Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan will be on the bench for Team USA at the Winter Olympic Games and 4 Nations Face-Off.
USA Hockey named Sullivan as head coach for the men’s national team at the two tournaments on Saturday.
Sullivan has coached the Penguins for the past nine seasons, winning back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017.
“I am beyond grateful to have the opportunity to coach Team USA in these two significant international events,” Sullivan said in a release. “It’s been amazing to see the progress we’ve made in hockey in our country over the course of my career. I am honoured to lead our best players and I look forward to the challenge that lies ahead.”
The former centre began his coaching career right after retiring as a player, when he joined the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League as head coach for the 2002-03 season. He was hired as head coach by the Boston Bruins the following season and served for two years on their bench.
Sullivan worked as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks as well as a player development coach with the Chicago Blackhawks before joining the Penguins organization in 2015.
After a short stint as head coach with their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Sullivan moved up to the NHL club on Dec. 12, 2015, when the team fired Mike Johnston. Sullivan found immediate success guiding the Penguins to the Stanley Cup during his first season.
“We’re excited to have Mike guiding our teams,” general manager Bill Guerin said in a release. “He is one of the very best coaches in the game and his background, including with international hockey, is well-suited to help put our team in the best position to win.”
Sullivan was also an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy, and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto.
The 4 Nations Face-Off is slated for Feb. 12-20, 2025, featuring teams from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the U.S. The Olympic Winter Games are set for Feb. 6-22, 2026 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
The U.S. has not earned a medal in men’s hockey at the Olympic Winter Games since earning silver in 2010. The team lost in the bronze medal game to Finland in 2014 — the most recent time NHL players have participated in the Olympic Winter Games.
