NHL Rumors: 2 Leading Destinations For Mike Sullivan's Next Head Coaching Job

Now that Mike Sullivan has been let go by the Pittsburgh Penguins, it's speculated that he won't be out of a job for long. In fact there are two leading destinations already for the 57-year-old to find his next head coaching job.

New York Rangers

It was only four years ago, in 2021, when Rangers GM Chris Drury waited on Sullivan’s availability before eventually hiring Gerard Gallant. In addition, Sullivan spent some time behind the Rangers' bench as an assistant under John Tortorella from 2009-2013. Insider Frank Seravalli said on Daily Faceoff's Morning Cuppa Hockey today that "I would think that that job, for a recent Presidents Trophy winner, would be really appealing."

The Rangers had a chaotic season this year and missed the playoffs, but in 2023-24, they won the Presidents Trophy as the top regular-season team, with 114 points.

Mike Sullivan to the Rangers seems like the most obvious of obvious things unless he’s spooked by them changing coaches as often as some people renew their car registrations.
— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 28, 2025

The Blueshirts, who recently fired Peter Laviolette, are looking for their 5th head coach in the last eight seasons, and they'll be making their 3rd coaching change in the last four years.

Boston Bruins

Another leading candidate, the Bruins are also a recent Presidents Trophy winner, having dominated the NHL in 2022-23 with an all-time league record 135 points.

Sullivan lives in Boston, and his son-in-law, Charlie McAvoy plays for the team. He also coached the Bruins to a 104-point season back in 2003-04 and was behind their bench again two seasons later.

The Bruins moved on from Jim Montgomery early this past season amidst their own troublesome year, while Joe Sacco stepped in as the interim head coach for the rest of the season as the team missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years.

Sullivan's next contract could be a coaching record-breaker

Wherever Sullivan heads next, per insider Kevin Weekes, the coach has a chance to pull in a new contract somewhere that will "reset the coach's market", breaking the $7 million per year barrier.

👀 Per my conversations w several team owners, executives and coaches ; given the timing, 7B + @NHL revenues and other factors, Sullivan can reset the coaches compensation market, does he get to, or eclipse the high watermark 7M per season ? #HockeyX pic.twitter.com/g1GX7I6iWW
— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) April 28, 2025

As noted by insider Pierre LeBrun, Sullivan was only one year into a 3-year extension with the Penguins on a deal that paid him the second-highest salary in the NHL (thought to be around $5.5M) behind only the Tampa Bay Lightning's Jon Cooper.