Happy Friday, gang.
GMJR continues to get some business done, extending HCMS for four more years to squash any fears of Sullivan becoming a free agent coach at the end of next season.
Rutherford on Sullivan: “Mike has done a great job delivering four, 100-plus point seasons with our team. To win back-to-back Cups in this era speaks volumes of him as a coach. His instincts in managing the inter-workings of our team both on and off the ice has been impressive.”
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) July 5, 2019
Should he see out the duration of his contract, it’ll involve him marshaling us all to the end of the Crosby/Malkin/Letang window. Via the Penguins media release, Sullivan, since taking over on 12/12/15:
- is the first American-born coach in NHL history to win multiple Stanley Cups.
- is the second head coach to win Stanley Cups in each of his first two seasons behind the bench with a team, joining Toe Blake (Montreal, 1956-58).
- is the first head coach to lead his team to back-to-back championships since Scotty Bowman won with the Detroit Red Wings in 1996 and 1997.
- Has seen the Penguins score 994 goals, tied with Tampa Bay for most in the NHL under his reign.
- has won 174 games with the Penguins, the third-highest total in the league.
- has won an NHL-best 38 playoff games – nine more than the next closest team (Washington, 29).
All this after rumors swirled that he could be out of a job sooner rather than later with Mike Vellucci’s hire for WBS. Guess his job was safe after all.
Anyway, good for Sully and good for the Pens. Stability doesn’t suck and he’s one of the best in the biz from a true coaching perspective.
Only 78 more wins to go to catch Bylsma, too. Do it.
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