Mike Sullivan Wife
Have you met Mike Sullivan wife Kate Sullivanan? Coach Sullivan serves as the head coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins since December 2015 as well as Team USA.
Her husband was born Michael Barry Sullivan on February 27, 1968. As a player he scored 61 goals and recorded 138 points in 141 career college games during four seasons of college hockey at Boston University. After college he played for the Sharks, Flames, Bruins and the Coyotes.
Kate Sullivan
Kate Sullivan, a Registered Nurse and the wife of NHL coach Mike Sullivan, has spent many years supporting her husband’s career while raising their three children: daughters Kaitlin and Kailey, and son Matthew.
Originally from Norwell, Massachusetts, Kate pursued nursing at the University of Boston after graduating from Notre Dame Academy. She is employed at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Plymouth. Despite her husband’s demanding career, Kate has successfully balanced her profession with family life.
Their daughter Kailey attended Duxbury High School and Collingwood School and is currently a student at Boston University. Kaitlin Sullivan also attended Duxbury High School and resides in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Their son, Matthew, attended Boston College High and Bowdoin College and currently lives in Brunswick, Maine.
Mike Sullivan Biography
He was later drafted by the New York Rangers as their fourth pick, 69th overall, in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, though he never signed with them. He began his NHL career in August of 1991 when he signed a free agent contract with the San Jose Sharks after spending one season with the San Diego Gulls of the International Hockey League. Sullivan went on to play 11 seasons in the NHL and scored 54 goals with 136 points in 709 games during his playing career.
Early Coaching Career
Mike Sullivan began his professional coaching career during the 2002–03 season as the head coach of the Providence Bruins in the AHL. In his single season with the team, he led them to an impressive 41–17–9–4 record.
In 2003, Sullivan was hired as the 26th head coach of the Boston Bruins. His first season was a success, as he guided the team to a first-place finish in the Northeast Division with a 41–19–15–7 record and 104 points. However, the Bruins were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Montreal Canadiens. Following the NHL lockout, Sullivan’s second season with Boston was less successful, ending with a 29–37–16 record and no playoff appearance. He was dismissed in June 2006 after finishing last in the division.
Assistant Coaching Roles
Sullivan served as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. The following year, he joined the Tampa Bay Lightning as an assistant coach in May 2007 and was later promoted to associate coach. In July 2009, he became an assistant coach for the New York Rangers, where he remained until 2013.
In July 2013, Sullivan joined the Vancouver Canucks as an assistant coach. He briefly served as interim head coach in January 2014 during John Tortorella’s suspension, leading the team to a win in his debut game. However, both Sullivan and Tortorella were let go by the Canucks in May 2014.
Transition to Development and Return to Coaching
Sullivan worked with the Chicago Blackhawks as a player development coach during the 2014–15 season before returning to head coaching. In June 2015, he was named head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Pittsburgh’s AHL affiliate.
Pittsburgh Penguins Head Coach
On December 12, 2015, Sullivan was promoted to head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins after Mike Johnston’s dismissal. He made history by leading the Penguins to a Stanley Cup victory in June 2016, becoming just the sixth NHL coach to win a championship after being hired mid-season. The following year, Sullivan guided Pittsburgh to another Stanley Cup title, making him the first American-born head coach to win multiple championships and achieving back-to-back titles for the franchise.
In December 2017, Sullivan earned his 100th career win with Pittsburgh and became only the fourth coach in franchise history to reach that milestone. In July 2019, he signed a four-year contract extension with the team. By October 2021, Sullivan became Pittsburgh’s all-time winningest coach with his 253rd victory behind their bench.
Recent Years
Despite his success, Sullivan faced challenges in recent seasons. In April 2023, Pittsburgh missed the playoffs for the first time since 2006 following a disappointing campaign. Nonetheless, Sullivan remains one of the most accomplished coaches in NHL history and continues to lead Team USA at international tournaments while coaching in Pittsburgh.
