The Pittsburgh Penguins announced on Monday morning that they have parted ways with longtime head coach Mike Sullivan.
Sullivan just completed his tenth season with the Penguins and after winning two Stanley Cups and leading his team to multiple playoff appearances, he’ll be moving on.
“On behalf of Fenway Sports Group and the Penguins organization, I would like to thank Mike Sullivan for his unwavering commitment and loyalty to the team and City of Pittsburgh over the past decade,” Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said in a statement. “Mike is known for his preparation, focus and fierce competitiveness. I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons.
“He will forever be an enormous part of Penguins history, not only for the impressive back-to-back Cups, his impact on the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, but more importantly, for his love and loyalty to the organization. This was not a decision that was taken lightly, but as we continue to navigate the Penguins through this transitional period, we felt it was the best course forward for all involved.”
This move by the Penguins has some major implications on the New York Rangers’ coaching search.
According to Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today, multiple league sources believe that Sullivan is Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury’s top choice to fill in the team’s head coaching vacancy.
Sullivan and Drury have ties from Boston University and USA Hockey as this match makes perfect sense.
Rangers Players Defend Peter Laviolette With A Tone Of Sympathy After Firing For the third time since 2021 the Rangers have fired their head coach.
Drury also made a push for Sullivan in previous head coaching searches and now that he’s parted ways with the Penguins, now could be the perfect opportunity for the Rangers to sway Sullivan to make his way to New York.
The Rangers fired Peter Laviolette after missing the playoffs and going through a season filled with disappointments.
Drury has let go of three coaches since 2021 as the Blueshirts are in dire need of some stability behind the bench.
Given Sullivan’s tenure in Pittsburgh and overall track record, he could provide that stability and help change the culture within the Rangers organization.