Mike Sullivan, Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Photo credit: NBC Sports

The Penguins are on the verge of falling out of the playoffs again, something that rarely happens for this team, and the coach is now clearly feeling the heat.

Mike Sullivan is one of the most successful coaches in NHL history, as he has led this current Pittsburgh Penguins dynasty for years, but after the team sold at the trade deadline, it’s clear that the remainder of this season isn’t going to be much fun.
Those struggles that led to the team selling are now clearly weighing on Sullivan, as The Athletic’s Josh Yohe outlined the frustrations and how much the losing has weighed on the veteran coach in 2024/25.

«This season is starting to take a toll on Sullivan. You can feel it. This is a deeply competitive coach whose passion for winning is very much a signature part of his personality.

He ranges anywhere from sounding resigned to angry following losses these days.

These are dark days for his Penguins and I don’t see things getting much better during the rest of this season.»

Unfortunately, with the most amount of picks over the next three drafts in the NHL, the team are now clearly building for the future, and with a competitive coach like Sullivan, one has to wonder if his time in Pittsburgh may be coming to an end.
Sullivan’s frustrations were clear when Alex Nedeljkovic called out the lack of passion on the bench against Vegas, and when the Head Coach was asked about the lack of excitement and energy on the Pens bench, he kept it simple.
I’m not answering that.
Throughout his 10 years as Penguins Head Coach, Sullivan has put together a 399-250-87 record, helping the team to two Stanley Cups and nine straight years over .500, but with the team struggling and Sullivan feeling the heat, things may potentially change this summer.