On Friday, USA Hockey announced that Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan will be assistant coach for Team USA at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Along with Sullivan, John Hynes, Phil Housley, Jack Capuano and Scott Gordon will also act as assistant coaches under head coach John Tortorella.
Sullivan has previously served as assistant coach under Tortorella for seven seasons with the New York Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vancouver Canucks, shaping Sullivan’s coaching skills into what they are today.
Tortorella’s coaching style is described as ‘abrasive,’ pushing players to achieve their best. However, this is achieved through Tortorella’s desire to get to know and understand his players, something that many allot to his success.
Similarly, Sullivan has a booming voice and take-control manners that allow him gain the trust of his players and become noticed among NHL staff and coaches. On top of that, he allows his offensive players more freedom, focusing on defense and power plays. His main focus, however, is on skating, accounting for speed and accuracy of his team.
Sullivan has a rich history with USA Hockey, acting as assistant coach for Team USA at the 2006 Olympic Winter Games and the 2008 IIHF Men’s World Championship, as well as acting as head coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2007 IIHF Men’s World Championship.
Sullivan has played for the U.S. at the 1988 IIHF World Junior Championship and the 1997 IIHF Men’s World Championship, as well as playing 11 seasons with four teams in the NHL.
As far as coaching goes, Sullivan spent 2003-06 as head coach of the Boston Bruins, assistant coach with the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers, and the Vancouver Canucks, and acted as the player development coach for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2014-15, helping to lead them to a Stanley Cup win that season.
The 2016 World Cup will be played Sept. 17 through Oct. 1 in Toronto, the first World Cup of Hockey since 2004. The game will feature eight teams: Canada, U.S., Europe, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, North America and Sweden.
The preliminary round of the game will consist of all eight teams separated into two different groups, running from Sept. 17-22. The top two finishers in each group will advance to the semifinals which will be played from September 24-25. The winners from the semifinals will meet in a best-of-three final, played Sept. 27, 29, and if needed, Oct. 1.
Before the World Cup kicks off, all eight teams will hold training camps beginning September 4-5. Each team will play three pre-tournament games, held in locations across North America and Europe.
