Ex-Penguins coach Mike Sullivan hired by Rangers
Former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan has been hired by the New York Rangers in the same capacity.
The Rangers announced Sullivan’s appointment on Friday. He becomes the 38th coach in that franchise’s history.
Terms of his contract were not announced but it is believed to be one of the most lucrative in the history of the NHL for a coach.
Sullivan previously served as an assistant coach with the Rangers over four seasons between 2009 and 2013. As a player, Sullivan was selected by the Rangers in the fourth round (No. 69) of the 1987 NHL Draft but never suited up for that team.
On Monday, the Penguins announced they had parted ways with the 57-year-old Sullivan in a decision that appeared to be initiated by president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas. Sullivan had two years remaining on his contract with the Penguins.
The most successful coach in Penguins history by seemingly any measure, Sullivan directed the franchise to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017. Additionally, he is the Penguins’ winningest coach with a record of 409-255-89 over parts of 10 seasons.
Sullivan’s departure from the Penguins came on the heels of the team missing the postseason for the third consecutive year.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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