Penguins at the 4 Nations Face-Off: A Guide

UNITED STATES: Mike Sullivan, David Quinn, Madison Nikkel

Pittsburgh’s head coach will be the bench boss for Team USA, which should be an extremely beneficial experience heading into the 2026 Olympics, where Sullivan will lead that group as well.

“It will be a talented group that I think can compete against any team in any environment with their speed, their skill, their size... there's abrasiveness, there's defensive conscience, there's dynamically offensive players,” Sullivan said. “But as I've said all along, every team is going to have talent. Talent alone isn't going to win the tournament, we don't think. I think our challenge is to become a team, and I'm incredibly honored to be the coach of this team, and so looking forward to the opportunity to compete with these guys.”

Team USA GM Bill Guerin spent several years in hockey operations with Pittsburgh, watching as Sullivan helped steer the Penguins to a pair of Stanley Cup championships.

“Mike is a real leader,” said Guerin, now GM of the Minnesota Wild. “You know what, he can command the room. When he goes in and he speaks to the players, it’s direct, it’s honest. He communicates very well with the players, I’ve seen it firsthand. Obviously, he’s an excellent coach, but I think the thing that really impresses me about Mike is his leadership and his communication with the players.”

READ MORE: Sullivan Thankful for New Opportunity to Lead Team USA to Olympic Gold

Penguins assistant coach David Quinn, who has overseen the resurgence of Pittsburgh's power play in his first year with the club, is an assistant coach for Team USA. Penguins video coach Madison Nikkel is serving in that same role for Team USA.