Musings: Rangers 6, Penguins 1 (Sullivan's Return)

After starting the season 2-0, the Penguins got their first loss of the 2025-26 campaign on Saturday against the Rangers at PPG Paints Arena.

Ben Kindel, the 11^th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, got his first NHL goal in the contest – just days after Harrison Brunicke did the same. It was reminiscent of Jake Guentzel’s first NHL goal, which also came in this building, against New York. Guentzel is known for his hockey IQ, which is a big reason the Penguins took Kindel where they did.

Bryan Rust made his season debut after missing the first two games due to injury. He said he was anxious to play some real hockey after a long summer that included an invite to Team USA’s Olympic Orientation Camp, where Mike Sullivan is serving as head coach. Tonight marked Sullivan’s first game back in Pittsburgh after taking over behind the bench for the Rangers.

“It’s a lot different, obviously, being on the opposite side,” Sullivan said following morning skate at PPG Paints Arena. “It’s not something that I’ve given a whole lot of thought to, quite honestly. But I’m so grateful for the opportunity that I had here to coach the Penguins for the amount of time that I was able to do it. We had a lot of good memories. I’m grateful for that.”

After his time as Penguins Head Coach came to an end back in the spring, Sullivan took out a billboard in Pittsburgh. “Thank you, Pittsburgh. Cup Family is Forever,” it said.

He said on Saturday that he wanted to show how grateful the entire Sullivan family felt for their time in this city.

“I just thought it was important that I express my own gratitude, for myself and my family, on behalf of us,” Sullivan said. “I am and will continue to be so grateful for the opportunity that I got to work here for 10 years. And I thought it was appropriate that I express that to the people of Pittsburgh and how receptive they were to me and my family during my time here. So, I just thought it was an important thing for me to do.”

It was an incredibly successful run: Sullivan became the winningest head coach in franchise history; the first American-born head coach to win two Stanley Cups in 2016 and ’17; and the longest-tenured bench boss.

Before getting hired in Pittsburgh, Sullivan had spent seven years as an assistant to his mentor, John Tortorella. They had stops with the Lightning, Rangers and Canucks. But after getting let go by Vancouver, as Tortorella tells it, he told Sullivan they could no longer work together to avoid Sullivan being forever labeled as an assistant coach.

So, Sullivan did a season in player development with the Blackhawks before getting hired as the head coach of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He took over as Pittsburgh’s head coach midway through the 2015-16 season, and the rest is history.

“I think the experience and the opportunity that I was given here in Pittsburgh changed my life in so many ways from a career standpoint with what we were able to accomplish as a group,” Sullivan said. “It was a career-changing experience. I’m so grateful for that opportunity I was given here to work with that group of players. You guys know how I feel about the core group that’s been here over the years. And those relationships last a lifetime.”

Before the game, Sullivan was asked about the video tribute planned by the Penguins, and said it was a better question for after the game. The crowd at PPG Paints Arena gave Sullivan a standing ovation, and it looked like he got a little red-eyed on the bench.

“It's emotional, you know? It means a lot,” Sullivan said. “When you watch a tribute like that, which I was very appreciative of – the Penguins, they didn't have to do that – it brings back a flood of emotions.”