Mike Sullivan appreciates time at home, balances keeping Penguins engaged

Mike Sullivan has spent more time working on his pickleball game than Sidney Crosby has on the ice. There’s a much better chance Sullivan is lost in a hardcover novel these days than he’s finding himself immersed in an opponent’s detailed scouting report.

As in most of the rest of the world, work in the NHL is on hiatus during the coronavirus pandemic. So, Sullivan spends evenings in his home’s basement playing billiards against his son, Matthew. During a nicer day, some combination of the Pittsburgh Penguins coach’s wife, two daughters or Matthew might take him outside into the driveway to show him the finer points of the hybrid of tennis and ping-pong that is pickleball.

“We try to stay busy and stay together,” Sullivan said, of his family, during a video call with media early this week, “and have fun through the process.”

Sullivan referred to the additional time with his family as “a silver lining in this,” the “this” being the covid-19 fears that have left most people confined to their homes and the sports world suspended.

This time of year, typically, Sullivan wouldn’t have much quality time with his wife and kids because he’d be so focused on the task at hand of guiding the Penguins to peak for a postseason that was scheduled to begin next week.

Instead, the only time Sullivan is spending with Penguins players, assistant coaches or general manager Jim Rutherford is over video calls. At least, Sullivan maintains, he’s “in constant contact” with all of them.

For management, that means almost daily calls. To players, Sullivan reaches out a couple times per week. The strength and conditioning staff, Sullivan said, are in touch with players “almost daily” to deliver personalized workout regimens designed with each player’s custom needs and resources in mind.

According to a BU profile written on him, Sullivan’s late mother, Myna, was a nurse

In some of his first public comments since covid-19 temporarily shut down the NHL season that Sullivan multiple times made sure he recognized who he calls “the real heroes”https://t.co/eTfdiHdoBe

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) April 1, 2020

“We’re trying to control what we can to keep ourselves ready and keep ourselves engaged in the process,” Sullivan said.

“We’ve had certain discussions as a coaching staff, trying to think through all of the possible scenarios,” Sullivan said. “We have taken this time to try and improve ourselves as a coaching staff. As a head coach, I’ve tried to take some time to self reflect and do some reading and maybe look across other endeavors and other walks of life to see how I can improve as a coach.”

For Sullivan, the method best available — perhaps the only method currently available — for seeking improvement as a hockey coach is through books.

“I enjoy reading, a lot, so I have been doing a lot of it,” Sullivan said. “During the season it’s difficult with the demands on our time as coaches to have the opportunity to do that, so I am trying to maximize it now.”

Probably the most important player Sullivan has to lean on — and vice versa — is his captain and best player, Crosby. According to Sullivan, Crosby has kept in constant touch with his teammates as well as with him.

“When I look at our team and how it operates, Sid sets the standard on and off the ice with his work ethic and his approach to the game,” Sullivan said. “Those of us who have the opportunity to watch him every day, we see how hard he works and how invested he is in helping the Penguins win games. We gain a whole other appreciation for him in circumstances like this.

“Sid sets the standard for us with his work ethic, his example, just staying ready. It’s no different in this circumstance. I know how hard he’s working to keep himself ready. He’s talking to his teammates on a consistent basis to make sure they’re ready. He’s the standard-bearer for our group.”

Keep up with the Pittsburgh Penguins all season long.