Rangers get their man, hire 2-time Stanley Cup winner Mike Sullivan as coach
What seemed inevitable once Mike Sullivan parted ways with the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier in the week became official Friday morning. The New York Rangers hired Sullivan to be the 38th coach in franchise history, replacing the fired Peter Laviolette.
Chris Drury has coveted the two-time Stanley Cup-winning coach ever since he was named general manager in May 2021. Drury pursued Sullivan before hiring Gerard Gallant in 2021 and Laviolette in 2023. Each time, Sullivan remained coach of the Penguins.
Now Drury, and the Rangers, have their man, after a tumultuous 2024-25 season that was among the most disappointing in franchise history. The Rangers became just the fourth team in NHL history to go from winning the Presidents’ Trophy one season to missing the NHL playoffs the next.
“Mike Sullivan has established himself as one of the premier head coaches in the NHL,” Drury said in a statement. “Given his numerous accomplishments throughout his coaching career – including two Stanley Cups and leading Team USA at the international level – Mike brings a championship-level presence behind the bench.
“I’ve gotten to know Mike very well over the years, including as teammates in the 1997 World Championships, when he coached me as a player in New York and through our shared time working together with USA Hockey. As we began this process and Mike became an available option for us to speak with, it was immediately clear that he was the best coach to lead our team.”
Known for being a big personality with an ability to communicate well up and down the organization and roster, Sullivan returns to the Rangers, for whom he was an assistant under John Tortorella from 2009-13. He was behind the bench for Drury’s final two NHL seasons with the Rangers, when the current GM was then their captain.
“I would like to welcome Mike back to the Rangers organization,” Rangers owner James Dolan said. “Mike’s track record and success in the NHL and internationally speaks for itself, and I look forward to seeing him behind the Rangers bench.”
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan was first to report that the Rangers were “in advanced talks” to hire Sullivan on Thursday night. She added that “It is expected to be one of the richest coaching contracts in NHL history.”
The Rangers didn’t reveal contract particulars. Sullivan reportedly made $5.5 annually on his most recent contract with the Penguins.
Kaplan also reported that there was a chance Tortorella would return as Sullivan’s assistant behind the Rangers bench, in a role reversal. However, there’s no word yet from the Rangers nor Sullivan about Tortorella’s return to New York nor the makeup of the new staff.
Associate coach Phil Housley was fired last weekend along with Laviolette. However, assistants Michael Peca and Dan Muse were not dismissed and could be in the mix to remain. Kaplan stated that former Rangers coach David Quinn, a Sullivan assistant this season with the Penguins, will not return to New York.
Related: From 1926 To Present Day, The Complete New York Rangers Coach History
Mike Sullivan brings strong resume, championship pedigree to Rangers
Sullivan spent the previous 10 seasons with the Penguins and guided them to Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017, his first two seasons behind their bench. The 57-year-old is the coaching wins leader in Penguins history with a record of 409-255-89, and the 14th coach in NHL history to win 400 games with one team.
He also coached the Boston Bruins from 2003-06, and his 479 wins are 32nd in NHL history.
Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang are unabashed fans of Sullivan; and part of his success in Pittsburgh derived from building a solid relationship with Crosby.
However, the Penguins missed the playoffs for the third straight season in 2024-25, and their 80 points were the fewest in any full season since Crosby’s rookie year in 2005-06. Like the Rangers, the Penguins were at or near the bottom of the League in most defensive metrics this season.
This past February, Sullivan coached the United States to a second-place finish at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Tortorella was one of his assistants and Drury was assistant GM for Team USA. Sullivan coached current Rangers J.T. Miller, Adam Fox, Vincent Trocheck and Chris Kreider at the tournament. He had previously coached Miller and Kreider earlier in their careers with the Rangers.
Sullivan is the U.S. men’s hockey coach for the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics, as well. That means he’ll have a lot on his plate next season, starting with helping turn the dysfunctional Rangers around and getting them back on track as a Stanley Cup contender.
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