The New York Rangers season is coming to a close, and with the last remaining games being played this week, it is time to prepare for the summer. Baseball, barbecues, and breakdowns of the previous season at hand will be the focus pretty soon.
One of the evaluations to think about, although it might seem silly to really think about it too hard, is about head coach Mike Sullivan. Particularly with his designation as a win-now coach, and the Rangers themselves are going into a retool phase again. Is Sullivan the right coach to have right now?
Seat is cool, but not ice cold
This isn't a clickbait thought, but trends around the league just highlight how teams are being more cutthroat and less patient. For Sullivan, there is a highly unlikely chance that he will be let go this summer. In fact, it would be more of a shock factor than both Patrick Roy on Long Island and Bruce Cassidy in Vegas, combined.
But, alluding to those two firings in particular, the NHL has established itself as a battleground on multiple levels. On the ice, and behind the bench, nobody is safe from bloodshed. The Rangers have missed the playoffs two years in a row, although just one of those was under Sullivan's watch.
This season was not what the fans wanted, nor was it what the players expected. Unfortunately, time does not go backward, so now is time for reflection and resolution. Sullivan's evaluation will read that he is the right coach for the job going forward, but it will be unfamiliar territory for him. Just as quickly as the Islanders and Golden Knights acted, so too could the Rangers as they go down the Letter 2.0 road and try and turn it around.
Sullivan will have chance to make his mark on roster, and have a team that he can win with
The only real saving grace here is that Sullivan can pick the team he wants for the future, and not the one he inherited. Artemi Panarin is gone, Vincent Trocheck might be next, and that leaves a lot of salary cap space to work with. Not to mention that increase of that cap on July 1 which could bring new opportunities for the Rangers.
As the summer goes along, there will be more coaches being fired and, consequently, hired, all over the NHL. But, if there is one place to watch, it is the Rangers, and what President and General Manager Chris Drury decides to do. It will likely be nothing, and Sullivan will be directing behind the bench come October, but never say never.
That this is even a thought just speaks to how much the team underwhelmed this season, and if things trend the same way next season, it could lead to some uncomfortable conversations.