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New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
On the NHL Draft, the Penguins, the combine and Porter Martone: Yohe's 10 observations
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Most of the NHL's general managers had already departed Buffalo by this weekend, as the conclusion of the NHL Draft Combine isn't required viewing. They made their visit to Buffalo, observed what needed to be observed, met the prospects they wanted to meet and then made their way home. Advertisement Kyle Dubas stayed a little longer. Dubas is not only the Penguins' general manager but also the president of hockey operations in Pittsburgh. While those titles illustrate Dubas' considerable importance to the Penguins' fortunes, the truth is he's a scout at heart. He missed many of his team's games last season because he wants the future in Pittsburgh to be special and was thus scouting draft prospects in every corner of Canada and the United States — and even Sweden — to see things for himself. This is Dubas' time to shine, so he stayed a little longer, got to know prospects a little better. Here are 10 observations on the Penguins and the draft based on what I saw at the combine, what I've been told by Penguins employees and conversations I've had with Dubas. • Dubas likes Porter Martone. A lot. Martone is a power forward expected to be drafted in the top 10 — maybe even in the top five — and does not figure to be available when the Penguins pick at No. 11. While Martone has dropped a bit in draft projections during the past few months, it would be a minor miracle were he to drop to No. 11, where the Penguins would absolutely select him. Most believe he'll go somewhere between No. 4 and No. 8. A power forward who dominated this season for the Brampton Steelheads (OHL), Martone played for Dubas and Canada at the recent World Championship in Sweden. Dubas likes to get to know all of the top prospects during this time of year but spent additional time with Martone in Buffalo even though he had gotten to know him in Sweden. 'Porter's different,' Dubas said with a smile. • The Penguins possess the assets to comfortably move up in the draft, should they choose. They have one second-round pick and three third-round picks. They have three second-round picks and two third-round picks in the mighty 2026 draft. They also possess a handful of veterans that teams around the league would love to acquire. Advertisement Will Dubas trade up to secure Martone? It's hard to make such a prediction and I haven't been given any indication that this is the plan. It would, however, make some sense. The Penguins have finally found themselves legitimate quantity as it pertains to their prospects. They once literally had no prospects of note. Dubas would prefer to add some quality to all of that quantity. It's something to very much keep in mind. • Here's something else to keep in mind: Dubas wants the Penguins to become bigger and more physical. He knows how brittle his team has been the past couple of seasons and what a pushover it is for teams that play a more physical brand of hockey. I'd expect him to add some raw physicality to the organization in this draft. Martone is 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, and I suspect he'll go around 220 pounds when he fills out in a couple of years. He's big. He's nasty. He plays with an edge. He's got million-dollar hands, but he's not afraid to drop the gloves and use those hands to do damage. In short, he plays a bit like a Tkachuk. I'm not saying he'll be that good, but who knows? He looks pretty special. His hands are what I most notice. In theory, he would seem to be precisely what the Penguins need. He's big and physical, but also plays like a Penguin, if you will. Prospects such as Martone and Kashawn Aitcheson, an abrasive defenseman for the Barrie Colts (OHL), are two players who seem to fit the profile of what the Penguins need. They are, incidentally, two players the organization likes quite a bit. • One last thought on Martone: It's very clear that, while I'm sure he doesn't fancy the idea of dropping in the draft, he'd love to play for the Penguins. Like so many Canadian kids his age, Martone is very clearly a Sidney Crosby fan. He was gushing to anyone who would listen about getting to play on the same team as Crosby in Sweden last month. Advertisement Again, it's unlikely to happen. It's a top-heavy draft. Everyone will want those premium top-10 selections. But the Penguins have far more draft capital than other teams. Don't be shocked if they do something bold. • The Penguins have absolutely no clue what to expect in regard to the Rangers' No. 12 pick. They may deal it to the Penguins. Or maybe they won't. Absolutely nobody knows, including Dubas. I talked with Dubas about this last month in Sweden and he brought it up again over the weekend. Put simply, he's not losing sleep over it. It's a win-win for the Penguins either way. (It is a little bizarre that the Rangers have until 48 hours before the draft to make the decision. What a strange scenario.) • In conversations I've had with scouts and NHL executives, I've come to learn that one of the most interesting players in this draft is one of our own. LJ Mooney is from West Mifflin, Pa., and Logan Cooley's cousin. Ask Cooley, Vincent Trocheck or J.T. Miller, and they'll tell you Mooney is going to be a standout NHL player. His skill level is off the charts. So is his competitive fire. There is one problem, though. And it's a big one. Or a small one, to be technical: Mooney is only 5-7. Once upon a time, it was widely assumed that he'd be a first-round pick because of his raw talent and tenacity. Now many expect him to go in the third or fourth round. Fascinating player. Some teams won't take a kid that size, but it takes only one. • Everyone I've spoken with expects an early run on centers in the first round. This is pretty typical. The Penguins are certainly interested in centers such as Jake O'Brien and Brady Martin, both OHL standouts. Neither player is expected to be there when they pick at 11, however. If they don't trade up, a defenseman or winger might be the reasonable pick, especially if the run on centers goes as expected. Advertisement Given Evgeni Malkin's age and the shortage of talent at center in the organization, the Penguins would be happy to select one in the first round. But they don't want to reach. • Back to Aitcheson. He's someone to keep in mind when the Penguins pick 11th, if they don't trade up. He's an impressive kid, on and off the ice. There's a nastiness and a sturdiness to his game that the Penguins love. Let's be honest: On paper, the Penguins are soft. Really soft. Especially on the blue line. There is nothing soft about Aitcheson. Should the Penguins select him, they'd really have something brewing in their system, at least on their blue line. They love Harrison Brunicke, and for good reason. Finn Harding (Martone's teammate in Brampton) looks like a seventh-round steal last season. Two years ago, they took Emil Pieniniemi in the third round, and his stock is rising quickly. Don't forget about Owen Pickering. Bringing in Aitcheson would really solidify the Penguins defense in their system and allow them to focus heavily on forwards in the rest of the draft, should they choose that route. • Dubas is big on skill, of course. And he's always lumped in with analytics. When we think analytics, we don't think physical, tough players. We think purely of talent, right? Well, I'm telling you, Dubas wants the Penguins to be harder to play against. Something to keep in mind in this draft. • Dubas is kind of a rock star at the combine. The players all love him. Why? Well, let's count the reasons: As general managers go, he's so young (39). I imagine this makes him more relatable. Also, as general managers go, he scouts players far more than the others. He's always around tiny rinks in Ontario in January, and naturally players notice this. Many of these prospects are also from Toronto. You may have heard that Dubas is a pretty big name in that neck of the woods, especially for kids who grew up Maple Leafs fans. He's done well with limited picks in two drafts with the Penguins. In his third draft, he's got 10 or 11 picks to use, depending on what the Rangers decide. It's his time to go to work. He's certainly done his homework. (Top photo of Kyle Dubas: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
New York Times
4 days 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.'
Globe and Mail
6 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.
New York Times
6 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
The Penguins didn't just hire Dan Muse as head coach — they made a statement
PITTSBURGH — Dan Muse wasn't the name you were expecting to be the Pittsburgh Penguins' next coach. He wasn't the name anyone was expecting. That doesn't mean he's the wrong name. It just means the Penguins have entered a different era. It means the future is now. It means the Penguins are going young. It means that if aging stars such as Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson aren't big on playing for a guy who's never been an NHL head coach, too bad. Advertisement It means Sidney Crosby has a new coach who is only five years older than him. Crosby said last month that he didn't care who the new coach was and wanted no influence in the decision-making. 'I just want to win,' he said. Now, Crosby, who isn't known to fib, has a chance to back up his words. I can't imagine he expected Muse to be his new coach. Muse wasn't hired for Crosby. He certainly wasn't hired for Malkin, Letang or Karlsson. No, he was hired for Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen. He was brought to Pittsburgh to navigate the career paths of Harrison Brunicke, Sergei Murashov and the rest of a Penguins prospect pool that is growing more impressive by the day. Penguins president and general manager Kyle Dubas is the most powerful man in the organization. All roads lead back to him. Consider: • Dubas was the only person who made this decision. Fenway Sports Group hands over the money, but ownership had nothing to do with this. The hire was Dubas' baby. • Though I don't think Dubas was against hiring a retread coach, he's not afraid to make a splash hire, or an unknown hire, or an outside-the-box hire. • Dubas knew the Penguins needed a drastic makeover when he was hired two years ago. It took him a while to fully commit to it, but after a few months of the 2023-24 season, he knew it was time. So, he traded Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes. Since then, it's been about the future first and foremost. • Dubas didn't shove previous coach Mike Sullivan out of the organization, but, in the end, I believe he nudged him. • Dubas is so intent on building something special and long-lasting in Pittsburgh, he hired someone who will help young players lead the way. And here we are. I can't claim to know Muse just yet, but I've spoken with people who do know him. Here's what I learned: • He's a very enthusiastic teacher of the game. Advertisement • Young players love him, as was made clear in this terrific profile by The Athletic's Arthur Staple. • He's a borderline hockey dork. I mean that in a good way. It will no doubt endear Crosby to him. • No one outworks this guy. Everyone says it. He seems to have an unusual drive about him. Crosby will love that, too. Does any of this mean he's the right man to lead the Penguins? Of course not. We don't typically hear bad things about NHL coaches on the day they're hired. The best qualities are always mentioned, while the weaknesses get temporarily shoved to the background. But Muse does have plenty of impressive qualities, starting with his ability to coach young players. He's been a mainstay for many years in the United States National Team Development Program. He's twice been a head coach in the USHL (U.S. NTDP and Chicago Steel). He was a highly regarded NCAA assistant coach at Yale for six years. It's also worth emphasizing that Muse has plenty of NHL experience. Sure, he hasn't been an NHL head coach before. But he served under Peter Laviolette as an assistant coach for three seasons with the Nashville Predators and two with the New York Rangers. That's not nothing. When I spoke with Dubas in Sweden last month, he told me that Sullivan was no longer the man for the Penguins because he was the 'coach of contending teams.' That wasn't intended to be a knock on Sullivan, but there was an implication that Sullivan doesn't have the patience to deal with a rebuilding team because he has had so much success. When you've consumed beverages out of the Stanley Cup, you don't want to talk penalty-killing nuance with a bunch of 20-year-olds every day. You just want to win the Stanley Cup again. To that point, though, the Penguins now need someone who will enthusiastically talk penalty-killing nuance with a bunch of 20-year-olds. Advertisement Sullivan was the guy for Crosby, Malkin, Letang and Phil Kessel. He's a legend in Penguins history because of it. Crosby's enduring brilliance notwithstanding, this is a new time. McGroarty, Koivunen, Brunicke, Murashov and Owen Pickering — plus three first-round picks coming in the next 12 months — need their guy. His name is Dan Muse. And if you didn't think Dubas had this much power, now you know. Sullivan was Crosby's guy, and Dubas opted to go in a different direction. He went against the grain. There were bigger names — safer names, at least in the realm of public perception — but Dubas trusted himself, trusted that a teacher of young players was best for his team. I have zero doubt that Dubas wanted to rebuild the Penguins immediately when he arrived in Pittsburgh. He knew it was time. He probably knew it was time before he took the job. But ownership wanted to keep winning. Sullivan wanted to keep winning. Crosby wanted to keep winning. The fan base wanted to keep winning. Dubas responded by trying to keep everyone happy in the summer of 2023, and it set the team back. Fast forward two years, and the Penguins' rebuild is well underway. Maybe Muse will lead them to greatness. Maybe he'll at least prepare them for greatness. Maybe he'll fail. Time will tell. And maybe it will take time. But for the Penguins, a new era couldn't wait. It's here.
National Post
6 days ago
- Business
- National Post
Pittsburgh Penguins hire Rangers assistant Dan Muse to replace Mike Sullivan as 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. Article content 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. Article content Article content Enter Dan Muse, who has spent the last two decades dabbling in the former and excelling in the latter. Article content 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. Article content 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. Article content 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. Article content 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. Article content Article content 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. Article content '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.' Article content 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.
