CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Mike Sullivan likely will remain coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins, general manager Kyle Dubas said Monday.
Under contract through 2026-27, Sullivan is the longest-tenured coach in Penguins history. He is 409-255-89 in 10 seasons, winning the Stanley Cup his first two after being hired Dec. 12, 2015.
"I think he was very clear with his intentions last week and what he's expressed in our conversations," Dubas said. "So I'll meet with Mike tomorrow and sort through everything."
Pittsburgh qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Sullivan's first seven seasons before missing each of the past three. The Penguins last won a postseason series in 2018.
Sullivan reasserted his commitment Friday.
"My intentions are to be the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins," he said.
The Penguins (34-36-12; 80 points) were seventh in the Metropolitan Division this season, finishing with their fewest point total in an 82-game season since 2005-06 (22-46-12; 58 points).
Dubas will determine if Sullivan, coach of the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off from Feb. 12-20, remains willing to guide Pittsburgh through a transition.
"He's an elite-level coach as he's shown through his time here, as well as for Team USA," Dubas said. "So there's always the point that very few coaches who are in that realm often want to see a team through this, but he's been very open about (that) this is what he wants to do.
"So we'll just continue to reaffirm that and, as long as he's on that side of it, then we'll roll with that."
Dubas was hired as GM and president of hockey operations June 1, 2023. The prospect pool since has been retooled. Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen, rookie forwards acquired in trades, were inserted on the top two lines after being recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on March 28.
In the next three years at the NHL Draft, Pittsburgh has stockpiled 30 picks, including four in the first round and 18 in the first three.
Sullivan complimented the approach.
"I think Kyle's done a really good job in thinking through and strategizing with his hockey operations team on what he thinks is best for the Pittsburgh Penguins with the group that we have," Sullivan said. "So every organization is different, but I know there's been a thorough process that the group has gone through when trying to strategize what the best course of action is for this group.
"And I believe that there is a core group here that is worthy of building around. That's our challenge and that's the process that we're going through right now."
Centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and defenseman Kris Letang, remain the Penguins' core.
Malkin will be 39 years old entering the final season of a four-year contract. Letang, who turns 38 Thursday, had surgery last week to close a small hole in the wall of his heart. Crosby also will be 38.
Surrounding them with young talent is the goal, Dubas said.
"I think if you ask the fan base or even the folks in the room that have followed long enough, if it was the decision to just get back to the playoffs once next year or make the moves that are going to set us up to contend in the long run, and what the city and the fan base has been used to, they would probably choose the latter," Dubas said. "And that's my focus every day. When I say as urgently as possible, I try not to put a timeline on it because I don't want (there) to be a perpetual and evergreen conference when we come in and say 'Ah, we're a year or two or so away.' We're pushing. That's what the organization is used to and what the fans want.
"We just have to stick to a very concise plan and execute our butts off, that's for sure."
Sullivan has said patience is required.
On Friday, Crosby said it was difficult watching players across the League prepare for the playoffs. He led Pittsburgh with 91 points (33 goals, 58 assists) in 80 games of his 20th season.
The Penguins captain skated at their practice facility Monday. He would like to return to contention as soon as possible, but Dubas said that won't impact the process.
"Sid is going to want to win every single thing he does," Dubas said. "He was on the ice here today. He's in some competition with whoever he can get to go on the ice with him. He wants to win everything he does every single day that he does it. Until we are back contending to win the Stanley Cup, I expect him to be grumpy. I expect him to express the toll that he explained to everybody in the room. That's who he is.
"That's what makes him able to perform the way he does at 37, 38, who knows for however many years? I'm not going to put a timeline on it. Talk about not putting timelines, that one you probably never should, unless you want to lose because that's another competition for him. ... I don't know about showing proof of concept. I think we have to just execute the plan as we have been really since last March."
