Mike Sullivan opens up about Pittsburgh loyalty, giving young players a chance and more

New York Times

18-03-2025

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Mike Sullivan stood in a quiet hallway at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Monday afternoon, arms folded, peering straight ahead.
This season has been grueling, like the two before it. Defensive lapses, bad goaltending, a roster that simply doesn't have the depth of yesteryear and a general manager rightfully in sell mode makes competing for a postseason spot nearly impossible for a franchise that prides itself on championships. The head coach prides himself on championships, too, and he knows the Pittsburgh Penguins' standard hasn't been met. He also wants to be the man who stands behind the bench when the franchise rises again.
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Sullivan, in an exclusive interview with The Athletic, made his feelings on the current and future Penguins very clear. He also made it known, with a particular conviction, that he isn't going anywhere.
NHL coaches sometimes get fired for having a rough month. Sullivan knows this. He also knows what he wants, and what he wants isn't coaching anywhere else.
'I don't even think about it,' he said. 'I have incredible loyalty to this organization. I'm grateful for the opportunity to coach this team. It's been a privilege to coach this team, to be a part of this organization. I have a certain loyalty to all of the people who are a part of it here.'
The losing hasn't been fun.
'This is an organization that has enjoyed its share of success,' Sullivan said. 'Lately, we've hit some bumps in the road. But that doesn't deter me from wanting to do my job. Just because it gets hard, that doesn't make you want to quit. Where we are as an organization, I don't think it's caught anybody by surprise. It's an inevitable evolution. We're doing everything in our power to try and navigate this as best we can, to be as competitive as we can as quickly as possible. And all I want is to help this organization win.'
One of the biggest criticisms of Sullivan from fans and media alike is the belief that he is unwilling to let young players possess significant roles, that he'd rather side with less talented veterans. This could potentially become a problem in coming seasons, given the Penguins have 30 draft picks in the next three years and are in desperate need of a youth infusion.
Sullivan hears the criticism loud and clear.
'Of course I hear it,' he said. 'I'm not stupid.'
It's a criticism he vehemently disagrees with. The coach unfolds his arms and becomes more animated when it is discussed.
'I would argue against it,' he said. 'The players I put on the ice are the guys I think are going to give us the best chance to win. That's it. I don't care how old they are. Look back at our two Stanley Cup teams. There were five guys we called up from Wilkes-Barre on those teams, and nobody knew who they were. Conor Sheary played with Sidney Crosby and nobody knew who Conor Sheary was. Don't tell me I'm not willing to put out young guys in prominent roles. I'm absolutely willing to put them in prominent roles. But they have to be effective and they've got to be ready.
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'At the end of the day, depending on where we're at as an organization and depending on who is available to us, we are putting the best 20 guys on the ice to help us win. I don't care how many years professional they have under their belts. I don't care what their age is. Age has absolutely nothing to do with it. What it has to do with is your ability to have a positive impact in terms of helping the Penguins win hockey games.'
Sullivan is now in his 10th season, making him the longest-tenured Penguins coach of all time.
Only five coaches/managers in the history of Pittsburgh sports have coached a team for longer:
• Chuck Noll, Steelers, 1969-1991
• Mike Tomlin, Steelers, 2007-present
• Fred Clarke, Pirates, 1900-1915
• Bill Cowher, Steelers, 1992-2006
• Jim Leyland, Pirates, 1986-1996
All of the above except for Leyland won at least one championship in Pittsburgh. Sullivan, Noll and Danny Murtaugh are the only Pittsburgh coaches to win multiple championships.
Sullivan craves more winning, and wants to be behind the Penguins' bench when it happens. He takes pride in the Penguins' current four-game winning streak, one that perhaps provides evidence that while the Penguins are struggling in a rebuilding season, the coach hasn't lost the room.
He'll never lose Crosby, Evgeni Malkin or Kris Letang. They are the foundation of the team, the guys Sullivan calls the 'Big Three.'
'There's a certain standard that's been established here for a long period of time that has brought this organization a lot of success,' Sullivan said. 'There are a lot of people who have been responsible for that, specifically our Big Three. I know what it means to those guys to win. There's an expectation with those guys to play the game a certain way, with a competitive spirit. And there's an expectation that we're going out to win every night, no matter what it takes. That's always been the message. It still is.'
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One member of the Big Three is especially impressed with what he's seen from Sullivan this season.
'He pushes us every day to get better,' Letang said. 'Just because things are going well, it's not like he isn't coming to the rink and looking for results. He never gives up on us. Never.'
Once upon a time, Bryan Rust was one of those players from Wilkes-Barre nobody had ever heard of. Sullivan didn't hesitate to put him in a prominent role. Nearly a decade later, he is still thriving.
'He's a good coach because of how he approaches every day,' Rust said. 'He reads situations so well, pushes the right buttons, knows when to be hard on guys and when to give you a pat on the back. He's just a great coach.'
Other teams would hire Sullivan in a heartbeat, something that isn't a well-guarded secret around the league. He could skip out on the rebuilding years in Pittsburgh and find a team ready to win the Cup right now.
Instead, he grinds on in Pittsburgh.
His players seem as grateful for his loyalty as he is to theirs. Together, they wish to make the Penguins winners again.
'Absolutely, you appreciate his loyalty,' Rust said. 'You can see how much he cares about the organization. It's so obvious. Like a lot of guys in here — I'm one of them — he probably feels like he wouldn't be who he is without this organization. He takes pride in this organization. He takes pride in coaching this team. He just wants to play a big role in getting this organization back to where it needs to be. You have to respect that.'