Mike Sullivan Debuts with Rangers in Loss to Penguins
New York – Mike Sullivan, after ten successful seasons at the helm of the Pittsburgh Penguins, debuted as coach of the New York Rangers in a match marked by defeat against his former team. Sullivan, who led the Penguins to two Stanley Cup championships, faced an unusual situation as he saw figures like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang, players he coached in Pittsburgh, now as rivals.The Rangers failed to score, being outplayed by goalie Arturs Silovs, who made 22 saves. Justin Brazeau of the Penguins stood out with two goals. Sullivan’s team had offensive difficulties, being outshot 15-5 in the third period.“Obviously it’s different. I knew it would be like that,” Sullivan commented after Pittsburgh’s 3-0 victory in the first game of the 2025-26 NHL season. “But I’m excited about the group we have here in the Rangers. I’m really looking forward to working with this team.”
Mike Sullivan
Sullivan and the Penguins ended their relationship in April, despite having a contract through the 2026-27 season. During his time with Pittsburgh, Sullivan accumulated 409 victories, being the fourteenth coach in NHL history to reach 400 wins with the same team. He was hired by the Rangers to replace Peter Laviolette, signing a five-year contract that made him the highest-paid coach in the NHL. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby admitted it was strange to face Sullivan on the opposing bench. In addition to Sullivan, the Rangers had the presence of former Penguins assistants David Quinn and Ty Hennes. On the other hand, Dan Muse, the new coach of the Penguins, achieved a victory against his former team, where he was an assistant to Laviolette in New York.“I think we have a long way to go to become the team we want to be. I’m not going to overreact. It’s just one game. We have a lot of hockey to play,” added Sullivan, who will also coach the United States team in the ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Mike Sullivan
The game was highlighted by the presence of Crosby, Malkin, and Letang in Pittsburgh’s starting lineup, three players who have been teammates since 2007.“Every team will tell you, especially early in the season, that it’s not going to be perfect. You’re just trying to be on the same page as much as possible. And I feel like it prepared us well to start the year,” Crosby commented.
Sidney Crosby
“We had three players who have been playing together for 20 years, and I thought it was important that they started the game together”, Muse said.
Dan Muse
