The Pittsburgh Penguins are shaking things up after a disappointing season. The Penguins and head coach Mike Sullivan agree to part ways, ending Sullivan’s decade-long tenure behind the bench. While moving on from a coach like Sullivan is a sad day for the franchise, it’s a necessary move. Here’s why the Penguins had to move on from Sullivan and what his future looks like.
Mike Sullivan’s Impact on the Penguins
Pittsburgh and Mike Sullivan are parting ways
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) April 28, 2025
As mentioned before, it’s a dark day for the Penguins organization. Sullivan is arguably one of the best coaches in the NHL. Over his ten years as head coach, the Penguins made the playoffs for seven consecutive seasons and won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2015-16 and 2016-17. His hiring is considered a big reason why the Penguins won the Cup in 2015-16. Before joining the team, the Penguins were 15-10-3 and had fired Mike Johnston. Many view Sullivan as nothing more than an interim coach, as he was currently the head coach of Pittsburgh’s AHL team. However, Sullivan turned the season around, going 33-16-5 and winning the Stanley Cup in six games against the Sharks.
Yet, despite all the success Sullivan saw in the early part of his tenure, the same can not be said over the final few seasons. The Penguins have failed to miss the playoffs the past three seasons and have regressed in points every year. Even after winning the second Cup, the Penguins only won one of the six series they played in. No matter how good a coach you are, over time, the message gets stale. Eventually, what used to work at the beginning of your career stops working, and a change is needed to reinvigorate the team. Thus, leading to the Penguins and Sullivan agreeing to part ways.
Where do the Penguins and Mike Sullivan Go?
Even though the last three seasons have not gone the way Sullivan had wanted, he still will have a job next season. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet has reported that numerous teams are interested in Sullivan becoming their head coach. The favorite right now is the New York Rangers. After firing Peter Laviolette, it seemed like the Rangers were waiting for Sullivan to become available. During their last coaching search, it was reported that the Rangers wanted Sullivan and had to settle for Laviolette. It’s safe to assume the Rangers will do whatever it takes to bring him in.
As for the Penguins, it’s unknown who they will be looking for to replace Sullivan behind the bench. However, the one thing Kyle Dubas and company should look for is someone who can lead the team despite lots of roster turnover. With the Penguins in a rebuild, there are going to be lots of guys coming in and out of the locker room and lineup. Pittsburgh’s new coach must keep the team focused on the play on the ice and ignore outside distractions. This is essential if the Penguins want to be Cup contenders again soon.
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