What Mike Sullivan’s firing really means for Sidney Crosby’s future in Pittsburgh Penguins

Mike Sullivan getting the boot wasn’t the biggest surprise of the Penguins’ offseason. But what might it lead to? That’s the real story. It’s not about just swapping out a coach. It’s about how that decision hits the guy who's been the face of the franchise for nearly 20 years Sidney Crosby. The bond between coach and captain ran deep. And while Crosby isn’t the type to make a fuss, you have to wonder: could this be the moment he starts questioning how much longer he wants to ride this out in Pittsburgh?

Mike Sullivan’s firing puts spotlight on Sidney Crosby’s future with the Pittsburgh Penguins

At Monday’s press conference, Kyle Dubas stood in front of reporters trying to explain why he chose to cut ties with the most successful coach in Pittsburgh Penguins history. But as things were winding down, someone asked the question that really mattered: was he worried that this move might push Crosby to consider leaving?

“No,” Dubas replied, short and sharp, a rare one-word answer from a guy who usually speaks in paragraphs.

Dubas did say he called Crosby on Sunday to give him a heads-up. “In terms of how he feels about it, I had a five-minute conversation with him before about the fact that we were going to make a change, and we didn’t get into the ins and outs of it,” he explained. “I have to do what I think is best for the organization.” He wouldn’t share any more than that. “I’m not going to speak for Sid.”


Crosby hasn’t said much publicly either — just a short statement to NHL Network, where he thanked Sullivan for his “preparation and commitment to winning,” and said the coach pushed him every day for a decade.

And here’s the thing: this might not be about Sullivan, exactly. It’s about why he’s gone. Rumor is, Sullivan and Dubas weren’t seeing eye to eye on the team’s future. Sullivan wanted to keep pushing. Dubas? He’s talking about “transition” and how just making the playoffs next year would be “a tremendous accomplishment.”

That’s not the kind of timeline you pitch to a 37-year-old Hall of Famer who’s still playing at an elite level.

Last month, Crosby spoke openly about how much the losing has worn on him. Watching longtime teammates get traded, seeing the team fade out of the playoff picture again — it’s been a grind. Dubas admitted as much, saying, “Until we are back contending to win the Stanley Cup, I expect him to be grumpy.”

Dubas says the plan is to build around Crosby, bringing in young players who can grow into a new core. “Him helping them and them helping him is really what the focus is,” he said.

But that only works if those timelines actually sync up.

Crosby’s loyalty has never been in question. He signed an extension. He’s never asked out. He brushed off trade rumors and stayed laser-focused when others were looking for the exits. But you can only run uphill for so long before you start asking where the top is — or if you’re even still climbing.

If Crosby ever does start to consider playing somewhere else, we might look back on the day Mike Sullivan was fired not just as the end of a coaching era — but as the first step toward something nobody in Pittsburgh really wants to think about.

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