NHL Rumor Mill – April 29, 2025
NHL Rumor Mill – April 29, 2025
Who are potential candidates to replace Mike Sullivan as the Penguins’ head coach? Which clubs could be suitors for Sullivan? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
POTENTIAL COACHING CANDIDATES FOR THE PENGUINS
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW: Bill Hartlep included former NHL coaches Joel Quenneville, Peter Laviolette and John Tortorella on his list of potential candidates to replace Mike Sullivan as head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Sullivan and the Penguins mutually agreed to part ways after 10 seasons, including back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017.
Hartlep also mentioned Rick Tocchet, David Quinn and Mike Vellucci, who all served at one time or another as assistant coaches under Sullivan. He included University of Denver coach David Carle.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Tocchet is currently the head coach of the Vancouver Canucks and is reportedly in contract extension talks with that club.
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Matt Vensel had Tocchet, Carle and Quinn among his list of coaching candidates.
Other options included former Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill, PWHL coach Kori Cheverie, Western Michigan coach Pat Ferschweiler, Rickard Gronberg of Tappara in Finnish Liga, Washington Capitals assistant coach Mitch Love, Manny Malhotra of the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, Boston University’s Jay Pandolfo, Toronto Maple Leafs assistant coach Mike Van Ryn, and former Edmonton Oilers’ coach Jay Woodcroft.
THE ATHLETIC: Penguins beat writer Josh Yohe included Kirk MacDonald of the club’s AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on his list of candidates. Todd Nelson of the AHL’s Hershey Bears was another suggested option.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Time will tell if one of those candidates get the job. The Penguins could be interested in bringing back Tocchet if he becomes available, but they won’t be the only suitors for the 2024 Jack Adams Award winner.
POTENTIAL DESTINATIONS FOR MIKE SULLIVAN
NEW YORK POST: Larry Brooks believes the Rangers’ vacant head-coaching job is there for Mike Sullivan if he wants it, but questions remain.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan (NHL Images).
Sullivan might be the best choice to get the most out of veteran core players like Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Adam Fox, Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller, the latter four of whom played for him on Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
However, his handling of younger players like Alexis Lafreniere, K’Andre Miller, Brennan Othmann, Braden Schneider and more would determine his success as the Blueshirts’ bench boss.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Brooks also wondered if the Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars might be interested in Sullivan.
PHILLY HOCKEY NOW: William James pondered whether Sullivan would be a good fit coaching the rebuilding Flyers.
CHICAGO HOCKEY NOW: Greg Boysen makes the case for the Blackhawks to pursue Sullivan.
BOSTON HOCKEY NOW‘s Andrew Fantucchio and THE ATHLETIC‘s Fluto Shinzawa believe Sullivan should be the top choice as the Bruins’ potential head coach.
RG.ORG: James Murphy reports a source claiming the Bruins have already reached out to Sullivan. However, the former Penguins coach wants to take some time to decompress before deciding on his next move.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Sullivan remained a well-respected coach around the league despite the rebuilding Penguins’ struggles over the past three seasons. He won’t be unemployed for long.
OTHER PENGUINS SPECULATION
THE ATHLETIC: Josh Yohe was asked which restricted free agents he sees the Penguins targeting this summer. He suggested defenseman Bowen Byram of the Buffalo Sabres.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Yohe stressed that Byram would be his choice and wasn’t basing it on anything he’d heard.
He didn’t indicate if he meant targeting Byram for a trade or an offer sheet. Assuming the latter, the Sabres have over $21 million in cap space to match any offer for the 23-year-old blueliners.
Yohe doesn’t see the Penguins attempting to acquire Elias Pettersson from the Vancouver Canucks. “It looks like a disaster of a contract, and he’s not very well respected around the league.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Pettersson has seven years left on his contract with an average annual value of $11.6 million. Assuming Vancouver retained some of his cap hit, that contract remains burdensome. If the Canucks try to move him they’ll have to move quickly because his no-movement clause begins on July 1.