The Pittsburgh Penguins parted ways with head coach Mike Sullivan following the 2024-25 season. Sullivan won two Stanley Cups with the team in 2016 and 2017. However, it came time for a new voice. Sullivan left for the New York Rangers, and to replace him, Pittsburgh chose then-Rangers assistant Dan Muse.
Muse has not served as a head coach in the NHL before. As mentioned, he was an assistant in New York over the previous two seasons. Beyond that, his only other NHL experience came as an assistant with the Nashville Predators for three seasons beginning in 2017-18.
Both of those stints came alongside Peter Laviolette, an accomplished coach in the NHL. But Muse played a significant role in the high level of play those teams performed at. It resulted in two Presidents’ Trophies — one each with the Rangers and Predators.
The lack of NHL head coaching experience could certainly be a point of concern for some. Especially with a team featuring loads of experience on the roster. Players such as Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, and Evgeni Malkin have to be able to respect their coach.
However, it appears as if there aren’t any issues at play. A recent report from The Athletic’s Josh Yohe states that Muse has left an incredible first impression at all levels of the organization.
“I can tell you after conversations I’ve had with Penguins veterans, young players and staff members, everyone likes this guy. More importantly, everyone respects him,” Yohe wrote. “I’ve had three players independently use the word “prepared” when discussing Muse. The number of hours Muse spends around the rink is already becoming a regular topic of discussion.”
Penguins Drawn To Dan Muse’s Special Teams Experience
Bruce Bennett/Getty ImagesThe Pittsburgh Penguins hired Dan Muse to lead Sidney Crosby and company for the forseeable future.
When searching for a new head coach, the Penguins sought many things. However, general manager Kyle Dubas pointed to a specific skill Muse has when announcing the hiring. He mention his experience coaching special teams on a consistent basis.
Muse ran both the Rangers and Predators penalty kills during his time there. And he had a ton of success with those units. Nashville had the second best penalty kill in the NHL when Muse led the unit. In New York, he coached the Rangers to the fourth best penalty kill.
“During this process, we met with many candidates who we felt would have been a fit as the next head coach of the Penguins, but ultimately, Dan Muse stood out as the best choice,” Dubas said, via NHL.com, when Muse was hired. “What separated Dan was his ability to develop players, win at all levels where he has been a head coach and his consistent success coaching special teams in the NHL.”
The Penguins have not performed too well on special teams recently. They have the 19th-best power play since 2022-23, and the 15th-best penalty kill. Improving these units could certainly help Pittsburgh return to contention in short order.
Dan Muse May Oversee Final Chapter For Pittsburgh Icons
Anyone taking this job would have to accept some added pressure other jobs didn’t carry. The Penguins are going to enter a transition phase soon. Crosby, Malkin, and Letang are nearing the end of their careers.
As a result, there is some pressure to perform well. These players have accomplished a lot in their careers. They won three Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh in 2009, 2016, and 2017. They are led some of the best teams in franchise history. Their importance to this city and organization cannot be understated.
Giving them one more chance to win a Stanley Cup would be a fantastic sendoff. At the very least, allowing them to play competitive hockey in March and April would be appropriate. There’s a lot of work to do, but Muse has the faith of everyone in the organization, according to Yohe’s report.
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