The New York Rangers on Friday hired Mike Sullivan as their new head coach following his latest parting of the way with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Even earlier than the hiring, many analysts appeared to be in lockstep that the previous Rangers assistant is a perfect rent for a workforce seeking to rebound from an terrible marketing campaign. Nonetheless, is Sullivan actually a slam-dunk alternative?
Sullivan has been an unequivocal success as a head coach, with a pair of Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017 in addition to division titles with the Penguins and with Boston again in 2004. However these successes usually are not precisely latest. The lately fired Peter Laviolette has a Stanley Cup, three Finals losses and 5 division titles to his title. These baubles didn’t actually assist him a lot this previous season, did they?
The 57-year-old Sullivan doesn’t have a complete lot of latest success to lean on, both. His Penguins have did not make the Stanley Cup playoffs up to now three seasons — their final playoff look was a first-round loss to the Rangers after main the sequence 3-1 — ending seventh within the Metro division this previous season.
The truth is, Sullivan has only a single playoff sequence win since hoisting the chalice. It was a first-round win in 2018, the season after his final Stanley Cup win. For these not of a mathematical inclination, which means Sullivan has zero playoff sequence wins up to now seven seasons.
Regardless of boasting a roster with first-ballot Corridor of Famers in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, in addition to some significantly high-end supporting expertise together with Jake Guentzel, Phil Kessel, Bryan Rust, Erik Karlsson and Brian Dumoulin, Sullivan has confirmed unable to craft a bunch that would constantly problem the perfect within the NHL. Sure, it’s truthful to place a few of that on former Penguins basic supervisor Jim Rutherford and people who have adopted his tenure within the huge chair, however Sullivan actually hasn’t overachieved.
The truth is, it could be argued that even his cup victories might largely be attributed to the work executed by Dan Bylsma, who molded the Penguins’ gifted core right into a championship-level roster earlier than being let go in 2014.
The Rangers have a raft of children very important to their current and future in Will Cuylle, Alexis Lafreniere, Braden Schneider, Brett Berard, Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault. Does Sullivan boast any vital observe file of turning kids oozing with potential into stars? Sure, Guentzel instantly involves thoughts, however is there anyone else? Rust may qualify. Matt Murray, maybe? It’s not an amazing roll name.
GM Chris Drury was a participant with the Rangers when Sullivan was an assistant over 15 years in the past. The 2 actually have an ideal relationship, which is not any unhealthy factor. However is that this one other play-it-safe rent?
If Drury will get this teaching rent incorrect, he certainly received’t get one other one. In that mild, it’s comprehensible that he checked out Sullivan as a trusted, regular hand. However did he miss the forest for the timber?
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