For years, Mike Sullivan has been a division rival of the New York Rangers, coaching the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Now, Sullivan is on the other side of the aisle, as the Rangers hired him to be their 38th head coach in franchise history during the offseason.
While Sullivan has been to Madison Square Garden on numerous occasions, he admitted that it will feel a little bit different entering the world’s most famous arena in his new role.
“Madison Square Garden is a special place,” Sullivan said. “No matter what side you play on, whenever you have a chance at playing at Madison Square Garden, it’s a unique environment. I think it will be a much friendlier environment when you are on the right side of it I guess and I look forward to that. There’s always great energy in the building.
“It’s a passionate fanbase, they love hockey, they love the Rangers, and they want to see the Rangers have success. It’s a little bit of a double-edge sword because when the Rangers don’t have success, they could be hard on us and deservingly so. We welcome the opportunity to play in front of the fanbase that’s here. This franchise is such a storied franchise with the history that has been built, and the fan base is a huge part of that. It really is a unique place to have the opportunity to play in.”
Mike Sullivan Confirms Artemi Panarin Is Alright Despite Dealing With Injury
Artemi Panarin is not yet ready to practice as he’s still dealing with a lower-body injury.
Last season when the Rangers struggled to win games, Madison Square Garden was a somber place to be, with fans booing the team on what seemed like a nightly basis.
It’s a new beginning for the Rangers and Sullivan brings new life to not only the team but the entire fan base.
Sullivan will be tasked not only with bringing the Rangers back into playoff contention but also with reinvigorating a fan base that is in dire need of hope and excitement.
We’ll see if he can bring Madison Square Garden back to life.
Comments are closed.