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New York Times
3 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Penguins' Kyle Dubas eyes trade market over free agency this offseason
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Kyle Dubas entertained one draft prospect after another on Friday, speaking with the likes of Porter Martone, Kashawn Aitcheson and Jackson Smith in the restaurant at the NHL Draft Combine. The draft is June 27-28. A few days later, the unrestricted free agency signing period opens on July 1. Advertisement Dubas, who now has a head coach in Dan Muse, has something else on his mind. Trade season is fast approaching, too. Dubas spoke on Friday afternoon about the potential of being aggressive sooner rather than later. 'I would say that, probably with the UFA stuff (the July 1 signing period), we're probably not (going to be aggressive) unless there's someone young enough who maybe deserves a little bit more term,' he said. That doesn't mean Dubas is going to stand pat. Dubas said the Penguins have been contacted about potential trades. 'It's similar to the trade deadline,' Dubas started. 'The usual suspects are receiving all of the calls and interests.' It's no secret that teams covet some of the Penguins' veterans, and Dubas shed some light on his plans in that regard. 'There are teams that have been rebuilding for a while that are looking to take steps,' he said. 'They are interested. That's potentially a good fit with us.' Dubas and the Penguins have a bushel of draft picks and several veterans they're willing to trade. In return, they hope to acquire young, talented players who, for whatever reason, are no longer proper fits on their current teams. If the Penguins are aggressive in the next month, it's likely to be on the trade market more than in free agency. 'Yeah,' Dubas said, confirming that he'll potentially be busy on the trade market. 'Trade, (then) sign guys for longer range (after they've been acquired). UFA isn't a good place to find good value.' Not only is Dubas interested in talented, young players, but he's keeping an eye on teams in salary cap hell. He took advantage of that last season, when he made a couple of deals with Barry Trotz and the Nashville Predators. 'I think what is more likely is teams in cap difficulty looking for someone older,' he said. 'If they have younger guys available, those younger guys can fit with what we're trying to do.' Advertisement Penguins fans are eager for Dubas to hit the restricted free agent market, which the St. Louis Blues notably and impressively utilized against the Edmonton Oilers last season. 'Especially after last season with the success that Doug (Armstrong) had,' Dubas said. 'It was a perfect storm, a flat cap.' The salary cap is rising significantly this summer. 'I don't think you're going to see as much of it this year,' said Dubas, who strongly implied the Penguins won't be going after any restricted free agents. The Penguins have five restricted free agents on their roster, including Conor Timmins, P.O Joseph, Connor Dewar, Philip Tomasino and Vasiliy Ponomarev. 'We've had some discussions with some agents,' Dubas said. 'We have pro meetings coming up Monday in Pittsburgh. We'll sort through where we're at. You also get great insights from agents and other teams about how things are going to shake loose (while being at the combine). It better informs your decisions, how far you want to go with certain guys, arbitration cases. Are players at the same ability available for less money?' One player apparently won't be available. Ponomarev, who played briefly for the Penguins and for much of the season in AHL Wilkes-Barre during the 2024-25 campaign, likely will play next season in the KHL. 'That's my understanding, yes,' Dubas said. 'He switched agents once or twice. Negotiated his own deal over there. He's young. We'll watch him. We weren't going to promise him anything. He got a lot of opportunities with us. We'll just keep watching him. It is what it is. It's business.' The Penguins, who still own his NHL rights, weren't blown away by him in his brief stint in Pittsburgh. 'When he came up last year, before the trade with Carolina, he played with a lot more pace there,' Dubas said in reference to Ponomarev's NHL debut with the Hurricanes before he was traded to Pittsburgh in the Jake Guentzel deal. 'Obviously, it's a different environment. Carolina was at a different point in its evolution. It's the way it goes sometimes.' Advertisement Dubas said the combine doesn't really have any influence on which players the Penguins will ultimately pick in the draft. Rather, he simply likes getting to know the players who might someday become Penguins. 'I think, more than anything, if you end up drafting some of these guys, you get a feel for who they are,' he said. 'There's some familiarity when they come to your building for development camp July 3. It helps you develop relationships.'
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Time of India
With Mike Sullivan gone and Dan Muse in, Sidney Crosby's loyalty faces the ultimate test amid Pittsburgh's fading legacy
The Pittsburgh Penguins are entering the 2025-26 NHL season with more questions than answers. Longtime head coach Mike Sullivan is gone, replaced by newcomer Dan Muse. After three straight seasons without playoff hockey, all eyes are on Sidney Crosby and whether the veteran captain still believes in the team he's led for nearly two decades. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Surprise coaching change puts Crosby 's future with Penguins in question Mike Sullivan's move to the New York Rangers marks the end of an era in Pittsburgh. His departure signals more than a coaching change, it raises serious doubts about the Penguins' future. In his place, the franchise has turned to Dan Muse, a coach with no NHL head coaching experience. For a team desperate to win, it's a risky move. Sidney Crosby, now 37, remains the heartbeat of the Penguins. But the franchise's recent struggles including three consecutive playoff misses have tested even his unwavering loyalty. He's never asked for a trade, never publicly questioned the direction. But with time running out on his Hall of Fame career, the pressure to chase one final Stanley Cup is building. Insiders believe Crosby is being asked tough questions behind the scenes not by fans, but by those closest to him. NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman recently said he believes Crosby is loyal to the Penguins crest but admits this coaching change could make the veteran pause and reflect. Adding to the uncertainty, Sullivan isn't heading to New York alone. He's bringing former Penguins assistants David Quinn and Ty Hennes with him, along with ex-Bruins interim coach Joe Sacco. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, must rebuild its staff from the ground up, all while convincing Crosby to stay committed. For Dan Muse, the task ahead is enormous. He's not just managing a locker room, he's stepping into a leadership void, trying to inspire belief in a team that hasn't had much to celebrate lately. Earning Crosby's trust will be his first and most important challenge. Also Read: The Penguins aren't just starting a new chapter. They're trying to hold on to their legacy and the player who defines it. Whether that legacy continues to include Sidney Crosby may depend on how quickly Muse can steady the ship.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bruins last team standing in coach search after Penguins make hire
The Boston Bruins now stand along as the final team to fill their coaching vacancy after the Pittsburgh Penguins announced they hired Dan Muse on Wednesday. Boston has been busy conducting interviews and narrowing down its list, but still has yet to make a decision. Advertisement While it's unclear who will be the next coach, a recent report from SportsNet's Elliotte Friedman indicated it won't be Joe Sacco — who took over for Jim Montgomery after the Bruins fired him in November. 'Joe Sacco was told he will not stay as the head coach of the Boston Bruins,' Friedman said on '32 Thoughts.' The Athletic's Fluto Shinzawa reported that Jay Leach is among the finalists for the position after his in-person interview at Warrior Ice Arena last week. Leach was an assistant coach for the Bruins last season and was in charge of defense. Before that, he spent three years with the Seattle Kraken after he was coach of the Providence Bruins for four seasons. Ontario Reign coach and former Bruins forwardMarco Sturm and Washington Capitals assistant Mitch Loveare also Fourth Period's David Pagnottaadded that former Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft is also among those still in contention. Advertisement General manager Don Sweeney told the Boston Herald's Steve Conroy that he expects to have a coach in place 'well before' the NHL Entry Draft, which begins on June 27. While it's unclear when a decision will be made, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported he expects a decision to be made this week. More Bruins content Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
From Stonehill to the NHL: Pittsburgh Penguins name Canton's Dan Muse head coach
The Pittsburgh Penguins' coaching search led them right back to the South Shore. Can't blame them for dipping into that well again. Marshfield's Mike Sullivan spent 10 seasons behind the Pens' bench, winning 409 regular-season games and guiding them to Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. The former BC High and Boston University star parted ways with the team this spring after a third straight non-playoff campaign. Advertisement On Wednesday, Pittsburgh announced Sullivan's successor -- New York Rangers assistant Dan Muse, who grew up in Canton (as well as Northern California and Alabama, among other places), played at Stonehill College in Easton, and got his coaching start at Milton Academy in 2005. Nashville Predators head coach John Hynes talks with assistant coach Dan Muse, right, during the first period against the Boston Bruins at Bridgestone Arena on Jan. 7, 2020. Muse, 42, becomes the third active NHL head coach with ties to Ledgerland. Sullivan wasn't out of work long, taking the Rangers' job on May 2. And Marshfield product Ryan Warsofsky, who played at both Marshfield High (he was a Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic) and Cushing Academy, will be entering his second season with the San Jose Sharks in the 2025-26 season. Warsofsky also served as the U.S. coach for this spring's IIHF World Championship, leading the Americans to their first gold medal since 1960. Muse becomes the 23rd head coach in Penguins' history. Advertisement "During this process, we met with many candidates who we felt would have been a fit as the next head coach of the Penguins, but ultimately, Dan Muse stood out as the best choice. What separated Dan was his ability to develop players, win at all levels where he has been a head coach and his consistent success coaching special teams in the NHL," President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas said in a statement. "From his success in developing college and junior players, to his impactful work with veteran players during his time in the NHL, Dan has shown a proven ability to connect with players at all stages of their careers and help them to reach their potential." "Additionally, his leadership of special teams units at the NHL level in both Nashville and New York produced elite results consistently. His overall body of work, attention to detail and vision for our group showed us that he is the best coach to take our team forward. We're excited to welcome Dan, and his family, to the city of Pittsburgh." Nov 26, 2017; Raleigh, NC, USA; Nashville Predators assistant coach Dan Muse talks to the players during the time out during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanesat PNC Arena. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Nashville Predators 4-3 in the shoot out on Nov. 26, 2017. Muse has 20 years of coaching experience, including five seasons in the NHL as an assistant coach with the New York Rangers (2023-25) and Nashville Predators (2017-20). He also coached in college, including a stint at Yale as an assistant (2009-14) and associate head coach (2015), helping the Bulldogs win the 2013 national title, ironically in the Penguins' building. He also coached at Sacred Heart University (2008-09) and Williams College (2007-08). Advertisement Between his college and NHL days, he served as the head coach of the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League from 2015-17. Chicago won the franchise's first-ever Clark Cup Championship under his watch in 2016-17. Muse played four seasons at Division III Stonehill beginning in 2001-02. He recorded 5 goals and 6 assists over 61 games. "You have to believe in yourself, you have to believe in what you do," Muse is quoted as saying in a story by Taylor Haase of "When you've done everything you can do to prepare, you go into anything with more confidence. ... I've always been coaching higher levels than I played. Always. Every level I've coached has been a higher level than I played. I was probably more intimidated going into the locker room for the first time at Sacred Heart, coaching Division I (than going into the Predators locker room). Advertisement "I wasn't just a D3 player, I was a bad D3 player," Must continued. "Those stats, those were padded stats! I had a couple of phantom assists in there! Those weren't even real, worse than that! But it's like, I've always been doing that. It's not new to me. I know what I was as a player, I shouldn't have even been a D3 player. That was part of my journey. You have to take that same approach and put it into coaching. Put in the work. Go in there, be confident, and be proud of what you present." This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Canton's Dan Muse, who played at Stonehill, to coach NHL's Penguins
Globe and Mail
2 days ago
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Penguins name Dan Muse as new head coach
The Pittsburgh Penguins are trying to navigate their way through the twilight of the Sidney Crosby era to the dawn of whatever comes next. It's a transition general manager Kyle Dubas has repeatedly said will not be easy, or particularly quick, and would require a coach who can connect with veterans while simultaneously developing young talent. Enter Dan Muse, who has spent the last two decades dabbling in the former and excelling in the latter. Dubas hired the 42-year-old Muse as Pittsburgh's coach on Wednesday, tasking the former New York Rangers assistant with helping the Penguins find their way back to relevance after three straight springs spent with their noses pressed to the glass while the Stanley Cup playoffs went on with them. Muse replaces Mike Sullivan, who split with Pittsburgh in April after a nearly decade-long tenure that included back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. The Rangers scooped up Sullivan in early May. Sullivan's departure was amicable. He even took out a billboard in Pittsburgh last week thanking the city. In New York, Sullivan will find a more experienced roster ready to win now. That won't be the case for Muse in Pittsburgh. The seventh of the eight coaching vacancies filled this offseason — Muse's hiring leaves the Boston Bruins as the only club still searching — is walking into a job that will require patience, prodding and maybe a bit of politicking to thrive. Dubas said the team met with 'many candidates' before deciding on Muse, who has spent the last half-decade as an assistant at the NHL level. Muse also has a track record as a cultivator of talent and served as the head coach of USA Hockey's National Team Development Program from 2020-23. 'What separated Dan was his ability to develop players, win at all levels where he has been a head coach and his consistent success coaching special teams in the NHL,' Dubas said. 'From his success in developing college and junior players, to his impactful work with veteran players during his time in the NHL, Dan has shown a proven ability to connect with players at all stages of their careers and help them to reach their potential.' Muse has been part of coaching staffs that have won titles at multiple levels. He was an assistant at Yale when the Bulldogs claimed the NCAA championship in 2013. He served as the head coach for the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League — the top junior league in the U.S. — when the Steel captured the Clark Cup in 2017 and helped the U.S. under-18 and under-20 teams win world titles. When Muse reached the NHL in 2017 with Nashville, he oversaw a penalty-kill unit that was among the league's best. He produced similar results when he took over a similar role with the Rangers in 2023. 'His overall body of work, attention to detail and vision for our group showed us that he is the best coach to take our team forward,' Dubas said. The list of players Muse has worked with during his time at USA Hockey includes forward Rutger McGroarty, a 21-year-old now considered the top prospect in the Penguins' system. Muse's job will be to find a way to mesh McGroarty and the rest of what likely will be a substantial youth movement with a team that for now remains defined by franchise icons Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. Crosby signed an extension last fall that could keep him in Pittsburgh for two more seasons. Letang is signed through 2028. Malkin, who turns 39 in August, is about to enter the final season of his contract, with retirement perhaps not far behind. Dubas has long known this day was coming and has spent a significant chunk of the last 16 months stockpiling draft picks. The Penguins have 30 selections over the next three drafts, including 18 over the first three rounds, though Dubas is likely to turn some of those selections into packages designed to acquire NHL-ready players. While Pittsburgh should have a little more room under the salary cap to fill out the roster, Dubas is focused on trying to build something sustainable for the long haul rather than a quick fix. Muse will inherit a team that has serious questions in net, where Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic struggled last season, and is in urgent need of depth scoring to complement Crosby and linemates Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. The last time the Penguins hired a coach without NHL head coaching experience, Mike Johnston was fired just over two months into his second season. He was replaced by Sullivan, whose fiery persona — along with significant help from heady moves made by then-general manager Jim Rutherford — made Pittsburgh the first team in nearly 20 years to win consecutive Cups. Sullivan's mandate was clear: Wake the Penguins up. Muse's is, too: Help the franchise successfully navigate the bridge from one generation to the next.
