Expectations Being Set Extremely High for Mike Sullivan in New York: Can He Pull it Off?

Both the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers made major changes in leadership following another disappointing year, as both teams moved on from their head coaches.

The Rangers fired coach Peter Laviolette, while the Penguins fired coach Mike Sullivan. Ironically, Sullivan was soon hired by the Rangers and GM Chris Drury as the official replacement for Laviolette, while former Rangers assistant Dan Muse was hired in Pittsburgh as Sullivan's replacement.

The Rangers were only a year removed from winning the President's Trophy as the best team in the regular season, and eventually advanced to the ECF against the Florida Panthers, losing in 6 games.

Sullivan comes to New York having previously led the Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017 and is facing understandable pressure to deliver.

Former Rangers head coach Emile Francis holds several franchise coaching records, which Sullivan has a chance to break if things work out for him and if he sticks around long enough.

Sullivan, who has already won 47 playoff games as a head coach, will need to reach 35 wins as Rangers coach to overtake Francis in the Rangers' record books.

Francis also won 342 games as Rangers head coach; Sullivan has already had 479 wins during his coaching career with multiple teams, and could eventually challenge that record if he were to remain in New York long enough.