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Metropolitan Team Emerges as Potential Landing Spot for Mike Sullivan
With today's news that the New York Rangers fired coach Peter Laviolette, could Rangers general manager Chris Drury try and steal Mike Sullivan from Pittsburgh?
The New York Rangers announced a major change in leadership this afternoon, terminating head coach Peter Laviolette after a disastrous year that resulted in their missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
It also comes just one year after the Rangers not only won the President's Trophy as the top NHL team during the regular season, but also advanced to the Eastern Conference Final, losing in 6 games to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
Now that Rangers GM Chris Drury is officially shopping for a new head coach for his club, could he be eyeballing Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan?
NHL podcaster Pete Blackburn suggested that Sullivan could be an intriguing option for the Rangers:
Mollie Walker of The New York Post wrote earlier today that Sullivan could top the list of candidates that Drury is considering.
If Chris Drury has an opportunity to pry Sullivan away from the Penguins, the expectation is the Rangers president and general manager would do just that.
Sullivan told The Post before the start of last season that he was in Pittsburgh 'for the long haul' and on Friday told reporters his 'intentions are to be the head coach moving forward,' but who knows what could happen amid the Penguins missing the playoffs for a third straight year.
Sullivan told The Post before the start of last season that he was in Pittsburgh 'for the long haul' and on Friday told reporters his 'intentions are to be the head coach moving forward,' but who knows what could happen amid the Penguins missing the playoffs for a third straight year.
Sullivan has faced increasing scrutiny in Pittsburgh after having now missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 3 straight years; he's also under contract with the Penguins through 2027.
Despite their recent lack of success, Sullivan would come with championship pedigree as he led the Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cup wins in 2016 and 2017.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 19 | 243 ANSWERS Metropolitan Team Emerges as Potential Landing Spot for Mike Sullivan Will Mike Sullivan be lured to New York from Pittsburgh to coach the Rangers? | ||
| Yes | 87 | 35.8 % |
| No | 156 | 64.2 % |
| List of polls | ||