Bruins miss out on potential Mike Sullivan sweeps
Mike Sullivan found his next NHL destination on Friday.
![Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] United States coaches Mike Sullivan, right, and JohnTortorella during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game against Canada at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images](https://985thesportshub.com/uploads/2025/05/USATSI_25595123_168399896_lowres.jpg?format=auto&optimize=high&width=1440)
Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] United States coaches Mike Sullivan, right, and JohnTortorella during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game against Canada at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
After a 10-year run in Pittsburgh, former Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan found himself unemployed for less than a week.
And though Sullivan entered the market with no shortage of potential suitors, things unfolded as many expected, with Sullivan officially named the newest head coach of the New York Rangers on Friday.
Sullivan has some familiarity with the Rangers, too, having served as an assistant coach for the Rangers as the second in command on John Tortorella's staff from 2009 through 2013.
In New York, Sullivan will take over a Rangers club that's obviously still in a 'win now' kind of mode, and will be reunited with multiple players he coached on Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off, with Chris Kreider, J.T. Miller, Vinny Trocheck, and Adam Fox all on New York's roster.
A Marshfield, Mass. native, Sullivan could've been an option for the Bruins given his resume (two Stanley Cup championships), as well as his reputation for being a strong communicator behind the bench. But, as discussed in the most recent episode of The Sports Hub Underground, there was a lingering and genuine belief growing outside the organization that Sullivan coaching his son-in-law (Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy) could've put his family in too awkward a spot.
With Sullivan officially off the board, the Bruins could turn to other veteran options recently let go from their previous posts, such as Tortorella, Peter Laviolette, Rick Tocchet, or Dan Bylsma. The Bruins have also made it clear that Joe Sacco, who served as Boston's interim head coach for the final 62 games of the 2024-25 season, will be given consideration for the full-time job this summer.
Speaking at management's break-up day last month, Bruins general manager Don Sweeney did note that the Bruins' preference would be to hire someone with NHL ties. Sweeney also noted some of the Bruins' candidates are currently still coaching in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, meaning that the club's search could be in a holding pattern of sorts until their respective teams are eliminated from the postseason.
One name that could be of note there? Stars assistant coach Misha Donskov. The 47-year-old Donskov has been an extremely valuable weapon for Dallas, was part of the Vegas staff that won a Stanley Cup in 2023, and has extensive experience in the OHL and with Team Canada.
