NHL Trade Rumors
Devils Lose Coach; Analyst’s Cryptic Tweet on Mike Sullivan
The rumor that Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan will become the next coach of the New Jersey Devils will not go quietly. Sportsnet radio host Nick Kypreos unleashed it more than a week ago, and now it has taken on a life of its own, growing into a monster.
Monday reports from TSN indicate New Jersey will lose its interim coach, Travis Green, to the Ottawa Senators. Green had permission from New Jersey to interview for open jobs, and Ottawa terminated coach D.J. Smith last month.
New Jersey’s coaching job is now wide open.
Also last week, Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas sought to quell speculation. Still, his carefully worded one-sentence text communication with The Athletic only slowed the rumor for a couple of days.
The Penguins’ terminating associate coach Todd Reirden last Friday only seemed to intensify the Sullivan rumors, despite part of the Dubas’s specifically worded release:
“Mike Sullivan and I have spent time over the past two weeks evaluating the coaching staff, and although these decisions are never easy, we agree that this change was in the best interest of the team moving forward.”
Friday afternoon, ESPN analyst Kevin Weekes uncorked this cryptic report:
Per my tweet the other day, @penguins have relieved Associate Coach Reirden, curious to see what other potential changes happen with their staff. Though they haven’t granted permission for teams re H.C Sullivan, if they mutually agree for his departure it could be via trade.
— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) May 3, 2024
Weekes caused a little stir on Wednesday, two days before Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas terminated Reirden.
Weekes tweeted that big news was coming, though he did so in the modern vernacular with only a picture of Pittsburgh and a “surprise” emoji. Unsurprisingly, he also took some criticism for the lack of specifics.
To date, there has not been a credible report or substantiation of the Sullivan rumors other than conjecture and inference.
The only substantiated report came from Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, who reported a disagreement between Sullivan and Dubas over Reirden’s termination.
Read more: Three Reasons the Penguins Should Not Hire Sheldon Keefe.
Fitzgerald has been scouring the NHL trade market for a goalie for months. However, he’s also searching for a new head coach. Dubas has repeatedly gone above and beyond endorsing Sullivan as the Penguins coach, adding praise to his answers.
However, New Jersey’s slow walk toward a new coach has kept the NHL rumor embers smoldering.
Dan’s Daily: Latest RFA Rumors; How Insiders View Penguins
Penguins’ Mike Sullivan Named 2026 Team USA Olympic Coach, Four Nations Face-Off
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Penguins Wrap: A Core Conundrum; Magic in Moose Jaw
Penguins Blog: Stories I Didn’t Publish
Young, Unhappy, & Unsigned: 3 Potential Penguins Trade Targets
Penguins Free Agency: 3 Big-Name UFAs to Avoid
Molinari: Give Kyle Dubas Credit, Even if You Blame Him
Dan’s Daily: NHL Coaching Rumors; Penguins Under the Knife
So…you are saying Jarry and Sullivan for a 2nd Round pick and one of their goalies? ;=}
Sully isn’t going anywhere until next season at the earliest.
I tend to agree, though a team retooling on the fly would have to at least listen to an offer, right? What would Sullivan fetch via trade? I seem to recall coach compensation being like a third rounder. I don’t think it’s happening. This feels like Canadian and US National media having fun without hard sources, but it makes a boring Monday less boring.
It’s still boring. This has been going on for a week or more now.
Relatively less boring?
Steve, who in the hell wants him? Hexy brilliant move. Resigning garbage. Can’t wait until Rutherford finally tells us some interesting details why he left. He’s happy and building a nice team in Vancouver. Has a great Coach.
Are you guys serious? Sullivan is cancer and garbage. Like Blysma, wins cups with loaded team. Where is he now? Sullivan didn’t last long in Boston. Participation fans.
Can you trade a coach for a player or draft pick? I thought you can not do this.
U can trade a coach for draft picks as others had done in the past. Still, we haven’t won recently with sully. There is a good chance they replace him mid season if team still not very good. See what u can get for him
Yes! Would never happen. Fitzgerald isn’t stupid. Watch the Chief for there. Real Coach.
I kinda wish Kyle would just trade him so then people would have to complain about something else
Hey if you don’t need Jake Guentzel at this stage of team building, I don’t know why you’d need Mike Sullivan.
Trade him for a bag of practice pucks. Just show him the door. 6 losing seasons is enough.
If Dubas gets rid of Sullivan, and brings in one of his buddies from Soo days, like Keefe…….I will signal the white flag….they aint winning anything in Crosby’s last years….and in 5 years time, we will look at Dubas the same way we looked at Hextall.
Are you serious? When is the last time the won a playoff series? Old, soft, small team. Girls teams tougher to play against. It’s going to be years before you see a solid team.
I hope it happens. He’s not appreciated here. Go see what you can do with Hughes.
I’d give them Sullivan and throw in Jarry for a first round pick. In fact I might do it for nothing that’s how unhappy I am with both of them.