NHL Network: Elliotte Friedman on the coaching landscape after Mike Sullivan and the Pittsburgh Penguins parted ways. Will he end up with the New York Rangers? (interview was also before Rick Tocchet left the Vancouver Canucks)
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Mike Rupp: “I want to ask you your opinion on just the market out there for coaches. Like did this, did that have any play in this as well, as far as maybe just being the right timing for both sides because of what teams have vacancies right now for a coach like Mike Sullivan?”
Friedman: “Yes, I do think, you know, first of all, I do think that, that is one thing that people are very aware of. Is that, the longer you hold on to someone, the less of a chance they might have to go where they want to go.
Now I think, as you guys were talking about, Mike Sullivan is going to have a lot of ability to pick his routes. He had two more years under contract, so he can afford to be picky if he wants to be. But you know the very least now, it gives Sullivan more options, and it allows teams to know that he’s out there.
You know, one thing I do completely agree with that all of you guys were talking about, is that there might be some currently employed coaches who would be made a little nervous by this. I think that, you know, you would if you didn’t have an opening, but you had interest in Mike Sullivan, you would at least want to think about it and explore it.
So, I do think that this sent tremors through the coaching world today, in the sense that now this very big name is available. It definitely changes the landscape.
But guys like, I got to tell you, I got it, I just don’t know after the season they had this year, the Rangers aren’t at the forefront of this. Making sure that nobody is going to do a better job of courting Mike Sullivan than they are. In 2021 when Chris Drury got the job, you know, before he hired Gerard Galant, he made sure that Mike Sullivan was not going to be available.
They just worked together on the Four Nations. And, you know, I heard some criticism of Sullivan’s coaching over the last few years. If anybody had any questions about him, watching him coach and prepare and run that team at that tournament. I know there were a lot of great players on that team. But it just, I think it should have reminded everybody, you know, Sullivan is a hell of a coach.
And after the year the Rangers just had, I cannot imagine them allowing anyone to outdo themselves in the pursuit of Sullivan here, than the Rangers will.”
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