People in New York want Mike Sullivan to coach the Rangers next season, they’re not going to get him
The Rangers fired Peter Laviolette today. It was an expected move for the Blueshirts after missing the playoffs this season.
Why is that relevant in a Pittsburgh Penguins website?
Because if you liked the New York area media-driven “maybe Mike Sullivan will coach the Devils” last year, you’re going to love the New York media-driven “maybe Mike Sullivan will coach the Rangers” this year!
The main offender of this, as usual, will be the New York Post.
Rangers coaching candidates: Mike Sullivan an intriguing option as search for Peter Laviolette’s replacement starts https://t.co/56WNZBoLjF pic.twitter.com/0Y5AqxwCMN
— New York Post (@nypost) April 19, 2025
The Post’s days of floating “maybe ___ from the Penguins will go to New York” off-season dreaming stretches all the way back to wishful thinking that Mario Lemieux would join NYR as a player in the early 2000’s. That, of course, never came close to happening but it didn’t stop the chatter.
Empty chatter is about all this is too. According to Sullivan, he’s going to coach the Penguins next season. He said as much yesterday at breakdown day in Pittsburgh.
Mike Sullivan: “My intentions are to be the head coach moving forward.”
That was in regards to his plans moving forward
— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) April 18, 2025
As a reminder, NHL teams can no longer trade or receive compensation for coaches under contract leaving to join another team. Sullivan is under contract with Pittsburgh until 2026-27. The team has absolutely no reason to not honor that contract, which would be obvious if one knew anything at all about the esteem the organization holds Sullivan in his position.
Thus, the big problem for those in the Big Apple that just want to float an “intriguing option” even if they aren’t in any way what reasonable people would call a “realistic option”. The Pens’ executives and ownership love Sullivan. Sullivan said he intends to stay, nothing else to see here.
Should be an open and shut matter, even though of course “speculation” won’t be ending any time soon. It’s more fun to drum up news and talk about Sullivan and the Rangers until they end up hiring a new coach. It just won’t be Mike Sullivan, unless a lot of people make a complete change of plans.