With preseason underway, the Pittsburgh Penguins new and improved roster will soon be on display for the world to see. The Penguins will begin their regular season on October 10 against the Chicago Blackhawks. Kyle Dubas, president of hockey operations and general manager, has spent the summer bringing in plenty of talent on both sides of the puck. After Pittsburgh missed the playoffs last year for the first time in over a decade and a half, it was clear that changes needed to be made. However, one thing that stayed the same this summer was head coach Mike Sullivan. One of the biggest question marks heading into the season is whether or not Sullivan will be able to align himself with Dubas’s vision.
It’s Dubas Time in Pittsburgh
One of the many reasons the Penguins were so drawn to Dubas was his forward thinking and his young, energetic spirit. He has been very clear about his plans for the team’s future. One of his first moves after being named president of hockey operations was hiring Jason Spezza as assistant general manager. Before coming to Pittsburgh, Dubas served as the general manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Spezza served as his assistant where he worked closely with player personnel and the hockey research and development department.
At the beginning of the month, the Penguins hired Doug Wilson as Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations. Wilson will be working alongside Dubas and providing his opinions and counsel in the hockey operations department. Previously, he served as the general manager of the San Jose Sharks from 2003-2022.
Dubas has spent the summer building a front office that is going to suit his needs, and it remains to be seen whether or not Sullivan will fall in line. The head coach got his start with the Boston Bruins during the 2003-04 season where he took them all the way to the first round of the playoffs. During the 2005-06 season, the Bruins did not make the playoffs and Boston chose to part ways with him. His next head coaching job did not come until 2015 when he was hired by the Penguins. He then went on to win back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships much thanks to the roster he inherited.
Can Sullivan Adapt?
Since 2017, the Penguins have not advanced past the first round of the playoffs, and last year they did not even make a postseason appearance. There are a list of reasons for this including a non-existent bottom six, poor goaltending and questionable decisions from the coaching staff. Last season, it was clear that Sullivan had his favorites and that they would continue to play despite their performance. It became painfully clear early on that Jeff Carter had no business being on the ice, and that younger players who showed promise such as Alex Nylander or Sam Poulin should have been given more of an opportunity. Another head scratcher from last season was Sullivan’s refusal to keep Rickard Rakell on the top line with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel even though he made the first line better every time he was on it.
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Sullivan’s allegiance to certain players coupled with an unwillingness to make necessary changes last season does make it hard not to wonder how he will mesh with Dubas. His coaching style has not evolved since 2016 and 2017 even though his roster has changed considerably. Dubas has already made it clear just by his actions that he welcomes change and will do whatever is necessary to put the team in the best position to win. It is not a stretch to say that if the Penguins do not at least make it back to the playoffs this season, they could be shopping for a new head coach next summer.
