Boston Bruins

New Top Candidate Suddenly Available In Bruins Coaching Search

Published

4 weeks ago

April 28, 2025

AP Photo/Eric Risberg

Whatever list of candidates the Boston Bruins have compiled in their search for a new head coach, they can crumple it up and throw it out the window.

There’s a new top choice available.

According to multiple reports on Monday morning, the Pittsburgh Penguins have agreed to part ways with long-time head coach Mike Sullivan.

Pittsburgh and Mike Sullivan are parting ways

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) April 28, 2025

Sullivan, 57, was the second-longest tenured head coach in the NHL. Hired by Pittsburgh in 2015, he led the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships in 2016 and 2017.

It is believed that Sullivan had two years remaining on his contract with the Penguins. Interestingly, despite ownership support and unwavering public support from the general manager, Kyle Dubas, NHL odds listed Sullivan as the likeliest coach to be fired (3/2).

Now that he’s suddenly out of work, Sullivan becomes the most high-profile name on the coaching market with Boston a likely landing spot should he choose to coach somewhere next season.

A native of Marshfield, MA, Sullivan has long ties to the Bruins organization, having previously coached the team from 2003 to 2006. He is also the father-in-law of Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy.

Aside from his connections, Sullivan’s reputation and acumen for coaching instantly place him at the top of not only the Bruins’ list of potential candidates but every other team with a vacancy behind their bench.

Along with the Bruins, there are currently seven teams searching for a new bench boss, including the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, and Philadelphia Flyers.

The process of hiring a head coach is not a new one for the Bruins, who’ve employed three in the last nine years.

Boston has been in need of a new head coach ever since firing Jim Montgomery in the middle of this past season. Joe Sacco filled the role on an interim basis for the remainder of the year and is already considered a finalist for the position.

The team could wait for some of the more in-demand assistant coaches currently coaching in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Among other candidates believed to be on the Bruins’ radar are University of Denver head coach David Carle and former Anaheim Ducks head coach Greg Cronin.