NEW YORK — Mike Sullivan coached the Pittsburgh Penguins for 10 seasons, main them to 2 Stanley Cup championships. On Tuesday night time at Madison Sq. Backyard, he watched them destroy his debut because the New York Rangers’ newest head coach.
Sullivan admitted it was a peculiar feeling having Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and others he coached in Pittsburgh immediately turn into his opponents.
“I imply, clearly it’s completely different. It’s completely different. I knew that was going to be the case,” he stated after Pittsburgh’s 3-0 victory on the opening night time of the 2025-26 NHL season. “However I’m excited in regards to the group we’ve got right here in entrance of me with the Rangers. I’m wanting ahead to working with this group.”
The Rangers had been shut out by goalie Arturs Silovs (22 saves) and watched ahead Justin Brazeau rating two objectives within the Penguins’ win. They had been outshot 15-5 within the third interval and couldn’t muster something constant offensively in Sullivan’s debut.
“Properly, I feel my first statement is we received a protracted approach to go to turn into the workforce we need to turn into. A few of it I feel we will iron out, however actually we’ve received a methods to go,” stated Sullivan, who will coach Group USA within the 2026 Winter Olympic males’s hockey event in Italy. “I’m not going to overreact to it. It’s one recreation. We’ve received a number of hockey to play,” he stated. “So is it disappointing? Yeah. We’re going to see what we will take from it. We’ve received to maneuver on.”
Sullivan and the Penguins agreed to half methods in April regardless of his being below contract by means of the 2026-27 season. Employed in 2015-16, Sullivan was the franchise’s most profitable coach with 409 wins, solely the 14th coach in NHL historical past to win 400 video games with one workforce. Pittsburgh received back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017 with Sullivan.
Days later, after he left the Penguins, Sullivan was employed by the Rangers to switch coach Peter Laviolette, signing a five-year contract that made him the NHL’s highest-paid coach. Sullivan, 57, had beforehand served as an assistant coach with New York from 2009 to 2013, throughout which period he coached Rangers GM Chris Drury as a participant.
Penguins captain Crosby acknowledged it was a special feeling having Sullivan behind the Rangers’ bench as a substitute of his.
“I simply go on the market and compete, however it’s all the time bizarre that first little bit,” he stated.
For Crosby, it wasn’t simply seeing Sullivan teaching the opponents. Sullivan introduced former Penguins assistants David Quinn and Ty Hennes with him to New York.
Whereas Sullivan took the loss towards his former workforce, new Penguins coach Dan Muse earned a victory towards his. Muse was an assistant coach below Laviolette for 2 seasons in New York and reportedly interviewed for the emptiness earlier than Sullivan was employed. Crosby was glad to get Muse the win.
“Each workforce will inform you, particularly early within the season, it’s not going to be excellent. You’re simply attempting to be on the identical web page as a lot as doable. And I really feel like he ready us effectively to begin the 12 months,” Crosby stated.
Pittsburgh had Crosby, Malkin and Letang in its beginning lineup, three gamers who’ve been on the Penguins workforce collectively since 2007.
“We had three guys which have been taking part in collectively for 20 years, and I believed it was necessary that they get to begin the sport collectively,” Muse stated.
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