It's no secret that the New York Rangers have wanted Mike Sullivan as their head coach for years. After last season, Sullivan and the Pittsburgh Penguins mutually agreed to part ways, and the Rangers pounced, hiring him almost immediately. The expectation in hiring Sullivan was that he could be the voice behind the bench to help the Rangers win their first Stanley Cup since 1994.
There have been some growing pains early on in Sullivan's debut season as head coach. From the lack of scoring to going winless through their first seven home games at Madison Square Garden. But it seems as though the Rangers have found their groove, winning two games in a row against the Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning.
During the Lightning game on Wednesday night, TNT Sports reporter Jackie Redmond discussed Sullivan's mantra for the Rangers this season. Sullivan told Redmond, "we are in the business of the relentless pursuit of small improvements." Redmond reveals that Sullivan received this advice from former Boston Red Sox chief baseball officer and current St. Louis Cardinals president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom.
Mike Sullivan reveals he follows advice given to him by ex-Red Sox exec Chaim Bloom
"To me, that's sports in a nutshell. It is a daily endeavor, right? We're not trying to climb the mountain today. We're trying to take a step...We know what the ultimate goal is, but the daily endeavor, the pursuit of small improvements, THAT'S how you get there so don't get ahead of yourself. Stay in the moment," said Sullivan, h/t Redmond.
The connection might seem weird, but let's not forget that the Penguins and Red Sox are linked. THe two professional sports teams are owned by Fenway Sports Group. The Red Sox were purchased in 2002, while the Penguins were purchased in 2021. Sullivan remained with the Penguins until earlier this year, while Bloom worked for the Red Sox from 2020 until his firing in 2023.
Bloom might not be the most revered figure in sports, considering the Red Sox's lack of success during his tenure. Not to mention, he did orchestrate the Mookie Betts trade that sent the superstar to the Los Angeles Dodgers. But the advice he gave Sullivan is sound.
The "small improvements" that Sullivan mentions are happening with the Rangers.
One of the main detriments to the Rangers, especially last year, was their defense. Looking to overhaul it, the team traded K'Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes while signing Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year, $49 million contract. Thus far this season, the Rangers have been one of the best defensive teams in the league. The team has averaged just 2.56 goals per game through 18 games, which is the third-lowest in the league. That's one important aspect that Sullivan has improved upon on a game-by-game basis.
To start the season, the Rangers had difficulty scoring, especially at home. Looking for a spark, he called up top prospect Gabe Perreault. At that time, the team also got assistant captain Vincent Trochek back, who had been sidelined since the second game of the season due to injury. Those two moves have sparked the Rangers' offense.
In the team's 6-3 win over the Predators, Perreault notched an assist for his first career point. Trochek, meanwhile, recorded two assists in his return to the lineup. Facing the Lightning, Trocheck had a tremendous game, scoring two goals and recording a plus/minus of +4 in the 7-3 win. Perreault didn't factor onto the stat sheet, but he did have a +1 plus/minus.
There is still a ton of time left in this season. The start of the season had fans thinking about potentially entering sell-mode by the trade deadline. But the Rangers have improved as of late.