The New York Rangers have announced the hiring of Mike Sullivan as their new head coach, days after he parted ways with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sullivan’s five-year deal is worth an estimated $100 million over the contract period, making him the highest-paid coach in NHL history.
General manager Chris Drury praised Sullivan’s ability to bring a championship-level presence to the bench, stating that he was the best candidate for the position. The move comes after Peter Laviolette was fired following the Rangers’ playoff miss last season.
Sullivan, 57, has coached at various levels, including two Stanley Cup wins with the Penguins in 2016 and ’17. He previously worked as an assistant coach under John Tortorella from 2009-13 and will again join forces with Drury in the coming days.
With Sullivan on board, seven NHL teams are now left without a head coach, including Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Anaheim, Seattle, and Vancouver. Other experienced options, such as Rick Tocchet, Joel Quenneville, and Laviolette, will likely be pursued by these teams.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/44965767/rangers-hire-2-stanley-cup-champion-mike-sullivan-coach