Report: Penguins coach Sullivan welcomes 'challenge' of turning team around

We may only be a quarter of the way through the NHL season, but it’s already been a long year in Pittsburgh.

A Penguins team that has missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons is now sliding even farther down the standings, as opposed to the expected climb back up the ladder.

Pittsburgh has a worse points percentage (.429) than all but five teams in the NHL and its minus-26 goal-differential is the worst mark in the entire league. The Penguins have already made one move, dealing veteran forward Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals 10 days ago. And when a team is struggling like this, speculation never stops swirling about what could be next.

The handwringing has let to questions about whether coach Mike Sullivan’s position with the team is safe. In an interview with The Athletic on Thursday, the two-time Cup-winning bench boss said he has no intention of walking away from the team he’s been guiding since 2015.

“I’m invested in the Pittsburgh Penguins,” Sullivan said. “I care very, very deeply about this organization. I care deeply about the group of guys who have been in that locker room for a very long time. I love this organization with all of my soul. This organization and so many people associated with it have changed my life in so many ways. And so, for me, the challenge of trying to move this team forward and transition this team, it’s a different kind of challenge, but it’s one that I am welcoming.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean Sullivan’s job is safe. The Boston Bruins fired Jim Montgomery, the 2023 Jack Adams winner, earlier this week and Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas may soon feel as though he has no option but to make a coaching swap if things don’t improve.

“I’m not concerned about it, no,” Sullivan said when asked if he was worried the axe could fall. “I’m well aware of what I signed up for. It’s the nature of the business. My main focus is trying to do what I do every day, applying a certain process I’m comfortable with to win games. I’ll bring everything I can to the table every day to help this team win, until such time when someone tells me otherwise.”

That said, Sullivan — who’s 382-229-81 all-time with Pittsburgh — acknowledged all the losing and poor performances this season in Steeltown have taken a toll.

“I think I’d be lying if I said it doesn’t bother me,” he said. “I take a lot of pride in what I do.”

If there’s more to the Penguins than they’ve show so far, the club will get a great chance to prove it when the NHL-leading Winnipeg Jets visit Friday night.