Mike Sullivan takes over as coach of the New York Rangers with several clear priorities after a disappointing season for the team, which failed to qualify for the playoffs after winning the Presidents’ Trophy.
Communication will be key in your management.
I have spoken with all the players on the team in the last three days. I think there is a lot of leadership in that locker room. There is a lot of character in that locker room.
Mike Sullivan
Sullivan, the 38th coach in franchise history and the fifth since 2018, joined the team on May 2, after leaving the Pittsburgh Penguins, where he won the Stanley Cup twice.
He replaces Peter Laviolette, who was fired on April 19 after the team’s collapse, which lost 29 points and failed to qualify for the postseason despite the talent on the roster. Sullivan will have to revitalize the power play, which fell to 28th in the league in the 2024-25 season, and help improve the defense in front of star goaltender Igor Shesterkin, who is coming off his worst season in the NHL.
Sullivan was an assistant for the Rangers for four seasons under coach John Tortorella from 2009 to 2013. He also coached current Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury during that time. Both worked together at USA Hockey in the 4 Nations Face-Off last February and will be part of the U.S. contingent for the 2026 Milan Olympics.
Sullivan will have top scorers Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, and Adam Fox on his team, after years of guiding Penguins stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang in Pittsburgh, where he won the Cup in 2016 and 2017.
I have developed a lot of respect over the years for the talent the Rangers have. I hope to have the opportunity to get to know these guys on a more personal level. I hope to have the opportunity to work with them, both on and off the ice, to try to become the most competitive team we can be.
Mike Sullivan
Another important aspect for Sullivan, 57, is how he will manage the younger Rangers players, such as Brennan Othmann, 22, and Gabe Perreault, 20, a first-round pick in 2023 who briefly joined the team at the end of last season.
Part of the training or the art of training, I suppose, is trying to figure out what the daily recipe is that’s best for the player. Sometimes it’s time in the American League as a young player, sometimes it’s time in the National League depending on the type of minutes that player can play. What I will tell you is that I think it’s important that each player earns their opportunities, that no one is entitled to an opportunity.
Mike Sullivan
Drury joined Sullivan on Thursday, who received a contract extension last month. The two previous coaches hired by Drury, Laviolette and Gerard Gallant, each lasted two seasons. The 48-year-old executive expressed his enthusiasm for the addition of Sullivan, the only U.S.-born coach with multiple Stanley Cup wins.
As soon as Mike was available, we pursued him quickly and aggressively. We are certainly thrilled that that pursuit has led us to this moment. There is a lot of work to be done.
Chris Drury
