It may only be mid June, but October 7th is fast approaching.
For the New York Rangers, the 2025-26 National Hockey League will bring plenty of change. This is because it will be the debut of the full new coaching staff after the firing of Peter Laviolette back in May. His replacement? Former Pittsburgh Penguins Head Coach Mike Sullivan, who announced the rest of his coaching staff for the Blueshirts in early June.
One leg up this new coaching staff has — Sullivan, Joe Sacco, David Quinn, and Ty Hennes — compared to others' is that the majority of them already have experience with the Rangers' franchise and each other.
Mike Sullivan's Rangers history
Sullivan spent four seasons (2009–10 through 2012–13) serving as an assistant coach behind the bench under John Tortorella. During this time, he also coached then–Ranger Chris Drury — who would later go on to sign off on his hiring as the President and General Manager of the New York Rangers franchise.
“I would like to welcome Mike back to the Rangers organization, said James L. Dolan, MSG Executive Chairman and CEO. “Mike’s track record and success in the NHL and internationally speaks for itself, and I look forward to seeing him behind the Rangers bench.”
David Quinn's Rangers history
Former Rangers Head Coach David Quinn — who stood behind the bench from 2018-2021 — reunited with Sullivan in Pittsburgh last season. He picked up his first NHL regular season win on Oct. 11, 2018 against the San Jose Sharks.
Quinn was the 35th head coach in franchise history and coached the team for three seasons. He compiled a 96-87-25 record across 208 games.
This stint will hopefully bring redemption for Quinn as a coach behind the Blueshirt bench, as he was fired on May 12, 2021 after the Rangers failed to make the playoffs.
History with each other - following Sullivan's lead
Sacco's announcement is unique in that unlike Quinn and Hennes who are following Sullivan over from Pittsburgh, Sacco is coming under Sullivan's charge after serving as the interim head coach for the Bruins. He also was a finalist for the Jack Adams trophy during his previous tenure as head coach of the Colorado Avalanche.
Two of the three (Quinn and Hennes) are joining the Rangers from the Pittsburgh Penguins alongside their former head coach. In addition to sharing a coaching staff and plans, Quinn and Sullivan also used to be teammates during their college at Boston University. Like Sullivan and Quinn, Hennes also has experience on Boston ice, playing for Boston College in the early 2000s.
For a further breakdown on the full new coaching staff for the Rangers, look no further than Episode Six of the Blue Line Report — featuring Jennifer Streeter and Jake Mozarsky.