(Pittsburgh) Mike Sullivan, the most winning head coach in Pittsburgh Penguins history, is in the job for a while yet.
Posted at 4:24 p.m.
Sullivan, who led the Penguins to two Stanley Cup titles, agreed to a three-year contract extension on Tuesday that will expire at the end of the 2026-2027 season.
“Words cannot express my respect and appreciation for what we have accomplished during my tenure with the Penguins,” Sullivan said in a press release.
“It’s a testament to the strength of character of the people and players in this organization, and the standard of excellence that we have collectively set. »
The 54-year-old Sullivan is 297-156-54 in the regular season and 44-38 in playoff games since taking over in December 2015. His reign with the Penguins includes triumphs in the Stanley Cup Finals in 2016 and 2017.
A native of Massachusetts, Sullivan is the first American-born head coach to win the Stanley Cup at least twice. He is also one of two head coaches in NHL history to win championships in each of his first two years behind the bench.
“He’s clearly demonstrated what an effective leader he is,” said John Henry, owner of Fenway Sports Group, which bought the franchise last winter.
“And you can clearly see how the players are responding to his philosophy and his work ethic, night after night, month after month. »
The contract extension comes on the heels of a busy offseason for the Penguins, who were eliminated by the New York Rangers in seven games in the first round of the most recent playoffs.
Over the summer, the Penguins signed veterans Evgeni Malkin, Kristopher Letang and Bryan Rust to new contracts, with the intention of keeping as many core team members around captain Sidney Crosby as possible.
That core includes Sullivan, whose new deal outlasts—at least for now—the current contracts of Crosby and Malkin.