Mike Sullivan Already Facing Criticism Days After Being Hired as New York Rangers Head Coach

   

A mere days after being hired as the new coach of the Rangers, Mike Sullivan is already facing criticism as he tries to settle in to his new role.

Mike Sullivan Already Facing Criticism Days After Being Hired as New York Rangers Head Coach

There are a number of angles to the Mike Sullivan Rangers head coaching hire. Begin with this: Sullivan and Rangers general manager Chris Drury are old friends and go way back. That friendship undoubtedly had to be a factor.

Drury only concerned himself with Sullivan. Even with all of the rumor-making, it seems he actually did think of Sullivan right after the Penguins didn't make the playoffs. The timing, chemistry, and all of that, just worked.

Most urgent of all, however, is what Sullivan does with a roster that struggled in 2024-25.

Some of Sully's supporters are actually enthusiastic about his return to the bench.

'It's a good hire,' Lloyd MacKay, a fan, explains, 'because Sullivan knows the structure of the Rangers organization. Plus, he's had a long-term stable relationship with the Penguins without dramatics.

'Once you're in 'The Stanley Cup Winners Club' you've proven that you are capable of winning the whole thing.'

Others, such as die-hard fan Mark Linde, are less enthusiastic. And with cause.

'I'm not so sure that Sullivan is the right man,' Linde argues. 'It seems to me that he'll have the same core issues in New York that he had in Pittsburgh - players who feel they have reached a point in their careers where they are above coaching and benching.

'And Sullivan's reluctance to give young players a fair crack at playing time seems like 'Peter Laviolette 2.0.' Sullivan has to give the kids a real shot at finding their NHL game; and not a few games for a few minutes here or there.'

Fans and media shouldn't judge Sullivan until he's had a chance to actually coach

With roster tampering being a possibility and free agency on the horizon, it is unfair to judge the new regime until the end of training camp.

That's all behind him now. The past is just what Sullivan has done, and it is behind him now. What he does from now on, however, is what counts.

Skeptic or optimist, it's time to look forward. The Rangers must be rebuilt, and whatever happens with coaching behind the bench is perhaps only a prelude. Playoffs? Maybe. For now, though, it's about a fresh start.