Penguins defensemen offer initial impressions of new assistant David Quinn

It’s unsurprising to see the amount of trust Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan is placing in first-year assistant David Quinn.

Quinn, 58, is tasked with overseeing the club’s corps of defensemen as well as the power play, taking over for Todd Reirden in both departments after the Penguins fired him in May.

Sullivan and Quinn also go way back, having been teammates at Boston University for two seasons in the 1980s.

Ultimately, the players, both defensively and on the man-advantage, will be most responsible for how things pan out on the ice.

But Quinn is positioned to be an architect of the results, good or bad.

Sullivan is confident in Quinn, who arrives in Pittsburgh after serving as head coach of the San Jose Sharks for the past two seasons.

“I think one of (Quinn’s) strengths is his people skills,” Sullivan said. “I think he has a knack for connecting with people, and when you’re coaching the power play, especially at this level, that’s really important, just a connection with the players. I think that’s one of (Quinn’s) strengths.

“I think he’s very capable from a sheer competence standpoint with some of his experience and his knowledge.”

Quinn also served as head coach of the New York Rangers (2018-21) and his alma mater, Boston U, from 2013-18.

Three days into preseason camp, the Penguins have yet to conduct any power-play work.

The 69 players invited to camp are also split into three primary groups, with Quinn usually leading one.

His approach to the power play and what wrinkles he has in mind for that unit, which finished 30th in the NHL last year with a 15.3% conversion rate, remain to be seen.

For now, the club’s blueliners have begun to get a feel for their new assistant coach.

“My impression so far — I know it’s only been three days now — but it’s been really good,” defenseman Marcus Pettersson said. “He’s a guy that you feel like you can have an open conversation with about anything, a really smart hockey mind, so I’m excited for our partnership.”

Erik Karlsson could weigh in on Quinn better than anyone, having played under him in San Jose during his Norris Trophy-winning campaign of 2022-23, before the Penguins traded for him two summers ago.

Pettersson said Karlsson has given teammates a heads-up on what they can expect from Quinn.

But Karlsson has yet to skate in preseason camp, having missed all three of the Penguins’ practices through Friday with an unspecified upper-body injury.

Another player in camp with the Penguins who knows Quinn well is fellow blueliner Nikolai Knyzhov.

The 26-year-old spent parts of four seasons playing in the Sharks’ system, navigating a host of injuries over the years.

During Quinn’s time at the helm in San Jose, Knyzhov skated in 22 games for the Sharks.

Now Knyzhov is with the Penguins on a professional tryout contract, hoping to earn a spot.

“The one thing I can say, you can definitely tell he’s a leader,” Knyzhov said. “He comes in, shows up, brings the energy every day, and the guys listen to him and respect him a lot. Happy to see him get the opportunity here.”

First-year Penguins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk, a Terriers alumni, played under Quinn in college.

“We’ve kept in touch over the years as we’ve moved on from (Boston University),” Grzelcyk said. “Just to be here in person with him, he’s a glass-half-full kind of guy. I had good success with him in college. He got really close with his players, me in particular. We always had an open line of communication when I was an upperclassman in school. Someone who I respect.”

With a coaching career that dates to 1993, Quinn has Sullivan’s confidence when it comes to being able to make an impact with players.

“For me, the biggest thing is his ability to connect,” Sullivan said. “One of the biggest challenges of coaching at the NHL level is, regardless of what your beliefs are, is just your ability to connect with your players so that you get the buy-in. Hopefully, when you get the buy-in, it turns into execution.”

Notes: Karlsson remains day-to-day with his injury. Goalie Taylor Gauthier (lower-body) is also day-to-day, and forwards Beau Jelsma (upper-body) and Jagger Joshua (upper-body) are out with “longer-term” ailments. Forward Matt Nieto is out month-to-month after reconstructive MCL surgery. … The Penguins hosted recently retired forward Joe Pavelski, who played 18 seasons in the NHL (13 with San Jose, five with the Dallas Stars) as a guest at Friday’s camp session.