Rangers in advanced talks with Mike Sullivan to be next head coach

Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury finally has his guy. 

Mike Sullivan and the Blueshirts are indeed in the process of negotiating a contract that will make the 57-year-old the 38th head coach in franchise history, The Post confirmed on Thursday. 

Additionally, according to ESPN, former Rangers head coach John Tortorella is a “strong possibility” to re-join the organization, as well.

The Post’s Larry Brooks reported earlier this week that owner James Dolan would not be outbid for Sullivan, which is proving to be true with the Massachusetts native headed toward a substantial contract that is expected to reclaim his status as the highest-paid coach in the NHL after Jon Cooper surpassed him with his Lightning extension last May. 

So less than two weeks after dismissing Peter Laviolette and just three days after Sullivan was let go from the Penguins, Drury is making his move to secure his new bench boss. 

This is a hire that’s been in the making since 2021, when Drury’s first major decision at the helm was to relieve David Quinn of his head coaching duties.  

If Sullivan were available then, the two-year tenures of both Gerard Gallant and Laviolette may never have happened. 

Alas, fate has a way of falling into place. 

The Rangers dismissed Laviolette on April 19, after the team experienced a tumultuous season on the way to missing the playoffs for the first time in four years.

Just nine days later, Sullivan was out of work following a third consecutive year of failing to qualify for the postseason in Pittsburgh. 

It was expected that Sullivan would shoot to the top of several team’s list of head coaching candidates.

Sullivan will come to New York with 917 regular-season games and 89 playoff games of experience with both the Penguins and Bruins.

Over 10 years in Pittsburgh, Sullivan became the winningest coach in franchise history and helped deliver back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. 

All time, the 57-year-old owns a 409-255-89 record and a .537 win percentage in the playoffs. 

Drury and Sullivan worked together as recently as February at the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-off in Montreal and Boston, with the former serving as an assistant general manager and the latter serving as head coach.

The two also share a Boston University heritage and shared a bench with the Rangers during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons, when Sullivan was assistant coach and Drury was in his final two seasons of his playing career.

Sullivan was also able to work with four Rangers while at the 4 Nations tournament in Adam Fox, Chris Kreider, J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck.

Team USA evidently foreshadowed the Rangers 2025-26 season, with Tortorella serving as Sullivan’s assistant during the event, as well.