happen quickly. I think guys need to make decisions. I dont think anybody wants this to drag out -- except for, you know, one or two people. I think it just needs to be swift. We can make our decision, they can make their decision, and make a change." A few weeks after the players dumped their warm-up jerseys at centre court in Oakland in a gesture of solidarity against Sterling, the Clippers are clearly hoping they wont have to return in the fall with the saga still hanging over the franchise. "I dont anticipate that being how its going to be," Griffin said. "And if it still is, Ill make a decision then, but its not something thats ideal." Guard J.J. Redick predicts the process of removing Sterling will be lengthy, saying the Clippers realize "things will be in flux for a while." "I cant imagine a scenario where we start the season next year and hes the owner and all is kosher," Redick added. "He may be the owner when we start the season next year still, but I would imagine that there would be some legal proceedings ongoing if thats the scenario." Coach Doc Rivers didnt speak to the media on Friday, but the franchises shepherd through the last few weeks made it clear Thursday night that he planss to return to the Clippers. New England Patriots Pro Shop. "I told them were going to have our day," Rivers said. "This is not the end. This is the beginning for us. ... Like Ive said before, Im under contract. I have no plans of going anywhere, as far as I know." Although Griffin, Chris Paul and their teammates were devastated by their final losses to the Thunder, Los Angeles will have plenty to savour. Although the Clippers had legitimate dreams of NBA title contention after acquiring Rivers from Boston last June, theyll have to settle for another division title and another learning experience on their path to a championship. "We definitely have to go through this," Griffin said. "Winning -- nobody has the formula. The more I lose, every time I lose, every time we lose as a team, its like I figure out how not to do it. I dont want to keep this up, but it is a necessary adversity that you have to go through as a player to get to where you want. Ive heard guys say that makes it that much sweeter when you do win." The Clippers 57-25 record was the best in franchise history, and their 113 wins over the last two years dwarf any other two-year stretch for a long-struggling franchise. Los Angeles won the Pacific Division for the second straight year and the second time in franchise history. Their first-round series against Golden State would have been taxing even without the distraction of Sterling, but Los Angeles hung on in the fourth quarter of Game 7 at home to finish off the Warriors. Paul and Griffin got the Clippers to the brink of a breakthrough win in Game 5 in Oklahoma City, leading by 13 points with less than four minutes to play -- but Pauls turnovers and fouls in the final seconds allowed the Thunder to grab an astonishing comeback victory. Los Angeles again failed to execute late in Game 6, leading to their ouster and a disappointed crowd at Staples Center. The Clippers earned just their third playoff series victory since Sterling bought the franchise 33 years ago, but couldnt advance to the conference finals for the first time in club history. "You wait your whole life to play with a group of guys like that, and you hope thats the group you end up winning with," Redick said. "When it doesnt happen, its devastating." ' ' '