Nov 30, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan (rear) reacts on the bench against the Calgary Flames during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Mike Sullivan parted ways after nearly a decade together. The shocking move comes just a few weeks after the Penguins missed the postseason for the third consecutive season. With the organization moving fully into the rebuild, both sides are moving on.
Sullivan is now the top available free agent coach in the NHL. What are the next steps for the two-time Stanley Cup winning coach?
There’s two organizations that immediately stick out as potential fits. The first is the Boston Bruins. On the heels of a missed postseason themselves, they need a new bench boss. Interim coach Joe Sacco fared well in the role, but the Bruins were noncommittal in their end of season remarks. While they stated he would be a candidate for the permanent role, if they were set on Sacco they would have already named him the full-time head coach.
The Bruins haven’t won the Stanley Cup since the 2011 season and hiring Sullivan would greatly improve their chances. When Sully first took over the Penguins, he integrated a group of young players into an established core of veterans. It led to back-to-back Cups for Pittsburgh.
The Bruins are in a similar position. They have an established core in Charlie McAvoy, David Pastrnak, and Jeremy Swayman, but need to identify and incorporate younger players into the fold to return to postseason prominence.
Sullivan is also a Massachusetts native. A move to Boston would be a homecoming for him and his family.
The other likely option is the New York Rangers. The Rangers are in need of a new head coach after dismissing Peter Laviolette. Sullivan worked for the team as an assistant under John Tortorella before joining the Penguins organization, so there’s already a familiarity there.
Then there’s the relationship between Rangers General Manager Chris Drury and Sullivan. Drury was keen on hiring Sullivan during his first search for a head coach as GM. In 2021, it was widely reported that New York was courting Sullivan before they ultimately hired Gerard Gallant. Four years later, that courting could yield the results Drury hoped for back then.
The Rangers would benefit greatly from Sullivan’s guiding hand. Similar to Boston, they have a veteran group and a management staff that still believes in their championship window. A Stanley Cup-winning coach is a huge addition for a team on the edge of contention.
