On June 12, the Pittsburgh Penguins hired David Quinn to replace associate coach Todd Reirden, who was fired at the beginning of May. Reirden ran the power play last season, finishing 30th in the NHL with a 15.3% conversion rate. Not only will Quinn be taking over the power play, but he will also be in charge of the defensemen. He has struggled to succeed as a head coach in this league, so will an assistant coaching role be a better fit for him?
Will Quinn Find Success in Pittsburgh?
It was pretty obvious to anyone who watched the Penguins last season that Reirden had to go. With the amount of talent on the power play, there is no reason it should have stunk all year. With some fresh blood on the coaching staff, fans are cautiously hopeful. Quinn was let go as head coach of the San Jose Sharks in April after two losing seasons. Before coming to San Jose, he was the head coach of the New York Rangers from 2018-2021, when he compiled a record of 137-185-50.
It’s true that Quinn did not succeed as a head coach in San Jose or New York; however, he did show potential in some areas. Last season, the Sharks’ power play finished at 20.2%, ranked 21st in the league. Those are average numbers, but Pittsburgh probably would have made the playoffs had their power play been at least average.
Quinn has also excelled at working with younger talent. He was the head coach at his alma mater, Boston University, from 2004 to 2009 and 2013 and 2018. This is where he achieved his most successful coaching record, going 105-69-21. While at Boston, he coached several noteworthy players, such as Charlie McAvoy, Jack Eichel, Brady Tkachuk, and Evan Rodrigues.
Quinn will bring a different perspective to the Penguins’ coaching staff, which has been needed for a while. He is very familiar with head coach Mike Sullivan, as the two were teammates at BU. Both are fierce competitors with different playing styles.
Quinn will not just be another “yes man.” He will challenge Sullivan and hopefully bring fresh, innovative ideas to the power play. Watching the reunion between him and defenseman Erik Karlsson will also be interesting. He coached Karlsson during the 2022-23 season in San Jose, which turned out to be the best season of his career to date. He played in 82 games, scored 25 goals with 76 assists for 101 points, and took home the Norris Trophy.
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Last season, Karlsson’s play was a bit underwhelming, and the Penguins are undoubtedly hoping Quinn will help unleash him a bit more. Initially, when general manager Kyle Dubas brought him to Pittsburgh last summer, the goal was to run the power play through him. However, that is not what took place throughout the season. He did not take charge, and he was too hesitant when shooting the puck. Every time he got the puck, he would pass it off to Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin rather than taking the opportunity presented to him.
Penguins Trying to Get Back on Track
When Quinn worked with Karlsson in San Jose, he did his best, and the Penguins hope he can do it again. They will also look for him to further the development of other young players, such as P.O. Joseph and Jack St. Ivany. With the start of the regular season about three months away, fans will not have to wait long to see if he’s the right man for the job.
