Former Penguins Coach Mike Sullivan Makes NHL History After Shocking Rangers Deal Leaks

Soon after being removed from their previous head coach, Peter Laviolette, the New York Rangers wasted no time in signing Mike Sullivan.

Sullivan was recently fired by the Pittsburgh Penguins after a disappointing season, where the team missed the playoffs for a third straight year.

Despite the stat of not making the playoffs for three consecutive years, Sullivan remains very much respected across the NHL.

With his analytical mind and leadership qualities, he was a top choice by nearly every team with a vacancy, and boy, are there ever vacancies, as it seems almost every team that missed the playoffs this season has let go of their coach.

Rangers GM Chris Drury had his eye on Sullivan back in 2021, but couldn't entice him out of Pittsburgh then. This time, Drury made sure not to let his opportunity slip away, going all in to acquire his top guy, and he got him.

Sullivan's new deal is over five years and makes him the highest-paid head coach in NHL history, according to Elliotte Friedman.

His new salary of $6.25M surpasses the previous benchmark, which was his own $5.5 million-per-year deal with Pittsburgh, topping even Lightning coach Jon Cooper's $5.3 million-per-year.

Sullivan's monstrous resume, in the shape of successive Stanley Cups and a decade-long stay in Pittsburgh with the Penguins, is worth investing in.

Whether or not he will take that winning recipe to the Big Apple remains to be seen, but with the return of star-studded firepower and fresh new blood in coaching, the Rangers are taking a big leap of faith with Sullivan.

Will Sullivan lead the Rangers into contention? Or will the team have another miserable year like this one? Only time will tell.