NHL Rumors: Sidney Crosby’s Penguins take firm step towards finding Mike Sullivan’s replacement in Pittsburgh

Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins are heading into a new era after parting ways with two-time Stanley Cup champion Mike Sullivan ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season. Amid growing uncertainty, recent reports suggest the Pens may be nearing an announcement on the crucial head coaching vacancy.

The Penguins and Sullivan mutually agreed it was best to close their chapter in Pittsburgh after ten years, snapping the second-longest active head coaching tenure in the NHL.

After back-to-back Stanley Cups in Sullivan’s first years in Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017, the Penguins failed to repeat their success throughout the next seasons, eventually missing out the playoffs in their last three seasons.

Now, Crosby and the Pens embark into a new era: for the first time in ten seasons Sullivan won’t stand behind the bench at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, with an ongoing coaching search taking place in the City of Bridges. Reports state the Penguins might have found their candidate.

Head coach Mike Sullivan of Team USA handles the bench during the first period against Team Finland in the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off at Bell Centre on February 13, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

“Per sources, the Penguins have spoken with DJ Smith about their HC vacancy,” NHL Network’s insider David Pagnotta reported about the pending coaching decision. Smith previously head coached the Ottawa Senators in the 2023-24 campaign and was an associate coach for the Los Angeles Kings last season.

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Another candidate

While Smith is one of the biggest candidates to succeed Sullivan, Pagnotta noted there’s another potential name in the mix, and it’s one that has been gaining traction recently.

Pagnotta reported that the Penguins have current assistant coach for the Washington Capitals, Mitch Love, on their radar as well. Love has become a strong candidate in the coaching carousel following the Caps’ impressive campaign during the 2024-25 NHL season.

Captain Canada

While Crosby eagerly awaits a final decision on who will coach him and the Penguins next season, he is currently leading Hockey Canada in the 2025 IIHF World Championship, in hopes of his second gold medal in the tournament, and first since his conquest in 2015.