After a couple of meetings last week — Tuesday in Pittsburgh and Sunday in Boston — Dubas trusted his gut and decided to end the longest, most successful run by any Penguins coach. Dubas described a conversation at Sullivan’s home Sunday as “amicable” and also conceded he expected Sullivan to have a successful next act behind an NHL bench.

Kyle Dubas has made plenty of unpopular decisions over the last two years as general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins.