The Penguins and the long-time head coach agreed to part ways after finishing with a 34-36-12 record this season, the team announced Monday.
Sullivan completed his 10th season in Pittsburgh and was the second-longest serving head coach in the league, behind only Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The 57-year-old joined the franchise ahead of the 2015-16 season as the head coach of the team’s AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and was promoted to the NHL club on Dec. 15 when Mike Johnston was fired.
The Marshfield, Mass., native gave an instant boost to the team, helping it to a 33-16-5 record to close out the regular season and led the Pens to an eventual Stanley Cup victory over the San Jose Sharks.
His magic didn’t fade in his second year, as the Penguins became the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champs since the 1997-98 Red Wings, taking down the Nashville Predators in six games.
“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,” said Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas in a statement released by the team. “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.”
The year after winning back-to-back Cups, in 2017-18, the Penguins were eliminated in the second round by the eventual champions the Washington Capitals. However, since then, the Penguins have failed to advance past the first round and haven’t made the playoffs for the past three seasons.
Sullivan’s 409 wins with the Penguins make him the franchise’s all-time leader. He is the 14th coach in NHL history to win 400 games with a single team.
The Penguins now join a long list of teams looking for a head coach, including the Bruins, Rangers, Flyers, Blackhawks, Ducks and Kraken. Sullivan will be a prime candidate to fill one of those other vacancies.
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