On April 28, the Pittsburgh Penguins and head coach Mike Sullivan mutually agreed to part ways, marking an end to his decade-long tenure as head coach.
When Sullivan took over as head coach in late 2015, he made an impact almost immediately. He led the Penguins to a Stanley Cup Championship in each of his first two seasons (2016 and 2017), while also qualifying the team for postseason play in each of his first seven seasons. However, the past few years have not been in the Penguins’ favor. This season marked the third in a row where the team failed to make the postseason.
Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan talks with referee Brandon Schrader during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Washington Capitals in Pittsburgh, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
The Penguins finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division with 80 points and a record of 34-36-2. There is no doubt that the Penguins are currently going through a “rebuilding” stage with veteran players like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang leading the way on the ice. Looking ahead, the Penguins currently have 30 picks over the next three years in the NHL draft, which includes four in the first round.
For players like Crosby, Malkin and Letang, not making the playoffs has more of an impact on them as they are only getting older each year.
“It’s difficult when you’re cleaning out your locker and stall and you’re just thinking (about) how fun it is to play in the playoffs,” said Crosby in an interview to NHL.com. “How important that is and how much work everyone puts into trying to make that happen. It’s not a fun feeling when other teams are playing and you’re going home.”
After the regular season, Mike Sullivan expressed interest in sticking with the Penguins through their rebuilding stage and wanted to be the coach when they “got great again,” according to his interview with The Athletic just a few weeks ago.
However, this did not happen, and now the question is whether Sullivan will join a new team that is also in a rebuilding phase. The New York Rangers appear to be the top contender to land the two-time Stanley Cup award-winning coach, but the Boston Bruins are also in the conversation.
The Rangers fired their head coach Peter Laviolette after two seasons on April 19, after failing to make the playoffs. Last season, the New York Rangers won the President’s Trophy and reached the Eastern Conference finals, so it came as quite a surprise that they were unable to make the postseason this time around. After Sullivan and the Penguins parted ways, rumors surfaced that the Rangers organization was considering him to fill their vacant head coach position.
Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan stands behind his bench during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
“Number one (destination), we’re taking to the Tri-State: The New York Rangers,” said former NHL star PK Subban on Sullivan’s next stop to ESPN. “To me, this is a Stanley Cup team. They’re gonna tweak this lineup. Chris Drury will tweak this lineup this summer. He will get them back to where they need to be. With the right coach, this team could win the Stanley Cup.”
It is evident that Sullivan wants to be a part of a team that has high potential and is ready to make a race towards the Stanley Cup. Sullivan will no doubt demand more money, and it may just come down to who is willing to pay to add the successful coach to their team.
The Boston Bruins are a familiar team for Sullivan, as he coached them from 2003-2006. Now, with his son-in-law Charlie McAvoy in the running for the vacant captaincy, he may be more inclined to join the team once again.
Sullivan has proven to be a great coach, and with several teams eyeing him as a head coach, the Rangers will need to act fast if they want to land him. I would not count the Boston Bruins out just yet, as I can imagine Sullivan is considering the opportunity to coach his son-in-law.
I would expect a decision to come within the next few weeks, as Sullivan is in high demand and wants to get settled in with his new team as soon as possible.