Rangers’ Mike Sullivan capitalizes on once-uncertain Olympic chance with legacy-cementing win

· New York Post

MILAN — Mike Sullivan walked into the official news conference room after the gold medal game at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics and shivered.

His perfectly pressed, white button-down shirt was soaked and wrinkled with some sort of alcohol, sticking to his body underneath. Drops of bubbly plopped off the front of his hair.

The Rangers head coach was clearly wet and freezing after what was presumably an ecstatic USA locker room celebrating its first gold medal in 46 years.

“Obviously, this game — in a lot of ways — was an inspiration to our country,” Sullivan said after the Americans’ 2-1 win in overtime. “I can’t tell you how many texts I’ve received over the last day or so about watch parties at eight o’ clock in the morning. I think, from a viewership standpoint in the United States, there were a lot of people paying attention.”

Sullivan, who got an Olympic-sized victory for his 58th birthday coming up on Friday, became just the third American coach in history to lead the U.S. men’s hockey team to a gold medal.

Joining Jack Riley of the 1960 squad and the legendary Herb Brooks from the 1980 Miracle on Ice team, the veteran bench boss cemented his own legacy in the USA hockey world in gold.

In his second Olympics, this was a whole different experience for Sullivan.

The first time around, he served as an assistant coach under Peter Laviolette at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy, where Team USA finished in eighth place.

Mike Sullivan celebrates after Team USA won the gold-medal game against Canada on Feb. 22. AP

At the time, Sullivan was closer to his playing career than he was to an established head coaching gig.

Doubt crept in, of course, when the NHL decided not to send its players to the Olympics in Beijing in 2022.

Sullivan wasn’t sure if USA hockey would bestow the responsibilities on him again.

It was just another uncertainty that made the entire situation extremely disappointing.

Twenty years after Turin, Sullivan returned to Italy as the head man in charge.

Mike Sullivan is pictured during the gold-medal game against Canada on Feb. 22. REUTERS

Under Sullivan, the U.S. had an unshakeable mentality.

The Blueshirts coach knew all the right buttons to push.

2026 WINTER OLYMPICS

The message that stuck with his players the most?

The fact that they had an opportunity to join an incredibly short list of Americans who have won gold in hockey.

Sullivan emerged victorious while going up against one of the other well-respected coaches in the NHL.

“It’s hard to reflect this soon after the game,” Canada coach Jon Cooper said. “We asked this group to come in here and grow as a team. And we came here to play six games and get better each game. I didn’t think we could play better after the Finnish game and they proved me wrong. I thought it was a flawless performance by a group of players that gave nothing but red and white for three periods-plus of hockey. I couldn’t be more proud of the group. They did everything we asked of them and more. Executed our plan.

“Just some days it’s just not meant to be. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be today, but it wasn’t because this team stubbed their toe. They were exceptional.”