Bruins relieve Mike Sullivan of coaching duties
Tuesday, 06.27.2006 / 12:00 AM
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Boston Bruins
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The Boston Bruins announced today that Mike Sullivan has been relieved of his duties as Head Coach of the team. The announcement was made by Bruins Interim General Manager Jeff Gorton.
"Peter (Chiarelli) had not met Mike prior to coming to Boston and he felt that it was incumbent upon him to get to know Mike (Sullivan) before making a decision on the coaching situation," said Gorton. "Mike went to Ottawa a couple of weeks ago and they had a good discussion about the game and how it needed to be played in order to have success. Peter advised Mike that he would be talking to other candidates. He went through that process and his decision was that at this time we are better served to have a clean slate.”
“Peter communicated to us that he has talked to candidates and expects to give us his decision on a new head coach in the near future,” continued Gorton.
Sullivan, 38, became the 26th coach in Bruins history on June 23, 2003. The team had a 70-56-15-23 record and .543 win percentage over his two seasons behind the Boston bench, including a 41-19-15-7 record during his first season in 2003-04, the top record in the Northeast Division and the second-best record in the Eastern Conference that season. The club’s record last season was 29-37-16.
The native of Marshfield, MA played four seasons of college hockey at Boston University from 1986-87 through 1989-90 and was drafted by the NY Rangers in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. He enjoyed an 11-year career in the National Hockey League with San Jose, Calgary, Boston and Phoenix with 54-82=136 totals and 203 penalty minutes in 709 career NHL games.
Sullivan began his coaching career as the head coach for Boston’s American Hockey League affiliate in Providence in 2002-03 and won a Northern Division title with a 44-20-11 record that season which included a club-record 19-game home unbeaten streak. Near the end of that season, he was promoted to Boston as an assistant under interim coach Mike O’Connell for the final nine games of the regular season and playoffs. He also served as an assistant coach with Team USA at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy.
"Peter (Chiarelli) had not met Mike prior to coming to Boston and he felt that it was incumbent upon him to get to know Mike (Sullivan) before making a decision on the coaching situation," said Gorton. "Mike went to Ottawa a couple of weeks ago and they had a good discussion about the game and how it needed to be played in order to have success. Peter advised Mike that he would be talking to other candidates. He went through that process and his decision was that at this time we are better served to have a clean slate.”
“Peter communicated to us that he has talked to candidates and expects to give us his decision on a new head coach in the near future,” continued Gorton.
Sullivan, 38, became the 26th coach in Bruins history on June 23, 2003. The team had a 70-56-15-23 record and .543 win percentage over his two seasons behind the Boston bench, including a 41-19-15-7 record during his first season in 2003-04, the top record in the Northeast Division and the second-best record in the Eastern Conference that season. The club’s record last season was 29-37-16.
The native of Marshfield, MA played four seasons of college hockey at Boston University from 1986-87 through 1989-90 and was drafted by the NY Rangers in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. He enjoyed an 11-year career in the National Hockey League with San Jose, Calgary, Boston and Phoenix with 54-82=136 totals and 203 penalty minutes in 709 career NHL games.
Sullivan began his coaching career as the head coach for Boston’s American Hockey League affiliate in Providence in 2002-03 and won a Northern Division title with a 44-20-11 record that season which included a club-record 19-game home unbeaten streak. Near the end of that season, he was promoted to Boston as an assistant under interim coach Mike O’Connell for the final nine games of the regular season and playoffs. He also served as an assistant coach with Team USA at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy.
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