Two Cups, Countless Memories: Thank You, Sully

Mike Sullivan always says it’s a player’s game, but the Penguins don’t capture back-to-back championships in 2016 and ’17 without a coach of his caliber leading the way.

He became the winningest coach in franchise history over his remarkable tenure, which came to an end on Monday. But as Kyle Dubas said, beyond the success on the bench and what it led to on the ice for the city of Pittsburgh and the fanbase is the mark he’s made on the people here.

“When you work somewhere for 10 years, especially here where there was a championship relationship – I’m speaking about the staff that was here – that creates a special bond,” Dubas said.

It truly does. A number of us have been so privileged to work alongside Sullivan for the last decade, one hell of a human being who is a true class act. He’s smart and passionate, genuine and big-hearted, with a wicked sense of humor. Simply put, he’s the kind of person you want to have a beer (and a cigar) with. Though it would probably have to be Guinness, as Sullivan comes from a big Irish Catholic family in Boston.

Reflecting back on Sullivan’s time here, the day he first came on board will always stand out. At the time, morale was low. It felt like the Penguins might never get back to the promised land. It wasn’t just that they were underachieving; the group was mentally fragile from years of unmet expectations.

They were supposed to have a day off on Dec. 12, 2015, following a shootout loss to Los Angeles that came on the heels of a lackluster West Coast trip. Instead, it became a day that altered the franchise's direction. Then-GM Jim Rutherford held a press conference to announce that Sullivan would be taking over as head coach, then Mike did phone interviews from his car as he drove to Pittsburgh.

After hanging up, a sense of relief took over, a feeling that he was the perfect person for the job. That feeling only grew stronger when Sullivan met with the entire media corps, as he is confident and commanding, a consummate leader who demands respect. At that year’s hockey operations holiday party, one person remarked, “now, that’s what a head coach looks like.”

Sullivan has a booming, baritone voice he uses to hammer home his points, which are clear and concise. Sullivan ended up doing hundreds of interviews during his tenure with Pittsburgh, but those first ones will always stand out for how perfectly he outlined what the Penguins needed:

“The challenge is to take a group of great players and become a great team. We’re going to establish an identity that’s clear. We’re going to play to that identity. We’re going to try and have an unwavering focus so that we don’t get distracted. We’re going to try and play that way each and every night.”

Sullivan’s mastery of the science of coaching, which revolves around the X’s and O’s, is what helped get him in the door. “Your understanding of the strategies and the tactics and the evolution of the game, they're your ticket to the dance, you know?” he said. And, man, Sullivan, who had an 11-year NHL career before transitioning into coaching, possesses such impressive hockey knowledge. We’ve joked that he’s got more in his pinky finger than any of us could hope to have.

However, the art of coaching, the human element, played a significant role in dictating Sullivan’s tremendous level of success once inside. “So much of it revolves around the people, and for me, it's about relationships and those interactions every day and trying to create an environment where you're allowing individuals to thrive,” said Sullivan, who built a championship culture.

He achieved this through an authentic and straightforward approach. When Sullivan initially joined the organization as head coach of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he told me that honesty was the most important thing to him, and as a coach, it was about being real. He said that it's difficult to be somebody you're not, and in his experience, players will see right through you if you try. So, Sullivan is as genuine as it gets.

He cares so much about everyone around him and treats them fairly and with respect. But Sullivan also pushes and challenges them to be at their best. From my standpoint, I certainly became a better reporter through my interactions with Sullivan. And it was amazing to watch his rapports with players grow, particularly the core. Like the moment last season when Evgeni Malkin hugged Sullivan after receiving a milestone puck? It took a great deal of effort to reach that point. And how proudly Sullivan talked about Bryan Rust always put smiles on our faces. Those two started the 2015-16 season together in WBS, and ended it as Stanley Cup Champions.

Sullivan is also as competitive as it gets, which can be intense. He wants to win every single game. Sometimes, you had to tread carefully around him. And while Sullivan is a big proponent of controlled emotion, it can get the best of him, which is evidenced in his conversations with referees during games. But as Mike’s son Matt said during their day with the Cup in 2017, “he's actually not that scary.” Mike’s daughter Kiley agreed, saying he can be laid back to a fault. "He plays the piano and drinks beers, and is the actual opposite of what you could ever imagine,” she said with a laugh.

That’s the side some of us were lucky enough to see behind the scenes, and that’s what I’ll miss the most. While he lives and breathes hockey, Sully has a lot of other interests, and conversations with him are always enjoyable. He’s a family man who is now a proud grandfather; enjoys listening to Frank Sinatra; and watches shows in the pop culture zeitgeist like Emily in Paris and The White Lotus.

Sullivan is quick to use his booming laugh and crack a joke or a chirp. He loved giving us a hard time when seeing our crew getting ready to venture out on the road, always reminding us, “act your age, not your shoe size!” That’s one of his many Sully-isms, oft-used phrases over the years. Some were off the record – the ones not fit for print had us howling – and many were on.

They include lines like “just play” (which was etched on the inside of 2016 Stanley Cup rings); “control the controllables”; “nothing’s etched in stone”; “we’re going to put the lineup on the ice that gives us the best chance to win”; “(insert player’s name here) is a cerebral player”; “hope is a shtty strategy”; and the one we liked giving him* a hard time about: ‘stick-to-it-ive-ness.’ Which is an actual word, by the way. He’d also drop funny lines during his media availabilities, like saying on his birthday he was one step closer to the eternal dirt nap, and sharing a hilarious anecdote about his mother cutting the sides of the ham off.

But in all seriousness, Sully approached doing media with such professionalism. He always gave thoughtful, insightful answers to every single question, and that never wavered, unless he was particularly steamed after a game. Neither did his passion and humility, as Sullivan never took one day of being Pittsburgh’s coach for granted. It was a life-changing experience.

At the Cup party, Kiley said it was hard because even some people in attendance hadn’t realized how long it had all been coming. “How many times we've moved, how many times he didn't know what the future was going to be like. He's even said, ‘if I never won a Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh, I don't know where we would be right now.’ For it to finally come together after all these years I feel like is something I could never have even pictured. So, it's unbelievable.”

Now, Sullivan will forever be part of the Penguins family, and this organization and city owe him so much. There really aren’t enough words to thank him for everything over the years. We’ll miss you, Sully, and all the best.