The Toronto Maple Leafs have appointed Steve Sullivan as an assistant coach, the team revealed on Friday. Sullivan transitions to the NHL team from his previous role as an assistant with the Toronto Marlies, the Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate. This move follows the dismissal of assistant coach Marc Savard earlier in the week.
Savard’s departure comes as the Maple Leafs struggle on the power play, ranking at the league’s bottom with only a 13.0% success rate. This has been one of several challenges for Toronto this season, resulting in the team currently occupying the last position in the Atlantic Division, trailing the Buffalo Sabres by three points. It is a stark contrast to their division title win just last year.
Steve Sullivan, aged 51, brings a wealth of experience from his 15-season NHL career, where he amassed 747 points from 1,011 games played, with 290 goals and 457 assists. He has represented various teams over the years, including the New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Phoenix Coyotes.