Kyle Dubas, 37, has been hired as the Penguins' president of hockey operations, the team announced on Thursday. He will oversee all aspects of the hockey operations department including establishing the strategic vision and philosophy for the franchise.
"On behalf of my family, we are thrilled to join the Pittsburgh Penguins organization and all of the incredible people across Fenway Sports Group," Dubas said. "I am deeply appreciative of the opportunity that lies ahead of me. The ownership group, FSG leadership and the Penguins staff on the ground in Pittsburgh have been absolutely outstanding. Everyone has demonstrated a clear commitment to building a best-in-class hockey operation."
Fenway Sports Group owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner released the following statement:
"We are thrilled to welcome Kyle to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Throughout his career, Kyle has proven himself as a forward-thinking hockey mind and embodies all of the qualities – integrity, intelligence, and an unwavering commitment to building a winning culture – that we value in a leader at the Penguins and within Fenway Sports Group. We have done exhaustive work narrowing down candidates throughout this process, but it did not take long to be impressed by Kyle, the reputation he’s cultivated for himself in and around the National Hockey League, and his vision for the organization on and off the ice.
"His passion for the sport and ability to foster collaborative relationships with his staff, coaches and players is the type of leadership style that will undoubtedly resonate with the front office and set us on a new path for success in the near-term with our current championship-caliber core and beyond with a commitment to sustainable, long-term success."
Not even two weeks ago, Dubas was informed by Brendan Shanahan that his expiring contract would not be renewed as general manager of the Maple Leafs, a position he held for five seasons, after they were ousted by the Panthers in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
At his end-of-season media availability, Dubas shared that it was a difficult season for him and his family while expressing uncertainty about a return to the Maple Leafs, but suggested it would be Toronto or nowhere for him, at least for a little while.
Shanahan, president of the Maple Leafs, was pleased with the job Dubas did during the 2022-23 season and intended to continue forth with him as their general manager. However, after hearing Dubas’ media availability, Shanahan realized that he might not be all-in, and that was something to be taken seriously.
Shanahan began pondering his options, contemplating a massive decision on the organization’s future. Even though Dubas ended up informing him that he wished to stay with the Maple Leafs, Shanahan opted to move in another direction on Friday, May 19.
Amidst all of this, FSG was conducting an expansive search to fill their vacancy at general manager after Ron Hextall was fired, along with president of hockey operations Brian Burke and assistant general manager Chris Pryor, in mid-April.
An array of candidates were confirmed to be in the mix for the position, but Dubas hitting the market changed everything.
Fenway quickly requested and received permission to speak with Dubas, which was necessary because his contract with Toronto technically runs through June 30. Last Tuesday, DK Pittsburgh Sports was informed by a source with knowledge of the situation that Dubas was visiting with team personnel, including Sidney Crosby, at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex into the late hours of the night, suggesting serious mutual interest.
Nine long days later: Done deal, just not as general manager.
"The rich history of winning and the competitiveness of the coaching staff and players were evident in each conversation I had about this position," Dubas said. "The opportunity to work with such passionate and committed people, as well as the established character and leadership of the long-standing core group of talented players, gives me great enthusiasm for the challenge at hand. Our family has been made to feel extremely comfortable throughout this process and we are excited to now call Pittsburgh our home."
Dubas’ management career began back in 2011 when he was hired as general manager of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds were originally looking to fill their vacancy with someone who had previous experience, but his interview blew them away and landed him the job. Through heavy utilization of data and analytics, Dubas improved the Greyhounds significantly, leading them to a second-place finish in the OHL during his final season with the team.
In 2014, the Maple Leafs provided Dubas with his first NHL job as their assistant general manager. The season prior to supplanting Lou Lamoriello as general manager in 2018, he managed the AHL’s Toronto Marlies to a Calder Cup, laying a developmental foundation for some of those players (Mason Marchment, Trevor Moore, Pierre Engvall, Justin Holl, Travis Dermott, Timothy Liljegren) to eventually graduate to the next level.
With Dubas at the helm from 2018-2023, Toronto went 221-109-42 in the regular season. Their .651 points percentage during that time was the fifth-highest mark in the NHL. The postseason was a different story. Dubas’ Maple Leafs went 16-21 in the playoffs and managed to win just one series, which was against the Lightning a month ago.
There's no rebuild coming for the Penguins. The goal is to extend the competitive window as long as possible with Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang still in the fold. Dubas has quite the challenge on his hands.
