New Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Muse has a mountainous task ahead of him.
Muse, who was most recently an assistant with the New York Rangers, has to balance the needs of the here and now with the long-term needs of the Penguins. We’re not sure that a veteran coach, let alone a first-timer like Muse, will be up to that challenge.
“From his success in developing college and junior players, to his impactful work with veteran players during his time in the NHL, Dan has shown a proven ability to connect with players at all stages of their careers and help them to reach their potential,” Penguins GM Kyle Dubas said in the announcement.
There’s no question Muse has a well-balanced resume. The 42-year-old was an assistant for the 2013 NCAA-champion Yale Bulldogs, and he led Chicago of the USHL to the Clark Cup in 2017 before becoming an NHL assistant, first with the Nashville Predators from 2017 to 2020, then with the Rangers. So he’s acutely aware of the needs of veteran NHL teams, and he’s also cognizant of turning young players into pros.
The problem with the Penguins is they’re buried in the mushy middle of the NHL, not good enough to be a playoff team and not bad enough to land elite players through the draft.
They’ve got an aged core that includes stars Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson, and they’ve got young players on the way who are intent on cracking the NHL lineup next fall, such as Rutger McGroarty. To say they’re selling a mixed message to their fan base is a serious understatement.
The Penguins could use more change this off-season, with goaltending being arguably a priority.
Another question mark is the status of Karlsson, who hasn’t worked out to expectations since he arrived in Pittsburgh in 2023. Karlsson has a full no-movement clause in the remaining two years of his expensive contract, but at 35 years old, he came to the Pens intent on competing for a Stanley Cup, and barring some miraculous turnabout, that isn’t going to happen. So if Dubas can find a home for Karlsson somewhere else, he’d be a fool not to move him.
That brings the conversation back to Muse. By the time the 2025-26 season arrives, the Penguins’ lineup could look different than it looks right now. But Crosby, Malkin and Letang – all of who have their own no-movement clauses – are still likely to be with the Pens next fall.
So what is Muse being asked to do here – win for the stars who only have a couple of seasons left in their careers, or take his lumps in the standings and try to build a new culture of winning for a new generation of players?
To be sure, there’s no uniform philosophy for the lineup, and that could prove to be a significant problem. It doesn’t matter who is behind Pittsburgh’s bench – the Pens are going to have a very tough go of it.
The Penguins are strung between two competitive poles, and Muse has to find a balance between competing right away and being a consistent winner in the long haul. His job could shepherd the Pens into a new golden generation – or it could result in more of the same disappointment.
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