PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins hired Mike Johnston in summer 2014 and tasked him with guiding the star-laden roster back to the NHL's elite.
The marriage lasted all of 18 months.
The Penguins fired Johnston and assistant Gary Agnew on Saturday with the high-profile team languishing in the middle of the pack in the crowded Metropolitan Division. Johnston went 58-37-15 during his brief stint with Pittsburgh.
Mike Sullivan, who was head coach of the Boston Bruins from 2003-06 and was serving as the coach of the Penguins' affiliate in the American Hockey League, replaced Johnston. Sullivan will run his first practice with the Penguins on Sunday.