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. 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." Josh Okogie Jersey . The unrestricted free agent agreed to terms with the club on Thursday on a one-year, two-way deal worth $700,000. Andrew Wiggins Jersey . The redshirt freshman finished the regular season with nearly 3,500 passing yards, and 35 touchdowns with another three on the ground while leading the Seminoles to the top of the BCS Rankings. http://www.timberwolvesgear.com/authenti...rwolves-jersey/. But when it was all over they had wasted another lead, seen another pitcher flame out on the mound and lost their fourth straight at home. Anthony Brown Jersey .com Tours season-opening Colombia Championship on Sunday, breaking the course record with an 8-under 63 in the completion of the third round before rain washed out play. Jerryd Bayless Jersey . -- Craig Anderson has quite a record against his former team, the Florida Panthers.TORONTO -- Sebastien Bourdais captured his first pole of the season on Saturday. But he knows it doesnt mean much, especially with light rain falling on the Honda Indy track. Bourdais, whose only victory in the Toronto race came 10 years ago, had the top qualifying time of 58.94 seconds. "I remember it being the hardest street course Ive ever been on (when) wet," said Bourdais. "Theres so many lines and pavement changes, concrete, man holes and everything. This place is extremely treacherous." Bourdais, who sits 12th in the IndyCar Series standings, finished second and third in the two Toronto races last season, and won the Toronto event in 2004. Saturday was Bourdais 32nd pole of his career, but his first since September 2007. By taking the pole in Toronto, Bourdais became the 10th different pole winner in 13 races during the 2014 season. "Its been (seven) years. Its been a long time coming. Its a great feeling," said the 35-year-old. "I think Ive been the pole here four times and only won the thing once so it says how random these things can be. " Will Power, who is second in the IndyCar Series standings, finished qualifying with the second best time of 59.10, marking Powers fourth front-row start of the season. Series leader Helio Castroneves was third in qualifying with a best lap time off 59.dddddddddddd4. Its Castroneves seventh top-five start of 2014. "We qualified third and were kind of upset about it," said Castroneves. "Thats a good thing. Its a great position to start the race. Unfortunately our tires at the end were worse than some of the others and that was the difference. "I feel like we will be very good for the race." Oakville, Ont., native James Hinchcliffe, the lone Canadian in the race, will start in the ninth spot after posting a qualifying lap time of 59.352. Hinchcliffe, who comes to Toronto in 11th place in the IndyCar Series with 294 points, has struggled in his home race finishing eighth and 21st, respectively in last years races. The 27-year-old finished 22nd at the 2012 event in Toronto and posted a 14th place finish during his rookie season in 2011. Ryan Hunter-Reay, the winner of last Saturdays race at Iowa Speedway, finished fourth in qualifying. Hunter-Reay will start in the top five for the fifth time this season and for the first time since the Grand Prix of Indianapolis in May. Simon Pagenaud, who briefly held the best qualifying time, was forced to pit early after a brush with the wall and finished fifth. Scott Dixon, who won both races in Toronto last year, will start 12th after a brush with the wall during qualifying forced him to pit early. 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