Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan spoke prior to Saturday night’s rematch with the Pittsburgh Penguins…

On Zibanejad sliding back to center

Mika Zibanejad looked strong on the wing over the first two games of the season. 

While he didn’t reach the scoresheet, he did record eight shots on goal. 

Most importantly, he was able to carryover that late-season chemistry with J.T. Miller. 

But with Vincent Trocheck now week-to-week with an upper-body injury, Zibanejad will be forced to slide back over to center the top pairing for the time being. 

Though Sullivan had options, he felt this was the necessary move in the lineup. 

“I think we need balance,” he said. “We need to give some of our other offensive people a center iceman that can think about the game at their level and give them an opportunity to set them up for success.

“When we have J.T. and Mika in our top center spots, and we surround them with some of the people that we have that we think are gifted offensively, those two guys can think the game along those terms — so I just think the balance part of it is an important element.”

Zibanejad will skate between Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere, while Miller will center Will Cuylle and Conor Sheary.

On his return to Pittsburgh

Saturday’s contest will mark Sullivan’s return to Pittsburgh. 

Sullivan had spent the past 10 seasons behind the Pens’ bench before leaving this summer. 

The team’s production dipped over the past few seasons, the 57-year-old still departed with the most wins in franchise history (753) and a pair of Stanley Cup victories.

Sullivan admitted it is a bit weird returning to PPG Paints Arena for the first time as a visitor. 

“Being on the opposite side, it’s not something I’ve given a lot of thought to,” he said. “I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had here coaching the Penguins for the amount of time that I was able to do it — we had a lot of good memories and I am grateful for that.”

Sullivan’s still not sure how he’ll react if he receives a welcome back video tribute. 

Once the action gets underway, though, he’s just focused on securing two points.

“When the puck drops we’re gonna do everything we can to try to win,” he said. “I’m excited about the group we have here, they are a great group of guys, I’ve really enjoyed the time I’ve had with them to this point. We have a lot of enthusiasm around our team right now, and we’re excited about what we can potentially be moving forward.”