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Mika Zibanejad Makes Bold Comments on New Head Coach Mike Sullivan
New York Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad is making some bold comments on the team's most important hire in recent memory, new coach Mike Sullivan.
The New York Rangers failed to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs only a year after winning the President's Trophy and advancing to the Eastern Conference Final.
Rangers general manager Chris Drury, who is facing increased scrutiny from fans and media, made a significant change in leadership behind the team bench by terminating Peter Laviolette.
In Laviolette's place, Drury hired former Stanley Cup winning head coach Mike Sullivan, who had just been let go by the Pittsburgh Penguins after nearly 10 full years on the job.
Despite leading the Penguins to consecutive Staley Cups earlier in his career, Sullivan and the Penguins have missed the postseason the last 3 years running, leading to the change being made by Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas.
Sullivan's hire has the full endorsement of Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad, who is playing for Sweden in the 2025 IIHF World Championship.
Obviously excited with a coach like that. He's had a lot of success. I had a quick phone call with him and I'm sure we'll have more calls and more conversations during the summer, obviously getting to know him.
Zibanejad knows that he and his teammates fell well short of expectations this year, and hopes that Sullivan can help them return to the postseason next spring.
At the end of the day, we don't get up to the level of play that we should with this team, and then there's obviously a bit of a turnover midseason as well, a lot moving parts and moving pieces.
Zibanejad underwhelmed with 62 points (20G, 42A) in 82 games, only 2 years removed from a 91 point performance in 2022-23.
| POLL | ||
MAI 24 | 93 ANSWERS Mika Zibanejad Makes Bold Comments on New Head Coach Mike Sullivan Is Mike Sullivan the right coach for the Rangers? | ||
| Yes | 63 | 67.7 % |
| No | 30 | 32.3 % |
| List of polls | ||