Mike Sullivan and the Pittsburgh Penguins agree to part ways
Mike Sullivan and the Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to part ways, the team announced on Monday morning, ending his tenure as the Penguins' coach after nine seasons.
The Penguins just wrapped up their 2024-25 campaign with a 34-36-12 record, missing the playoffs for a third straight season.
"On behalf of Fenway Sports Group and the Penguins organization, I would like to thank Mike Sullivan for his unwavering commitment and loyalty to the team and City of Pittsburgh over the past decade," said Kyle Dubas, the Penguins' president of hockey operations and general manager.
"Mike is known for his preparation, focus and fierce competitiveness. I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons. I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons."
In a press conference after the announcement, Dubas noted that Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was briefed about the coaching change and was not in favor of the decision to move on from Sullivan, but Dubas said Crosby is a professional who has experienced coaching changes.
Dubas added that the search for a new head coach will begin immediately, saying the team will hold virtual interviews over the next month. In-person interviews will be held in May and June, and the expectation is to have a new head coach by June.
Mike Sullivan's success in Pittsburgh
After several years of coming up short in the NHL playoffs, the Penguins turned to Sullivan in December of 2015. He was the head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins prior to his elevation to the NHL. The Penguins ended up winning back-to-back Stanley Cups under his leadership in 2016 and 2017.
They became the first team to win consecutive Stanley Cup championships since the 1997-98 Detroit Red Wings.
Sullivan won 409 games with the black and gold, becoming the all-time wins leader for coaches in Penguins' history, and the 14th coach in NHL history to win 400 games with one team.
