On the Devils & Mike Sullivan Rumor

Though Nick Kypreos connected Mike Sullivan with the New Jersey Devils' head coaching vacancy, it's best to temper expectations for now

---

Follow us on Twitter: @AlexC_NJD, @NJD_OnTheRush

---

It's quite early in the offseason for rumors to be percolating, but we did have our first New Jersey Devils rumor this past weekend, and it was a juicy one. It came from Nick Kypreos, who writes for the Toronto Star, and is related to Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan. 

According to Kypreos, there are rumors Sullivan could leave Pittsburgh and that he may have his eyes set on joining the Devils. Here are his exact words:

Rumours of Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan leaving Pittsburgh to join close friend Tom Fitzgerald in New Jersey won’t dissipate. Despite being under contract, it could simply come down to Sullivan’s lack of confidence in GM Dubas’s ability to contend anytime soon.

Hiring Sullivan would be a coup for the Devils. He's a perfect fit for where they are now and would bring much-needed accountability and a winning pedigree to the organization. But how much stock should we put into this report?

Is It Too Good to Be True?

Kypreos was once an insider for Sportsnet, so it's not like he's a nobody. He was the first to report the Devils signing Dougie Hamilton back in 2022 if I recall correctly. 

However, he's not always right. According to Nick Horwat of The Hockey News, Kypreos reported that Jake Guentzel turned down a contract offer from the Penguins. That report turned out to be incorrect, and it doesn't appear that the Penguins and Guentzel ever had serious contract talks before dealing him to the Carolina Hurricanes. 

I would certainly take this report about Sullivan and the Devils from Kypreos with a grain of salt. At the same time, he's not Eklund or @HockeyInsider365 on Twitter. He does have some credibility. 

My guess is there’s *some* validity to this report. It would not shock me if Sullivan is considering leaving the Penguins, given where they are as a franchise. Sidney Crosby turns 37 in August. Evgeni Malkin is already 37 and turns 38 in July, while Kris Letang just turned 37 five days ago. 

The Penguins' window is shutting if it isn't already closed. They've missed the playoffs the last two years, and their ceiling as a Cup contender is at least over. It makes plenty of sense for Sullivan to be looking for a change of scenery.

That's the part I could buy from Kypreos. That Sullivan, who's been the Penguins' coach for almost nine years, may want a change of scenery. It also makes sense if he's interested in the Devils, given all their young talent, and especially if he's good friends with Tom Fitzgerald.