Somewhere on a deck in suburban Boston, Mike Sullivan will someday enjoy a stogie, a Guinness and reflect upon what his team has been able to accomplish. But for now — nine days after the Penguins' quest for three straight Stanley Cup championships ended in a Game 6 loss to Washington in the second round — the coach says "it hurts."
"I hate losing," he said. "Sometimes I think that I hate losing more than I enjoy winning. So you can imagine how I have felt over the last week as I've tried to digest a different type of losing, one that leaves you with an empty feeling."
That was just part of what Sullivan wrote in a 1,621-word letter to Penguins fans that was posted on the team's website late Wednesday afternoon. Having covered nearly every Sullivan press conference over the past season, it doesn't appear to be ghost-written, either. This is authentic Sully, and it is heartfelt:
No one hates losing more than Mike Sullivan (just ask his wife).
The team didn't reach their ultimate goal this season, but Coach Sullivan has come to appreciate the many ways the Penguins have accomplished excellence.
Thank You, Pittsburgh: https://t.co/9ODE1B97t8 pic.twitter.com/4ofnk7ikZE
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 16, 2018
In the letter, Sullivan thanked everyone from Penguins ownership to Pittsburgh fans for their support over the past season and vowed to come back even better for it in 2018-19.
"We can't wait to see you in September. 120 days. Just over 17 weeks," Sullivan's letter concludes. "It seems long, but the echo of your cheers will be loud enough for me to hear until we meet again."