The New York Rangers have entered the early stages of their coaching search following the dismissal of Peter Laviolette, and one notable—though unlikely—name has surfaced: Pittsburgh Penguins head coach . According to USA Today’s Vince Mercogliano, Rangers GM Chris Drury has his eye on him, despite the coach still being under contract. “The top name on Drury’s list is Mike Sullivan, who technically isn’t available,” Mercogliano said. “He’s the two-time Stanley Cup-winning coach with the Penguins.” While Drury is open to hiring someone without prior head coaching experience, he reportedly favors a veteran presence behind the bench.
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Sullivan, who still has two years left on his deal with Pittsburgh, made his stance clear during the Penguins’ end-of-season media session. “My intentions are to continue as head coach,” he said succinctly. Although that statement came before Laviolette’s firing, it appeared to signal no immediate interest in leaving. Still, Mercogliano noted the Rangers haven’t completely ruled out the possibility of trying to acquire Sullivan. “I’ve heard there may be a sliver of opportunity there,” he said, adding that the organization is watching to see if there’s any potential opening.
Sullivan has led the Penguins since 2015 and has a longstanding connection with Drury through their involvement with USA Hockey. Despite the Rangers’ interest, the prevailing belief is that Sullivan remains committed to Pittsburgh. “He’s told me twice this season that he has no plans to leave the Penguins,” The Athletic’s Josh Yohe wrote. “His loyalty to the franchise runs deep.”
The Rangers failed to make the playoffs for the first time in four seasons, finishing 39-36-7, while the Penguins also missed the postseason, ending with a 34-36-12 record.
