Why Mike Sullivan And The Penguins Parted Ways Leading To Rangers Hire

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 haven’t even won a playoff round since 2018. 

While Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas didn’t necessarily feel that the recent lack of success was Sullivan’s 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. 

“He and I met last Tuesday — just about where we’re at, where we’re going, the road that we see to get there, the challenges that lie ahead,” Dubas said in April. “In 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.

“Use whatever analogy you want: Sometimes the class needs a new professor; sometimes the professor needs a new class.”

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.

“There were times throughout the year that I thought it just may be time,” Dubas said of Sullivan. “It’s a lot to ask of somebody, when they’ve 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 don’t know that there’s an NHL coach that’s done that.”

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.