“I would like to thank Mike Sullivan for his unwavering commitment and loyalty to the team and City of Pittsburgh over the past decade,” the Penguins general manager didn’t wait any longer to express his heartfelt gratitude to the man who had been the heart and soul of his franchise. Mike Sullivan didn’t just step into the tradition—training players to compete for the best, but redefined the era of the Pittsburgh Penguins in his relentless pursuit of excellence. Two Stanley Cups, and the Pens community, have heard the noise of championship glory that feels more than distant now. But with Sullivan now gone from Pittsburgh, that isn’t the only change descending upon the NHL.

It isn’t rare to hear of players being given unprecedented bumper contracts, but now it’s time for change on the coaching side of things. “👀 Per my conversations w several team owners, executives and coaches ; given the timing, 7B + @NHL revenues and other factors, Sullivan can reset the coaches compensation market, does he get to, or eclipse the high watermark 7M per season ? #HockeyX,” wrote the two time Emmy nominated analyst Kevin Weekes, breaking the news on X. Sullivan’s departure will be felt not just on the ice, but in the financial structure of the coaching contracts too. Now the question is, which team can shoulder his finances?

Because what could happen next can shake up how these coaches are getting paid, after all. How? Well, here’s the thing. With most top coaches earning somewhere between five and six million dollars a year, now hitting the seven-million mark will not be out of reach when the league’s most elite coach enters the free market, right? Hence, Sullivan’s exit from the Penguins will not just get him a big payday but lift the bar for every coach in the league, allowing other coaches to ask for more. Now doesn’t it make sense to say that the market for coaching contracts could hit a whole new level?

Well, let’s say it’s a hunt for the mind that has redefined success for the Penguins in the decades so far. Taking over midway through the 2015-16 season, it was Sullivan’s immediate mark that secured the Penguins with back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017. Let’s admit that it has been under his leadership that Pittsburgh consistently remained a playoff contender. “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,” Kyle Dubas stated while speaking of the legend who built the core of the team’s significant ones. “Not only for the impressive back-to-back Cups, his impact on the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust,” Dubas further confessed.

And now with Sullivan’s parting ways with his franchise, the question is, who’s going to be the luckiest one to grab this golden opportunity?

NHL teams gear up for the ultimate chase; races to land Mike Sullivan!

The question of which would be the next possible team to get this chance lands on one common answer by many–Boston Bruins! Why? Recall that Sullivan being the Marshfield native plus being the former Boston University star just adds like a cherry on top of the cake! But are these deep ties and some history with the Bruins enough to conclude everything? Not really when there are the power-packed New York Rangers in full swing to fill their longtime coaching position!

Well, there’s no doubt that Sullivan has a record of playing for the Bruins during the 1997-98 season while kickstarting his head coaching career there in 2003-04. the Rangers’ on the other side are linking their connections too. With their president and GM, Chris Drury, being the admirer of the ex-Penguins coach, their connection is rooted deep in their shared Boston University backgrounds and the latest collaboration with USA Hockey at the 4 Nations Face-Off! But the list doesn’t end there because there are others rushing too.

Because beyond Boston and New York, there’s the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, and Vegas Golden Knights desperately looking to strengthen their bench leadership! Now which of these franchises lands the great one is unknown till the time. After all, it’s Sullivan’s proven ability to turn talented rosters into disciplined teams and redefine the the legacy.