The Pittsburgh Penguins unconventional hierarchy could cause tension between their leaders.

Head coaches in the NHL share many qualities, but longevity is not one of them. Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan is one of few coaches to establish himself as one of the safest in the league.

Sullivan signed a three-year extension with the Penguins in 2022 when he still had two years remaining on his contract (that extension kicks in next season). Beyond that, he has been a constant through an ownership change and three different front-office leadership groups.

Even with six seasons separating Sullivan from his last playoff series victory and two consecutive missed postseasons, the hot seat seemingly eludes the Penguins bench boss. A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Sullivan holds significant influence within the organization.

According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, that influence has led to a power struggle between him and Penguins President of Hockey Ops and General Manager Kyle Dubas.

“My understanding is there’s a bit of a power struggle ongoing between Kyle Dubas and Mike Sullivan,” Seravalli said. “Kyle Dubas would like to make changes to the coaching staff in the assistants, and Mike Sullivan has been resistant to that.”

If Sullivan is flexing his influence to keep Todd Reirden and Mike Vellucci, it brings into question the hierarchy of the Penguins organization.

Sullivan going to bat for Reirden and Vellucci, who have helped lead the Penguins to two first-round defeats and two missed postseasons since being hired in 2020, makes sense. Sullivan is known for his loyalty, sometimes to a fault.

Outside of listening to the opinions of Sullivan, Dubas should be able to pull the trigger on changes if he sees fit. There should be no room for a power struggle between the President of Hockey Ops and the head coach.

Sullivan earned that influence with the Penguins early on. However, his lack of recent success and his continued influence over decision-making are a recipe for disaster if not addressed.

The extent of this rift is unknown, but Sullivan's influence and general comfort in his position could lead to more issues in the future for the Penguins.

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