It’s not often that NHL head coaches reach ten years with one organization. The shelf life for a head coach has grown increasingly shorter no matter how good the coach is, as exemplified by the abrupt firings of Bruce Cassidy and Barry Trotz this summer. The Pittsburgh Penguins proved that they are an outlier in that area by extending head coach Mike Sullivan’s contract through the 2026.27 season.
Sullivan immediately impacted the Penguins upon stepping into his current role in 2015, winning back to back Stanley Cups and beginning his Penguins coaching career with nine straight postseason series victories. Before being supplanted by the Tampa Bay Lightning, it was the most dominant stretch of hockey in the salary cap era.
While Sullivan has earned countless accolades, such as most regular season and postseason wins in Penguins history, he still thrives for that sixth Stanley Cup victory just like his Hall of Fame core.
This extension is a clear sign from Fenway Sports Group that Sullivan is the man the trust to lead this team throughout the final years of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin’s careers.
The guys also discuss the Penguins reported interest in a reunion with forward Evan Rodrigues. While he would be a welcomed return to the lineup, the team would have to do some financial juggling to fit his contract under the salary cap. Tune In!
