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By Jeremiah Mondi | April 30th, 2025
Early Life and Playing Career
Michael Sullivan was born February 27, 1968, in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He was the second youngest of George and Myra Sullivan. His brothers also played hockey, while his sisters were figure skaters.
Mike Sullivan attended Boston College High School, an all-boys Catholic preparatory school. He then went on to play hockey at Boston University, where he played from 1986 to 1990. During his collegiate career, he appeared in 141 games, recording 61 goals and 138 points.
Sullivan was selected in the 4th round (69th overall) of the 1987 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers, but chose to remain in college and later signed with the San Jose Sharks in 1991.
Mike Sullivan went on to have a respectable NHL career, playing in 709 games over 11 seasons with the San Jose Sharks, Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins, and Phoenix Coyotes. Though primarily a role player at center, he finished his career with 136 points.
Image credit: Topps Premier Hockey Card – Mike Sullivan (San Jose Sharks), © Topps Company Inc.
Image credit: The Providence Journal, file / Glenn Osmundson
Pre Penguins Coaching
Mike Sullivan began his coaching career in 2002–2003 with the Providence Bruins, the AHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins. He led the team to a 41-17-9-4 record (Wins–Losses–Ties–Overtime Losses). The following season, he was promoted to head coach of the Boston Bruins, marking his debut as an NHL head coach.
Sullivan’s tenure in Boston was short, lasting two seasons. The Bruins lost in the first round of the playoffs in his first year and missed the playoffs entirely in his second.
From 2007 to 2014, Sullivan worked as an assistant coach for several NHL teams, including the Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning.
In the 2015–2016 season, Sullivan was hired as the head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Penguins Tenure
Coaching Change Sparks a Turnaround
The Pittsburgh Penguins' 2015–2016 season had been a struggle under head coach Mike Johnston. On December 12, 2015, Johnston was relieved of his duties, setting the stage for a pivotal turning point in franchise history.
Mike Sullivan took over a team that had been spiraling and quickly became the spark the Penguins needed. He inherited a talented core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and goaltender Marc-André Fleury. This group had already won a Stanley Cup in 2009 but remained hungry for another championship.
Image credit: AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, Erie Times-News
Image credit: Photo by Gene J. Puskar / AP / TT
A Run Through the 2016 Playoffs
Under Sullivan’s leadership, the Penguins surged into the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs, opening the first round against his former team, the New York Rangers. Pittsburgh handled the series with confidence, winning in five games.
In the second round, the Penguins faced Russian superstar Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. It was a tightly contested series, but Pittsburgh prevailed in six games.
The Eastern Conference Final featured a thrilling showdown with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The series went the distance, but the Penguins found a way to win, taking Game 7 and punching their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final, with a chance to capture the fourth championship in franchise history.
2016 Stanley Cup Victory
The 2016 Stanley Cup Final marked the San Jose Sharks’ first-ever appearance and the Penguins’ fifth, their first since winning it all in 2009.
Pittsburgh jumped out to a strong start, taking the first two games at home, including a 2–1 overtime victory in Game 2, to build a promising 2–0 series lead. The series then shifted to San Jose, where the Sharks stayed alive with a 3–2 overtime win in Game 3.
The Penguins responded in Game 4 with a 3–1 win, putting themselves one victory away from the championship. Back in Pittsburgh for Game 5, they had a chance to clinch on home ice but came up short. In Game 6, back in San Jose, the Penguins finished the job, winning 3–1 to secure the Stanley Cup.
This victory marked the Penguins’ fourth championship, Sidney Crosby’s second as captain, and Mike Sullivan’s first as an NHL head coach.
Image credit: AP Photo
Image credit: Mike Sullivan, 2017 Stanley Cup Final – Photo by Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images
2017 Season and Playoffs
Mike Sullivan entered the 2016–2017 season fresh off a Stanley Cup victory, with excitement buzzing throughout Pittsburgh. The Penguins were confident and energized, and it showed throughout the regular season. They cruised to 50 wins, finishing with the most goals scored in the NHL (278), leading the league in offensive production.
First Round: Handling Columbus
The Penguins opened the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was a relatively smooth series for Pittsburgh, who eliminated Columbus in five games, setting the tone for another deep playoff run
Second Round: Another Chapter vs. Washington
Next came a familiar rival: the Washington Capitals. This marked the 10th all-time playoff meeting between the two franchises, and anticipation was sky-high. The Penguins took three of the first four games, seemingly on their way to another routine series win. But the Capitals stormed back, winning Games 5 and 6 to force a decisive Game 7 in Washington.
With momentum seemingly on Washington’s side, Bryan Rust scored the game-winning goal in the second period, and Marc-André Fleury stood tall with his 9th career playoff shutout, helping the Penguins survive and advance.
Image credit: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
Eastern Conference Final: A Battle with Ottawa
In the Eastern Conference Final, Pittsburgh faced the Ottawa Senators. Ottawa took Game 1 in overtime, but the Penguins answered in Game 2 to even the series. The teams split the next two games, leaving it tied 2–2 heading into Game 5.
Pittsburgh exploded with a 7–0 win in Game 5, taking a 3–2 series lead. However, Ottawa held off elimination with a 2–1 win in Game 6, forcing a Game 7 in Pittsburgh.
Game 7 was highly anticipated. Would Mike Sullivan lead the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, or would Ottawa pull off the upset?
The game was tight throughout, tied 2–2 after regulation. A scoreless first overtime added to the tension. Just over five minutes into the second overtime, Chris Kunitz, on a perfect feed from Sidney Crosby, scored the winning goal, sending the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Final and securing his place in Penguins history.
Image credit: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
2017 Stanley Cup Finals
The Penguins entered the 2017 Stanley Cup Final riding high after a dramatic series win over the Ottawa Senators, aiming to capture back-to-back Stanley Cups for the second time in franchise history.
Pittsburgh took control early, winning the first two games at home. However, the Nashville Predators responded with two wins on home ice, evening the series at 2–2.
Back in Pittsburgh for Game 5, the Penguins delivered a dominant performance, shutting out Nashville 6–0. They carried that momentum into Game 6, where they secured a 2–0 victory on the road to clinch the Stanley Cup.
Mike Sullivan and the Pittsburgh Penguins had done it again, back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, cementing their place in modern NHL history.
2018-2025 Seasons
Mike Sullivan went on to have a successful career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, coaching the team for 10 seasons (2015–2025) before mutually parting ways. During his tenure, he led the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Playoffs seven times, compiling a franchise-record 409 wins in the regular season. In the postseason, Sullivan finished with a 44–38 playoff record, capturing two Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017.
Mike Sullivan firmly cemented his legacy as one of, if not the greatest, coaches in Pittsburgh Penguins history, and he will remain a household name in Pittsburgh for years to come.
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