After three consecutive NHL seasons without a playoffs berth, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Mike Sullivan reached a mutual agreement to end their ten-year connection. However, apparently it won’t take long for Sullivan to be back in charge of a team, as reports indicate the 57-year-old coach is closing in on a historic contract with an Original Six franchise.
Sullivan made an immediate impact in the Pens’ organization. After being called up from the AHL to coach the NHL side during the 2015-2016 season, Sullivan led Sidney Crosby and company to a Stanley Cup, only to secure a repeat the following season.
However, the past few years haven’t been as kind to either Sullivan or the Penguins. While many argue that the coach’s tenure was unnecessarily prolonged, it ultimately came to an end after the Penguins missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive season.
What was once seen as an inseparable bond between the coach and the organization has now faded, with both sides embarking on different paths. While Pittsburgh explores its options to find a successor to the two-time Stanley Cup champion, Sullivan is reportedly on the verge of a new chapter, not far from the Penguins, where he’s likely to face them frequently next season.
Moreover, Sullivan is expected to put pen to paper on one of the most lucrative coaching deals in NHL history as he will reportedly become the new head coach for one of the league’s biggest franchises: the New York Rangers.
According to reports from ESPN’s Emily Kaplan and Kevin Weekes, Sullivan is expected to sign one of the richest coaching contracts in NHL history. Front Office Sports reports that Sullivan earned $5.5 million annually with the Penguins, being the highest-paid coach in the league. The Broadway Blueshirts are likely to offer the two-time Stanley Cup champion coach a deal in that range, or potentially even higher.
Into the concrete jungle
Sullivan’s arrival in New York City would spark an immediate morale boost for a locker room that’s coming off a dramatic and turbulent NHL season during which they witnessed their captain and head coach’s departure.
It’s clear the Rangers are embracing a rebuild in their leadership structure, and the front office considers Sullivan the best fit to right the ship ahead of a crucial 2025-26 NHL campaign.
Potential assistant coach
Fittingly enough, former Philadelphia Flyers head coach John Tortorella is reportedly joining Sullivan’s staff as an assistant coach in New York City. The Tortorella-Sullivan duo previously spent many years together in Manhattan, when Torts was the head coach from 2009 until 2013, with Sullivan on his staff.
Curiously enough, the duo had previously coached J.T. Miller and Chris Kreider, both of whom are still part of the Rangers’ lineup. Additionally, Sullivan and Tortorella had also coached Chris Drury, who is now the General Manager in The Big Apple, and is expected to return the favor by signing the duo to work behind the bench at Madison Square Garden.
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Meanwhile, back in Pittsburgh, assistant coach David Quinn is reportedly gaining force to succeed Sullivan and be named the franchise’s 23rd head coach, according to Emily Kaplan and Kevin Weekes.