Evaluating the Penguins’ Top Head Coach Options After Sullivan’s Exit

After a nearly decade-long tenure with the Pittsburgh Penguins, head coach Mike Sullivan has parted ways with the club. The head coach is best known in Pittsburgh for his contributions to the team in the 2015-16, and 2016-17 seasons, where he led the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cups. Over his time with Pittsburgh, Sullivan had a 409-255-89 record in the regular season.

Although Sullivan saw much success with the Penguins, the last few seasons have seen disappointing outcomes. The Penguins have not made the playoffs in three seasons. Their last appearance being a disappointing performance against the New York Islanders, losing in seven games. In addition to their failure to make the playoffs in three seasons, Sullivan’s Penguins have won just one round in the eight seasons. With these lacklustre results, the organization has decided to introduce a new set of eyes in the twilight years of the core Penguins—Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang.

Rick Tocchet: A Blast from the Past

The first candidate that has surfaced for the Penguins is former assistant coach Rick Tocchet. Tocchet served on Sullivan’s coaching staff during the aforementioned back-to-back cup wins. He acted as an important middle-man between Malkin and former linemate Phil Kessel. The pair tended to clash ideologically and benefited from the presence of Tocchet. The bench-boss is a free agent in the coaching market following his decision not renew his contract with the Vancouver Canucks.

Tocchet has built-in familiarity with the core Penguins. Not to mention his recent coaching success makes him an attractive option for the team. He has a Jack Adams award for the top head coach in the league, won in 2024 after coaching the Canucks to a divisional title. However, the Penguins are on the downturn, and Tocchet may not be interested in leading a team heading into a rebuild, as it seems the Canucks recent troubles played into his decision to leave the team.

John Tortorella: A Fiery Veteran with a Tumultuous Resume

John Tortorella is one of the more experienced NHL head coaches available on the market. The coach also boasts a Cup win in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. In addition to this, he has two Jack Adams awards.  Tortorella has amassed a 770-648-37 record over the course of his NHL coaching career, showing a litany of high-level experience with five different NHL clubs.

Tortorella has gained a reputation for being an NHL-level coach with a shelf-life. He’s the type of coach to run his team ragged to ensure his message is instilled in the room. However, his attitude often leads to negative results as well. Tortorella’s latest coaching run is with the Philadelphia Flyers, where he boasts a 97-107-33 record with the rebuilding franchise. Tortorella’s true value lies in his willingness and drive to train the rosters of rebuilding teams. He brings a magnified focus on instilling the right attitude and play style in the teams he coaches. There is certainly a risk he clashes with bigger personalities like Evgeni Malkin. However, his potential impact on the younger side of the roster could be huge for their development.

Peter Laviolette: A Seasoned Strategist with a Winning Resume

Following a disappointing season with the New York Rangers, Laviolette departed from the organization. Over his 23 year career as an NHL head coach, Laviolette has an impressive 846-562-25 record across six NHL teams. As a symptom of his consistency, Laviolette has never won the Jack Adams, although he has been nominated. He also brings Cup-winning experience, winning in 2006 with the Carolina Hurricanes. Additionally, he’s made the Stanley Cup Finals two other times. First with the Flyers in the 2009-10 season, and the Nashville Predators in the 2016-17 season, where he lost in six games to the Sullivan-led Penguins for the cup.

Laviolette would represent a stable option for the team. He takes good rosters and finds ways to achieve regular season success. His most recent tenure with the New York Rangers saw him achieve a 94-59-11 record, along with a President’s Trophy in the 2023-24 season. However, the Rangers failed to qualify for the playoffs this season, with a 39-36-7 record. Laviolette’s unwillingness at times to give chances to younger players may give the Penguins brass pause, as the team is trending closer to the bottom of the league than the top.

A Difficult Decision Lies Ahead

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in a difficult position, facing a pivotal decision on the head coach for the organization. There aren’t many exciting options that fit the situation of the team well. Both Tocchet and Laviolette have far more experience and wiliness to coach teams on the upturn, a far cry from the position Pittsburgh finds itself in. Meanwhile, Tortortella embraces the challenge of coaching rebuilding rosters, but he often expresses frustration when those players fail to develop to his standard.

With a dearth of quality options, General Manager Kyle Dubas will be hard-pressed to find a “perfect” fit for the team. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that the roster itself is in a middle-ground between quality-core pieces supported by the kind of depth a rebuilding team has. The decision on the next coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins will be a big one, and will reflect the direction of the team as a whole going into what may be the final two seasons of Sidney Crosby’s career.