Penguins hire former Leafs GM Kyle Dubas as director of hockey operations

The Pittsburgh Penguins have hired former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas as their new director of hockey operations, the club announced Thursday.

After missing the playoffs for the first time since 2005-06, Pittsburgh cut the duo of Ron Hextall and Brian Burke in April, opening the door for Dubas. After disappointing and stormy During the Penguins season, this hire resets their front office.

The longtime Maple Leafs general manager was out of a job after Brendan Shanahan unexpectedly decided to move on from Dubas in May. After Toronto’s playoff exit, Dubas wanted to stick with the team or take a break, but the way Shanahan dismissed him clearly changed his thinking.

After much speculation about the manager’s next move, he has settled on Pittsburgh.

“On behalf of my family, we are thrilled to join the Pittsburgh Penguins organization and all the incredible people at Fenway Sports Group,” said Dubas. “I deeply appreciate the opportunity before me. The ownership group, FSG management and the Penguins staff in Pittsburgh have been nothing short of outstanding. All have demonstrated a clear commitment to building a best-in-class hockey operation. .”

The Maple Leafs produced a 221-109-42 regular season record under Dubas, but regularly fell short of one win in the playoffs during his tenure.

He joins a Penguins team that has struggled to reach the postseason in recent years. Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2015-16 and 2016-17, Pittsburgh has advanced past the first round just once.

The Penguins still have the same core trio of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang that has won three championships since 2008-09, and Dubas’ job is to give them a chance to add to their collection of rings in the twilight of their careers.

When the 2023-24 season begins, Crosby, Malkin and Letang will be a combined age of 109, but they are still effective players. Crosby and Malkin combined for just 176 points last season, and Letang produced 41 points in 64 games while carrying a huge workload (24:51 on ice/game).

Dubas has some wiggle room in his first offseason as head of Pittsburgh’s hockey department. Pittsburgh Penguins Project over $20 million in the cork roomallowing the former Maple Leafs GM to work on the fly again.