If Not Sullivan, Who Coaches the Penguins?

Amid rumors swirling from the Big Apple that the Rangers covet Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, I only half-jokingly suggested to my esteemed colleague Other Rick that we trade Sullivan to the Rangers for slow-developing former No. 1 overall pick Alexis Lafrenière.

Or better still, swap Sully to the Capitals…also in the market for a coach…for heavyweight power forward and marauder extraordinaire Tom Wilson. Such a deal would accomplish several objectives. It would at long last provide the Pens with a genuine physical presence, remove a coach who places severe constraints on roster construction and foist these restrictions (not to mention an aversion to toughness) upon a blood rival. A win, win, win in my book.

Laugh if you will, but there is a precedent…albeit in baseball. On November 5, 1976, the Pirates traded popular all-star catcher Manny Sanguillen to Oakland for manager Chuck Tanner. For the record, the Buccos would go on to win the World Series in 1979.

Reality check. Although I personally think the Pens could use a fresh voice and approach behind the bench, I don’t think Sullivan’s going anywhere. Not unless the team totally tanks. After all, he signed an extension last summer that carries through the ’26-27 season. Our ownership group, FSG, really seems to like him. Too, our players are familiar with him and know what to expect (which could be part of the problem).

However, for the sake of argument, let’s say we hire a general manager (like current Toronto GM Kyle Dubas) who wants to make a clean start. (For that reason, I’ve excluded current Pens assistants Todd Reirden and Mike Vellucci from consideration, both of whom have head coaching experience.)

Aside from the obvious answer of present Maple Leafs skipper Sheldon Keefe (under contract for the coming season) if FSG hires Dubas, who would we get as coach?

Recycle Bin

I confess, when it comes to identifying rising young stars among the coaching ranks I’m fairly clueless. I’m sure there are worthwhile candidates serving as assistants for other NHL clubs, or perhaps coaching in the minors, juniors or college ranks. However, it might be a considerable stretch to think someone from the lower rungs on the coaching ladder, no matter how bright, would be able to come in and lead a team packed with veterans who are quite accustomed to doing things their own way.

As old adage goes, it’s tough to teach an old dog new tricks…even if they’re good tricks.

Since the Pens would in all likelihood require a seasoned presence behind the bench, I decided to look in the recycle bin.

Although by no means an all-inclusive list, here are a few of the most prominent potential candidates.

Peter Laviolette

In many ways, the 58-year-old Laviolette is a Sully-alike. Both hail from Massachusetts, both possess a fiery demeanor and both preach accountability. In fact, former GM Jim Rutherford mentioned on more than one occasion that Laviolette would’ve been his first choice to coach the Pens upon his arrival had Peter been available.

Laviolette seems to check all the boxes. He’s a heavyweight coach, used to dealing with big personalities (Alex Ovechkin, etc.). Unlike Sullivan, he embraces players with a physical bent, a quality IMHO our Pens could sorely use. And he’s been a success everywhere he’s coached.

Indeed, over the course of a distinguished 21-season NHL coaching career Laviolette’s won a Cup (with JR’s ‘Canes in ’06) and led the Flyers and Predators to the Final.

His teams generally show improvement right away but tend to flatten out over time like unleavened bread.

The knock I’ve heard? He’s a little too structured, which can cause a drain on offense. But overall, a solid candidate.

Bitter Beer Face?

As for the rest of the recycled crew, three names readily come to mind…Darryl Sutter, Gerard Gallant and Brad Larsen. All recently deposed by their teams.

The former pair have tasted quite a bit of success at the big-league level…the latter not so much.

Sutter won two Cups with the Kings and was awarded the Jack Adams for guiding Calgary to 111 points last season. However, apparently his “Bitter Beer Face” persona is no put-on. After experiencing a strained relationship with Flames GM Brad Treliving, the dour Sutter was dismissed following exit interviews with his players.

Gallant’s a bit of an oddity. He led the first-year Golden Knights on a Cinderella Run to the Final in ’18 and guided the Rangers to the Conference Finals last season. Yet, his employers seem to find the combative coach wanting in fairly short order, and he was recently let go by the Blueshirts despite a 107-point regular season.

Larsen, like Sullivan a former assistant under John Tortorella, didn’t earn good reviews following an unsuccessful two-year stint with the young Blue Jackets.

Scratch all three.

Redux for Disco Dan and Coach Q?

Former Pens coach and Cup-winner Dan Bylsma quietly enjoyed a redemptive season in the AHL, leading the Coachella Valley Firebirds to a sterling 48-17-7 record. Since departing the ‘Burgh, he coached the rebuilding Sabres for two middling seasons before serving as an assistant under Jeff Blashill with the woebegone Red Wings for three seasons.

The thing I admire about Bylsma? I’ve never once heard him complain about his fate. I wonder if all the adversity and hard knocks he’s faced have served to make him a more well-rounded coach? While it’s definitely a stretch to envision him returning to the ‘Burgh, stranger things have happened. And he’s certainly most familiar with our “Big Three.”

Once the dean of NHL skippers, Joel Quenneville hasn’t coached in the NHL since the start of the ’21-22 season, when he resigned as the Panthers’ bench boss following a much-publicized mishandling of a sexual assault case while in Chicago.

Second in all-time coaching victories to Scotty Bowman, the 64-year-old “Coach Q” won three Cups with the Blackhawks and certainly fits the bill as a heavyweight coach. However, one can only imagine the social media uproar not to mention public relationships nightmare should we hire him.

Blonde or Brunette?

Of all the high-profile assistants around the league, one stands out…Devils assistant Andrew Brunette. After assuming the coaching reins from Quenneville under the most trying of circumstances early in the ’21-22 campaign, Brunette led the Panthers to a 51-18-6 record and a Presidents’ Trophy.

It came as a bit of a surprise when he was replaced by Paul Maurice following a second-round ouster at the hands of two-time defending Cup champs Tampa Bay last spring, but Brunette quickly caught on as an assistant with the Devils.

He’s reputed to be exceedingly sharp and is known for his direct, call-a-spade-a-spade approach. Reminiscent of Sullivan when he first arrived.

My guess? He’s being groomed as Lindy Ruff’s successor in Jersey.

Sorry Buccos

Yes, it’s all my fault. Two weeks ago, I posted an article praising our Pirates for their near perfect blend of youth and experience. At the time, they were 20-8 and had the second-best record in baseball.

Since then? They’ve lost 10 of 11 games, while plating a positively anemic 18 runs over that miserable span.

Unwittingly, I must’ve invoked the dreaded PenguinPoop curse over our boys of summer. Here’s hoping that by mentioning it here, I’ll remove the negative mojo from our Buccos.