The New York Rangers’ top target for their vacant head coach job might have just been put on the market, as the Pittsburgh Penguins parted ways with Mike Sullivan on Monday morning.
The 57-year-old spent the last decade in Pittsburgh, winning two Stanley Cups in a row in 2016 and 2017.
“Mike is known for his preparation, focus, and fierce competitiveness. I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons,” Penguins president and GM Kyle Dubas said. “He will forever be an enormous part of Penguins history, not only for the impressive back-to-back Cups, his impact on the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Bryan Rust, but more importantly, for his love and loyalty to the organization. This was not a decision that was taken lightly, but as we continue to navigate the Penguins through this transitional period, we felt it was the best course forward for all involved.”
Sullivan’s 409 wins with the Penguins are a franchise record, and it made him just the 14th coach in NHL history to win 400 games with one team.
He will be the top head coach on the market, and a heavy pursuit is expected to come from the Rangers, who fired head coach Peter Laviolette after just two seasons.
General manager Chris Drury closely monitored Sullivan’s potential availability in 2021 in hopes of bringing him to New York. When it became clear he was staying in Pittsburgh, he pivoted to Gerard Gallant.
Both Drury and his bosses will hope to find some continuity behind the bench in their next hire, whether that be Sullivan or not. The franchise has fired three head coaches in the last five seasons despite making two Eastern Conference Finals during that span.
After making one of those conference finals in 2024 while winning the Presidents’ Trophy, the Rangers nosedived in 2024-25, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020-21.
