The Pittsburgh Penguins have parted ways with coach Mike Sullivan, marking the end of an era for the team. Here’s a look at Sullivan’s tenure:
Sullivan began his journey with the Penguins in June 2015, taking over as head coach after replacing Mike Johnston. He led the team to its fourth Stanley Cup championship in 2016.
In December 2017, Sullivan became the first team in the NHL’s salary cap era to win back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2017. However, his team’s hopes for a three-peat were dashed in the second round of the playoffs against the Washington Capitals in 2018.
Sullivan signed a four-year contract extension with the Penguins in July 2019 and became a three-time Stanley Cup finalist. Despite this, he struggled to lead the team to sustained success, facing early postseason exits in 2020 and 2021.
In May 2022, Sullivan’s team was eliminated from the playoffs in Game 7 of a first-round series against the New York Rangers. He signed another contract extension with the Penguins in August 2022 but couldn’t reverse the trend.
The final straw came on April 11, 2023, when the Penguins were eliminated from playoff contention after needing a win against the Chicago Blackhawks to qualify for the playoffs. The team then struggled again in the 2024-25 season before being formally eliminated with nearly two weeks remaining on the schedule.
Sullivan’s tenure ended with his firing on April 28, 2025.
Source: https://triblive.com/sports/a-timeline-for-mike-sullivans-tenure-with-the-pittsburgh-penguins