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On Monday Mike Sullivan was on the ice at the United Center in Chicago with the Stanley Cup, and three days later he was accepting the head coach position with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Taking a break is the last thing on his mind.

“There will be plenty of time off when I retire. Right now I’m excited to get going with the Penguins,” Sullivan said of his transition from player development coach with Chicago to the ninth head coach of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Sullivan, 47, brings a long list of NHL credentials to the Penguins. He spent 11 years in the NHL as a player, appearing in 709 games from 1991-2002. After that, Sullivan accumulated 13 years of coaching experience in the NHL, highlighted by two seasons as Boston’s head coach and an assistant with Tampa Bay, the New York Rangers and Vancouver.

That experience should be a benefit to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton players trying to work their way up to the NHL.

“My hope is they have a clear understanding that I know what it takes to get there. I’ve been there myself in a lot of capacities,” Sullivan said. “It starts with a competitive spirit on a level that separates them from everyone else.”

While Sullivan’s AHL experience is brief – five games as a player in 1993 and a season as Providence’s head coach in 2002-03, he’s well aware of Wilkes-Barre as an AHL town. Sullivan called Wilkes-Barre/Scranton one of the most sought-after AHL cities in which to play or work in, but that wasn’t all that factored into his decision to become the head coach.

“What I really liked is the commitment the Pittsburgh Penguins have with Wilkes-Barre and the importance of developing players in a winning environment,” Sullivan said. “Pittsburgh knows what happens in Wilkes-Barre matters.”

Sullivan said he will be very hands-on with his players and will hold them all accountable to a standard of expectation. At the same time, Sullivan acknowledged that young players will make mistakes as they develop, and being supportive as a coach is equally important.

Details are also high on Sullivan’s list.

“I’m a big believer in the importance of organization and punctuality,” he said. “I’m not going to waste anyone’s time.”

As far as the style of play he will employ with the Penguins – a team known for its defense under former coach John Hynes, Sullivan acknowledged that defending is important. But he also stressed the value of generating offense from the defense and maximizing the individual skill sets of each player.

While Sullivan’s 25 years in the NHL as a player and coach have allowed him to play and work with numerous head coaches, he said he has incorporated elements from them all into his own style.

One of those influences was John Tortorella, who Sullivan worked with as an assistant for several seasons in New York and Vancouver.

“I was impressed with John’s attention to detail, organizational skills and preparation,” Sullivan said. “But the most important aspect is you have to be yourself.”

Sullivan will spend the next few weeks watching film to become familiar with the players that are returning and he will work on filling out his coaching staff.

There won’t be any down time.

Sullivan is simply too excited to get started with the Penguins and continue living a dream that began years ago.

“I’ve always been a student of the game and even as a player I had coaching on my mind when I retire,” Sullivan said. “I’m excited to bring my knowledge and experience to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and put my stamp on this team.”