Pittsburgh Penguins part ways with head coach
PITTSBURGH (WKBN) — The Pittsburgh Penguins have officially agreed to part ways with Head Coach Mike Sullivan.
President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas made the announcement on Monday morning.
'On behalf of Fenway Sports Group and the Penguins organization, I would like to thank Mike Sullivan for his unwavering commitment and loyalty to the team and City of Pittsburgh over the past decade,' Dubas said. 'Mike is known for his preparation, focus and fierce competitiveness. I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons. He will forever be an enormous part of Penguins history, not only for the impressive back-to-back Cups, his impact on the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, but more importantly, for his love and loyalty to the organization. This was not a decision that was taken lightly, but as we continue to navigate the Penguins through this transitional period, we felt it was the best course forward for all involved.'
Sullivan has served as Pittsburgh's head coach since 2015 when he was elevated from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.
He led the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships in 2016 and 2017.
Under his watch, Sullivan piled up 409 wins, making him the Penguins all-time wins leader. He is just the 14th coach in NHL history to win 400 games with one team.
According to release from the team, a thorough search for the next head coach of the Penguins will begin immediately.
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