The Pittsburgh Penguins fired president of hockey Brian Burke and GM Ron Hextall in a front office shakeup

The Pittsburgh Penguins and its owner, Fenway Sports Group, have announced that they have relieved Director of Hockey Operations Brian Burke, General Manager Ron Hextall and Assistant General Manager Chris Pryor from their positions effective immediately.

The decision came after the Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time in 17 years. That streak was the longest active playoff streak by a North American professional sports team. During that time, the Penguins won three Stanley Cups, one in 2009 and back-to-back in 2016 and 2017. This is the second time since Sidney Crosby began his NHL career that the Penguins failed to make the postseason. The Penguins were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in 2021 and 2022.

Hextall and Burke joined the Penguins organization during the COVID-shortened season after Jim Rutherford suddenly resigned. Prior to joining the Penguins, Hextall served as the general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers from 2014 to 2018 before being fired. Burke has been involved in leadership roles for over 33 years and won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.

Published by John Henry and Tom Werner the following statement:

We are grateful to Brian, Ron and Chris for their contributions to the organization over the past two seasons, but we believe the team will benefit from new hockey leadership. Although this season has been disappointing, we believe in our core group of players and the goal of competing for the Stanley Cup has not changed.

Later, during the transition period, the Penguins will rely on current director of hockey operations Alec Schall, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton general manager/director of hockey operations Eric Heasley and hockey operations analyst Andy Saucier. Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan also helps.