The New York Rangers were able to hire one of the most highly regarded coaches in the NHL this offseason, Mike Sullivan.
Why was Sullivan even available in the first place?
Sullivan coached the Pittsburgh Penguins for 10 seasons and won two Stanley Cups, as most of his tenure was greatly successful.
However, toward the end of his time in Pittsburgh, the Penguins began to struggle.
The Penguins have failed to reach the playoffs over the past three seasons and havenât even won a playoff round since 2018.
While Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas didnât necessarily feel that the recent lack of success was Sullivanâs fault, he felt it was time for both the Penguins to have a fresh face behind the bench and for Sullivan to find a new coaching destination.
âHe and I met last Tuesday â just about where weâre at, where weâre going, the road that we see to get there, the challenges that lie ahead,â Dubas said in April. âIn my mind, and there had been a few stretches during the year where I (felt) this as well ⊠where maybe someone could be a great coach and it was just time for them to go elsewhere.
âUse whatever analogy you want: Sometimes the class needs a new professor; sometimes the professor needs a new class.â
There were rumblings throughout the 2024-25 campaign that the Penguins and Sullivan could part ways, and Dubas admitted he had that possibility in his mind for months before the end of the season.
âThere were times throughout the year that I thought it just may be time,â Dubas said of Sullivan. âItâs a lot to ask of somebody, when theyâve done such a long and successful job here, to be managing that and continue to transition the team, too. Off the top of my head, I donât know that thereâs an NHL coach thatâs done that.â
Longtime NHL Reporter Believes There's One Clear Option For The Rangers' CaptaincyThereâs one player whoâs beginning to gain momentum for the New York Rangers' captaincy.
Shortly after parting ways with the Penguins, Sullivan signed a five-year, $32 million contract with the Rangers, making him the highest-paid coach in NHL history.
Meanwhile, the Penguins hired Dan Muse to replace Sullivan, who served as a Rangers assistant coach for the past two seasons under Peter Laviolette.
Read the full article here
