New York Rangers Place Stanley Cup Hopes On New Head Coach Mike Sullivan

The New York Rangers have hired arguably the best available coach in the NHL’s hiring cycle.

On Friday, the Blueshirts signed Mike Sullivan to be the 38th coach in franchise history after spending the past 10 seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Sullivan will look to find a way to maximize young talent with a lot of veteran talent that has been looking to reach the top of the sport for the first time since 1994.

"Mike Sullivan has established himself as one of the premier head coaches in the NHL," General Manager Chris Drury said. "Given his numerous accomplishments throughout his coaching career - including two Stanley Cups and leading Team USA at the international level – Mike brings a championship-level presence behind the bench. 

"I’ve gotten to know Mike very well over the years, including as teammates in the 1997 World Championships, when he coached me as a player in New York and through our shared time working together with USA Hockey. As we began this process and Mike became an available option for us to speak with, it was immediately clear that he was the best coach to lead our team."

PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 09:  Mike Sullivan of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on against the New York Rangers in Game Four of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG PAINTS Arena on May 9, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty Images)

Sullivan is the only American-born coach to win the Stanley Cup two times. He won titles in 2016 and 2017 with the Penguins, but did not make the playoffs in any of the past three seasons.

The Rangers missed the playoffs after finishing fifth in the Metropolitan division and six points out of a Wild Card spot. But with an experienced coach like Sullivan at the helm, New York could be a force to be reckoned with.