Mike Sullivan
Founding Member
Mike Sullivan is starting his first year as the Assistant Coach of the New York
Rangers after serving as an assistant coach under John Tortorella with Tampa Bay
during the 2007-08 season.
Sullivan began his coaching career when he was named the Head Coach of the Providence
Bruins on July 29th, 2002. Under his watch, Providence captured its third division
title as the Bruins won the North Division with a 44-20-11-5 record and 104 points
last season. They ranked third overall in the AHL in offense with 268 goals and
were the only team in the league with six 20-goal scorers. The club also established
a new franchise record with a 19-game home unbeaten streak from Dec. 6-Feb. 23 at
16-0-3-0. Sullivan’s record behind the Providence bench was 41-17-9-4 through March
20, when he was promoted to Boston as an assistant coach under current Vice President
and General Manager Mike O'Connell. Boston went 3-3-3-0 in the nine remaining regular
season games before being eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion New Jersey
Devils in five games during the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Sullivan returned
to Providence following the NHL playoffs and was behind the bench for the final
three games of Providence’s four-game series loss to Manitoba in the AHL playoffs.
On August 31st, 2005 Sullivan was named Assistant Coach for the Men's Ice Hockey Team which
competed at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy. He most recently served as
the Head Coach for the US Squad at the 2007 IIHF World Championships and as Associate
Coach for Team USA at the 2008 IIHF World Championships.
Sullivan, a native of Marshfield, Mass., played four seasons of college hockey at
Boston University from 1986-87 through 1989-90. The center scored 61 goals and 77
assists for 138 points and 104 penalty minutes in 141 career college games and was
captain of the Terriers as a senior. He was drafted by the New York Rangers as their
fourth pick, 69th overall, in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, but never signed with the
Rangers. He turned professional in 1990, playing the 1990-91 season with San Diego
of the International Hockey League under the tutelage of O’Connell. Sullivan signed
with the San Jose Sharks as a free agent in August 1991, beginning his 11-year NHL
career. He played two-plus seasons with the Sharks before going to Calgary in January
1994, where he played the next three-plus seasons with the Flames. During his time
in Calgary, he recorded his best offensive season with nine goals and 12 assists
for 21 points over 81 games in 1995-96. He was traded to his hometown Bruins in
June 1997 and played one season in Boston, scoring five goals and 13 assists for
18 points and 34 penalty minutes in 77 games during 1997-98. Sullivan was claimed
by Nashville in the 1998 NHL Expansion Draft, but was traded to Phoenix on June
30, 1998 and played his final four NHL seasons with the Coyotes until his retirement
as a player following the 2001-02 season.