Why the Maple Leafs promoted Steve Sullivan to coaching staff

Steve Sullivan received a nice promotion during the Christmas break.

The Maple Leafs announced on Boxing Day morning that Sullivan, who had been an assistant coach with the Toronto Marlies, has been added as an assistant coach to Craig Berube’s staff.

The move comes four days after the Leafs fired assistant coach Marc Savard, who failed to find anything approaching success with the Leafs’ power play.

When the Leafs resume play on Saturday night at home against the Ottawa Senators, they will do so with the worst power play in the National Hockey League, one that has converted on just 13% (12-for-92) of its opportunities.

It’s expected that Sullivan eventually will take on a greater power-play role with the Leafs. After the Leafs beat the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday in their last game before the Christmas break, Berube clarified that for the time being, it would be a staff approach to running the power play.

One of many issues

Of the several problems that the Leafs have had through their first 36 games of the 2025-26 regular season, the power play is at the top of the list. A dearth of goals with a man advantage has helped put the Leafs in 15th place in the Eastern Conference, five points behind the Florida Panthers for the second wild-card spot and six points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for third place in the Atlantic Division.

It’s a full-circle moment for the 51-year-old Sullivan, a native of Timmins. He played in four seasons with the Leafs, joining the club in February 1997 when he was part of the package that came to Toronto in the trade that sent Doug Gilmour to the New Jersey Devils. In 154 games with the Leafs, Sullivan scored 35 goals and recorded 50 assists. In October 1999, the Chicago Blackhawks claimed Sullivan off waivers from Toronto.

Sullivan’s 16-year NHL career also included stops in Nashville, Pittsburgh and Phoenix. He played in 1,011 games, compiling 747 points, and retired after the 2012-13 season.

Prior to being hired by the Marlies in August 2024, Sullivan was the assistant general manager of the Arizona Coyotes from 2017-21.

tkoshan@postmedia.com

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