The Mike Sullivan quality that left strong impression on Henrik Lundqvist

Mike Sullivan has surely grown and changed over the 12 seasons since he last stood behind the Rangers bench as an assistant coach on John Tortorella’s staff. 

The impression left from that stint, though, left Henrik Lundqvist with a strong impression for Sullivan’s turn into the Broadway spotlight. 

“I loved playing for Sully,” the Hall of Fame netminder told The Post at BTIG’s Charity Day on Tuesday, where he was promoting the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation. “He was great. Clear messages. 

“Obviously it’s very different to be an assistant coach vs. a head coach. I never had him as a head coach, but back then, I thought there was such a great tandem of Torts and Sully. We had a lot of success. As a person, I really enjoyed having him around. I think it’s a great hire.” 

After Sullivan and the Penguins parted ways, it looked like a foregone conclusion that Rangers general manager Chris Drury — who had long had his eye on Sullivan — would go hard after the two-time Cup winner.

Indeed, Sullivan was announced as the newest Rangers head coach shortly thereafter, with Drury finally netting his fellow Boston University alumnus. 

Rangers new head coach Mike Sullivan speaks when the team welcomed him at a press conference on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

With the Rangers coming off a disastrous 2024-25 season in which they missed the playoffs and the team looked disengaged throughout, Sullivan will need to reinstall a winning culture around a group that may see some major changes this offseason. 

“I think anytime you have a new coach come in, they always want to establish their style, their mentality a little bit,” Lundqvist said. “Obviously you take into consideration the team and the organization’s culture, but as a coach, you want to establish your own thing. We’ll see how it plays out, but I do think he has all the qualities; you look at what he’s done in Pittsburgh now for so many years. Players respect him.” 

With the Rangers coming off a disastrous 2024-25 season in which they missed the playoffs and the team looked disengaged throughout, Sullivan will need to reinstall a winning culture around a group that may see some major changes this offseason. 

“I think anytime you have a new coach come in, they always want to establish their style, their mentality a little bit,” Lundqvist said. “Obviously you take into consideration the team and the organization’s culture, but as a coach, you want to establish your own thing. We’ll see how it plays out, but I do think he has all the qualities; you look at what he’s done in Pittsburgh now for so many years. Players respect him.” 

Henrik Lundqvist speaks onstage during Warner Bros. Discovery’s 2025 Upfront Presentation at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on May 14, 2025

“So now all the focus is on what can I do to get better as a player? It’s three things: technical, physical, mental. Everybody has work to do and it doesn’t change if you win or not. I think sometimes you go into a summer where you’re a little more motivated to do a little bit extra. 

“Maybe this is one of those summers.”