By: Neil Simmons | Follow me on Twitter / X: @NSimmz
The NHL offseason coaching carousel kicked into overdrive on Tuesday morning when the Pittsburgh Penguins announced they would be parting ways with longtime head coach Mike Sullivan after nine and a half seasons. Sullivan, who coached the Penguins to 409 wins and two Stanley Cups, immediately became the top name on a loaded market and has plenty of eager suitors.
Per Pierre LeBrun, five teams, including the Boston Bruins, had contacted Sullivan’s camp less than 24 hours after the news broke to gauge interest in their coaching vacancies. The Bruins and the New York Rangers have been reported to have separated themselves as early favorites to hire Sullivan, and want to do so quickly.
The two Original Six franchises are in similar positions and could end up with comparable sales pitches to Sullivan. Both teams are coming off disappointing seasons in which they missed the playoffs after entering the year with Stanley Cup aspirations. Both teams have established rosters with playoff experience and core pieces at all three levels to jumpstart a quick turnaround. Both teams could lean on familiarity with the organization, as Sullivan has coaching experience with each. Both can point to the allure of winning in an Original Six market.
But looking beyond the sales pitch, what are the pros and cons of either team that could set them apart from the other?
Bruins
PROS: With Pastrnak, McAvoy, and Swayman all locked up long term, the Bruins have the foundation of a playoff team for Sullivan to build around. The defense pairings and goaltenders are mostly set, save for a signing or two. The forwards, after the top line, are a blank canvas, and with $28m in cap space this summer, Sullivan would have plenty of opportunity to assemble a group with the speed and scoring punch he wants to play with, and Boston sorely lacked all season.
Couple that with an existing lineup among the youngest in the league, a few prospects in Providence primed to contend for full-time roles, and another top prospect on the way through the upcoming draft. Sullivan would be given plenty of runway to lead the new era of Bruins hockey back into Stanley Cup contention.
CONS: Would Sullivan sign up for a project over a sure thing? The Bruins’ current lineup isn’t overly inspiring, and work will be needed to mold it into a group that can generate offense more consistently. Pastrnak carried the entire forward core on his back, finishing with 49 more points than the closest Bruin.
They didn’t get much help from the blueline either, with the cumulative 130 points from defensemen finishing tied for last in the league. Their top three defensemen are tied up through 2030, and Mason Lohrei is up for a deal this summer; there isn’t as much flexibility on the blueline that Sullivan may want.
Also, let’s be honest, Swayman isn’t Shesterkin. His first season as a full-time starting goaltender left much to be desired, especially after he showed he could reach that level in last year’s playoffs. Shesterkin’s body of work as the undisputed starter in New York, regular season and playoffs, is a step above what Swayman has shown to this point in his career, and he has the hardware to prove it.
Rangers
PROS: The Rangers are a veteran team built to win now. Panarin, Fox, and Shesterkin are a trio comparable to Boston’s, if not better. New York has the offensive depth behind their stars to round out a more complete team, with five 50+ point scorers this past season and one of the best puck-moving defensemen in the league. Sullivan will be familiar with Fox, Kreider, Trochek, and J.T. Miller from their time together on Team USA in the 4Nations Faceoff. The Rangers also offer young forwards like Alexis Lafreniere and Gabe Perreault, who could tap into their full potential with a system that emphasizes speed and creativity.
New York can point to a recent record of playoff success that Boston doesn’t have. The Rangers have made the Eastern Conference Finals in two of the past three seasons, while the Bruins haven’t escaped the second round since 2019. Should the Rangers land Sullivan, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they were to rebound back to being more like the team that won a franchise record 55 games and the President’s Trophy in 2024 than this past season.
CONS: New York is a team built to win now, and that means now. Most of their top forwards are over 30 and under contract for at least the next two years, with Zibanejad, Kreider, Miller, and Trocheck all seeing scoring regression this past season compared to 2023-24. Artemi Panarin, their most dynamic and prolific forward, will be up for a new contract next summer at age 34. Their Cup contention window with this core is shrinking by the year.
Roster flexibility beyond their top guys will be a concern; The Rangers are entering the summer with less than $10m in cap space, and key RFAs like K’Andre Miller and Will Cuylle are due for new deals. Shesterkin’s impending record-setting contract will lock him down for eight years, but at $11.5m AAV, it will also handcuff the team’s ability to supplement the roster with players that fit Sullivan’s style of play.
How much leash would Rangers management give Sullivan if he can’t get this team over the hump before the rebuild sets in? Would Sullivan want to stick around for a rebuild?
To Sum It All Up
The New York Rangers present Sullivan as a ready-made team with a better chance of immediately contending for the Stanley Cup. The Bruins offer Sullivan a greater opportunity to build the team that fits his system, but returning to Cup contention will likely take longer.
The off-ice factors in Boston’s favor cannot be ignored, either. Sullivan’s local connections could be the Bruins’ trump card in convincing him to come back for a second go-around as their head coach, but time will tell how effective it will be.
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