Bruins Miss Out On Sullivan; What It Means and Where They Turn Next

Life moves fast in the NHL, especially when you’re the premier candidate on the offseason coaching carousel.

Just four days after leaving his post behind the bench with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Mike Sullivan found a new gig on Friday morning, agreeing to become the next head coach of the New York Rangers. 

The 38th Head Coach in #NYR history.

Welcome (back) to Broadway, Sully! pic.twitter.com/dUhWCBPm4A

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) May 2, 2025

Sullivan was never going to last long on the open market. He was flooded with offers as soon as he was out of a job in Pittsburgh. It appears New York’s was the only one he took seriously.

Besides the Rangers, the Boston Bruins were arguably the only other team that had a legitimate chance at hiring Sullivan. After all, they’re another Original Six franchise that features a core of players in the prime of their careers. 

Nevertheless, that wasn’t enough to entice Sullivan, a Massachusetts native, to come to Boston. He’ll instead go to New York and become the highest-paid coach in NHL history. 

As for the Bruins, they have no choice but to continue looking.  

What This Means For the Bruins: 

Bruins general manager Don Sweeney made it clear at the team’s year-end press conference that the search for a new head coach would be a deliberate one. 

It’s a process that neither he nor the Bruins can afford to rush.  

Hiring its third head coach in the last nine years, Boston is in desperate need of stability, especially coming off a tumultuous campaign that featured so much roster and leadership turnover. Whoever Sweeney decides to bring aboard needs to be in it for the long haul, regardless of the results next season. 

In some ways, it’s an encouraging sign that the Bruins are still weighing other options. 

But when it comes to a coach like Sullivan, whose resumé speaks for itself,  what more is there to know?

For an organization that expects to be back in the playoff picture and contending for championships, surely a two-time Stanley Cup winner who spent 10 years with his previous team would be of interest and is one you pay a premium for. 

The Rangers clearly gave Sullivan an offer he couldn’t refuse, but his quick decision to sign in New York makes it seem the Bruins gave him one that wasn’t worth considering in the first place.

It also raises into question how much power the Bruins are willing to entrust their next head coach with. 

Making a coach the highest-paid person in his position means fully believing in their vision and leadership, which the Bruins weren’t willing to do with Jim Montgomery. 

And perhaps it’s the way the Bruins treated Montgomery, along with Bruce Cassidy before him, that ultimately turned away Sullivan in the end.

Sweeney and the rest of the Bruins brass have not been quiet about placing the blame for this past year on Montgomery’s shoulders, highlighting a disorganized start to training camp that spoiled the season before it ever started. Yet, it’s now the beginning of May, and while the Bruins are on an early summer break, Montgomery and the St. Louis Blues are still competing in the playoffs. 

For any coach, not just Sullivan, who is thinking about joining the Bruins, that’s a thought that has to stick in the back of their minds. 

What Options Do The Bruins Have Left?  

Even with Sullivan heading to New York, the head coaching market remains strong, with Rick Tocchet now the top candidate available. 

The former Jack Adams Award winner opted out of his contract with the Vancouver Canucks earlier this week and could very well likely find a new home just as quickly as Sullivan did. However, it’s hard to say if that will be in Boston. 

The Philadelphia Flyers seem like an obvious landing spot for Tocchet, given his history with the organization as a player. He could also head to Pittsburgh and fill the void behind the Penguins’ bench left by Sullivan. 

Sullivan’s assistant this past year in Pittsburgh, David Quinn, is an intriguing option. So too are Jay Woodcroft and Jeff Blashill. Both are seeking their second NHL head coaching opportunities.

Then there are the ones who are hoping for their first.

Marco Sturm, who played for the Bruins from 2006-10, has worked in the Los Angeles Kings organization for the last six years, and as the head coach of their AHL squad since 2022. 

University of Denver head coach David Carle is also on many teams’ shortlists. However, it’s still unclear if he wants to make the jump to the NHL at this point. Even if he does, it’s unlikely the Jim Montgomery disciple will do it with the Bruins.

Joe Sacco, who served as the interim coach in Boston this year, would be a much more willing candidate, as would current Bruins assistant coach Jay Leach. 

Of course, Peter Laviolette, John Tortorella, and Gerard Gallant are available, as they all find themselves back on the market. 

The Bruins are still shopping. 

With the best option off the board and still plenty more to choose from, it could be a while before they make up their minds.

FOLLOW ANDREW FANTUCCHIO ON 𝕏: @A_FANTUCCHIO

FOLLOW BOSTON HOCKEY NOW ON 𝕏 AND FACEBOOK