Massive Rangers opportunity after Mike Sullivan leaves Penguins, becomes option as coach
A stunning turn of events with a division rival may have massive ramifications for the New York Rangers after the Pittsburgh Penguins parted ways with coach Mike Sullivan on Monday.
The Rangers fired Peter Laviolette more than a week ago after a trainwreck of a season left them on the outside looking in at the Stanley Cup Playoffs, just one year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy.
Sullivan, who had two years remaining on his lucrative contract with the Penguins, seemingly jumps to the top of their list of candidates to replace Laviolette. Especially since it’s widely believed general manager Chris Drury tried to lure him to New York before.
It’s not just the Rangers who will have interest in Sullivan, though. There are six other teams seeking a new coach (not including the Penguins), and Sullivan likely will have many options if he wishes to be behind a bench this season.
A former Rangers assistant from 2009-13 under coach John Tortorella, Sullivan guided the Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017. The 57-year-old is the all-time coaching wins leader in Penguins history with a record of 409-255-89 and is the 14th coach all-time in the NHL to win 400 games with one team.
Sullivan also coached the Boston Bruins from 2003-06, and his 479 wins are 32nd in NHL history. Of note, the Bruins have a coaching vacancy, and Sullivan is a Massachusetts native, starred at Boston University and could have interest in going back to the Bruins, where his son-in-law Charlie McAvoy is a star defenseman.
The Penguins are caught in between wanting to be a contender and in dire need of a rebuild. Despite a roster that includes Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson, the Penguins missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third straight season in 2024-25, finishing seventh in the eight team Metropolitan Division (34-36-12).
“I think that two things can be true — that someone can be a great head coach and move on to become a great head coach on their next stop, and it can also be a time for a change here,” Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas told reporters Monday. “That was the conclusion that I had come to. It was something on my mind during the season, but I I have great respect for ‘Sully’ and wanted to see it through until the end of the year and then have a discussion with him at the end of the season.”
Related: What’s next for Chris Drury after contract extension, including clearing air with Mika Zibanejad
Rangers could be perfect fit for coach Mike Sullivan
Though the Rangers are coming off one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history, they’d still be a nice landing spot for Sullivan. To start, the Rangers have star goalie Igor Shesterkin locked up for the next eight years, a former Norris Trophy-winning defenseman in Adam Fox, and Artemi Panarin, who scored 120 points two seasons ago, entering his contract year.
Assuming there’s not a complete roster overhaul, Mika Zibanejad, J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, Alexis Lafreniere, Will Cuylle, Gabe Perreault, K’Andre Miller and Braden Schneider are among the core players who could further entice Sullivan to make a Broadway return.
Sullivan coached Fox, Miller, Trocheck and Chris Kreider as bench boss for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off. He’ll coach Team USA in the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.
What’s likely also appealing to the Rangers is that Sullivan won immediately with a talented Penguins team that struggled to get back over the hump before his arrival Dec. 12, 2015. He inherited a team led by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin which was bounced by the Rangers in the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs after blowing a 3-1 lead, and again in the first round in 2015.
Sullivan then guided the Penguins to back-to-back titles his first two seasons.
Since it was only last spring that the Rangers were two wins shy of reaching the Stanley Cup Final, Sullivan may see a team closer to a championship than another dismal season like this latest edition.
Dubas said he won’t stand in the way of any team asking for permission to speak with Sullivan about its coaching vacancy. One would imagine that Drury has already made that phone call.
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