Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas didn’t tip his hand or offer any kind of substantive suggestions as to who he was looking for in the team’s next head coach Monday in Cranberry.
And that’s largely because he and his staff are still compiling a group of candidates they might consider (never mind interview) to replace Mike Sullivan.
“To give you all a timeline, I see that being virtual interviews here over the next month followed by in-person interviews at the end of May into early June,” Dubas said Monday. “Then likely naming a head coach in early June that will lead the team forward. That may be delayed because some of the people — just very quickly we’ve started to put together a list of the top folks — some of those people are employed either by top AHL teams or they’re on NHL staffs as we speak right now. That would be the only delay in it. That will give you a preview of what we’re about to undertake.”
Any examination of candidates for the job (including and especially this story) at this early stage is pure speculation rooted in little substance.
Additionally, any notion that Dubas has a certain “type” in mind isn’t applicable. This isn’t like football where a head coach candidate can be compartmentalized for previous stints as a defensive or offensive coordinator previously. Hockey coaches are largely hockey coaches. An assistant coach who oversees the defensemen and penalty kill probably has had ample dealings with the forwards and power play as well.
Aside from those who oversee the goaltenders, there is relatively little specialization in the sport among coaches.
Suggestions that Dubas’ history might yield some clues aren’t valid either. Especially since he has never hired a head coach at the NHL level before.
In his previous station as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Dubas and team president Brendan Shanahan made the decision to fire head coach Mike Babcock in November 2019 after the team got off to a slow start to the 2019-20 season.
He was replaced by Sheldon Keefe, previously head coach of the franchise’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.
Earlier in his tenure with the Maple Leafs as assistant general manager, Dubas hired Keefe as coach of the Marlies. And before that, Dubas hired Keefe at the junior level with the Ontario Hockey League’s Soo Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
If anything, Dubas’ nearly 22 months with the Penguins might suggest a simpler approach.
Over that span, Dubas has largely stocked the front office with people he is familiar with.
• Assistant general manager Jason Spezza previously worked for Dubas as a special assistant to the general manager with the Maple Leafs. Additionally, the final three years of Spezza’s playing career were with the Maple Leafs during Dubas’ tenure with that club.
• Vice president of player personnel Wes Clark served in various capacities with the Maple Leafs and Greyhounds under Dubas.
• Director of goaltending Jon Elkin, who oversees the Penguins prospects at the position, had a similar role with the Maple Leafs during Dubas’ time in Toronto.
• Player development staffer Andrew Fritsch played for Dubas more than a decade ago with the Greyhounds.
• Analyst Cam Charron held the same role with the Maple Leafs for eight seasons before reuniting with Dubas in 2023.
• Amateur scout Brandon DeFazio once had Dubas serve as his agent during his playing career.
• Another amateur scout, Chris Roque, had scouting gigs with the Maple Leafs and Greyhounds under Dubas.
Much like previous Penguins general managers Ray Shero, Jim Rutherford and Ron Hextall, Dubas has surrounded himself with people he trusts.
Is that the route he will go with his first head coach hire in the NHL?
That’s a complete guess.