Penguins Sign Sullivan to Three-Year Extension

The Penguins have signed head coach Mike Sullivan to a three-year extension, the team announced today. If all goes according to plan, the new contract will run though the 2026-27 season.

His record certainly speaks for itself. Since inheriting a talented but moribund team from Mike Johnston on December 12, 2015, Sullivan’s guided the Pens to a sterling mark of 297-156-54. Two Stanley Cups. Seven consecutive postseason appearances.

The all-time winningest coach in franchise history.

“Mike is one of the top coaches in the National Hockey League, and it was important for us to have him signed long term,” said GM Ron Hextall. “He is a great leader that finds success through communication, honesty, and accountability. We know that Sully is committed to continuing a winning culture here in Pittsburgh.”

“This is a wonderful day for the entire organization with Mike committing to remain as head coach for the long term with the Penguins,” added Fenway Sports Group Principal Owner John Henry. “He has clearly demonstrated what an effective leader he is, and it’s evident how well players respond to his philosophy and work ethic night after night, month after month.”

At the risk of speaking (writing) with a forked tongue, for the most part I agree with those glowing assessments. Intelligent and well-spoken, Sullivan’s regarded as both an excellent communicator and teacher. He’s a rare breed of coach…one who successfully blends the touch of a player’s coach with an underpinning of discipline and accountability.

Passionate, too.

Perhaps most important, he’s a quality human being. I’ve never heard him rip individual players in interviews when things go sour, and he’s quick to praise and deflect credit to his charges when things go well.

My rub? Sometimes I think he’s a little too wedded to his type of player (small and speedy) and system. Along those lines, he seems loathe to make adjustments at times.

From a personal (and personnel) standpoint, I’ve long felt the Pens could benefit from adding a dash of snarl and muscle to the mix.

I’ll go back in time to the 2017-18 version of the black-and-gold, a team that IMHO boasted a near perfect blend of skill and physicality. With the likes of Ryan Reaves, Jamie Oleksiak and Ian Cole on hand to provide some grind, protection and push back, the Pens were ripping along at a 16-4-1 clip.

Then came the ill-fated Derick Brassard trade. Out the door went Reaves and Cole, neither known to be Sully favorites. While our coach certainly didn’t engineer the trade, it isn’t a stretch to imagine he endorsed it.

To my eye, we haven’t had the right blend of talent and brawn since. Nor are we likely to so long as Sullivan, no lover of heavy hockey or heavyweights, is our coach.

Again, that’s my personal preference talking. While I can’t give the extension an unqualified endorsement, the Pens could do way worse than Sullivan as their coach. And not a whole lot better.