Penguins coach Sullivan takes leave after father dies

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan is taking some time off to be with his family after the death of his father.

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan is taking some time off to be with his family after the death of his father.

George Sullivan, 81 died Saturday in Scituate, Mass.

"The Pittsburgh Penguins offer our deepest sympathy to Mike Sullivan and his family on the passing of Mike's father, George, today," the team released in a statement.

While Mike Sullivan is away on the leave of absence for a few days, assistant coach Jacques Martin will handle the day-to-day duties of the coaching staff.

"When you've got Jacques, he's Mr. Organized. He's an organized as you get," assistant coach Mark Recchi said in a story in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "We'll handle the load until he gets back. It's obviously a very tough time for him. We'll do what we have to do and we'll make sure things run like he would like them run and we'll keep the machine rolling."

Recchi enjoyed celebrating with George Sullivan after the Penguins won Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017.

"He loved the fact that he got to be part of winning two Stanley Cups," Recchi said. "He was still doing pretty well then and was able to really enjoy it. I just remember sitting on a deck out in Sewickley with him, smoking cigars, and he was just loving life. He was very proud of Sully, obviously."

"I still keep pinching myself to make sure it's real," George Sullivan told ESPN.com when his son showed off the Stanley Cup in Boston in 2016. "I've been his biggest fan all his life and I couldn't understand how he wasn't a head coach someplace. Finally, it worked out for him. He's a hard-working kid. He got what he deserved."

Mike Sullivan, who played in the NHL from 1990-2002, became the Penguins head coach in December 2015. His mother, Myrna died that year.