Mike Sullivan didn't have much involvement in the Penguins' search for a general manager.

It wasn't until the last week or so that he got involved at all. It came at the request of co-head of Fenway Sports Management and Penguins alternate governor Dave Beeston, who asked Sullivan to speak with Kyle Dubas.

Dubas, who was named the Penguins' president of hockey operations on Thursday, said in his introductory press conference that the conversations he had with Sullivan and Sidney Crosby were "paramount" to him ultimately accepting the job in Pittsburgh.

Sullivan said in a virtual media availability on Friday afternoon that he had "a couple of really, really substantive discussions" with Dubas through the process, and he came away encouraged with

"We talked about our organization, we talked about some philosophies, where we're at, where we're going," Sullivan said of those talks. "I think it was evident, certainly to me, that we share a lot of the same thoughts and ideas on where our team is at, how we can improve and get better and what the challenges are. Certainly I'm excited about those challenges moving forward, and I think Kyle was as well."

Something Dubas spoke about on Thursday was his philosophy when it came to analytics, which he said "can help to serve player personnel, player development, high performance, in addition to systems and tactics, and whatever Sully and the coaching staff need."

The Penguins were using analytics before Dubas. There is an existing analytics staff comprised of senior data scientist Katerina Wu, data scientist Caleb Peña, and data engineer Jacob Pavlovich. It's not clear how much of that information was integrated into things like personnel decisions, but Sullivan had the data. On a number of occasions he referenced things like "expected goals," which is a publicly-used stat that takes into account both the quality and quantity of shot attempts. Teams also generally have their own proprietary data on things aside from shot attempts that the public doesn't have access to. 

I asked Sullivan Friday what his views were on using analytics and how that data may have played a role in the past.

"I think analytics is a real opportunity to create a competitive advantage," Sullivan said. "You know, I think every team in the league is utilizing it in some capacity. We have as well, we certainly have used it as a coaching staff in a number of different ways to try to help us do a better job coaching the team."

He noted, though that analytics in hockey is still in its "infant stages" as far as what's available and how to use it. Because analytics in hockey is so relatively new, being able to have someone who knows what matters and what doesn't is what can set a team apart.

"There's a lot of things that are being tracked," Sullivan said. "And in trying to figure out what's relevant in the game and gives you a better idea on how to utilize it to create a competitive advantage, I think is where the opportunity is and where the challenges are. So for me, I think that's something that's going to constantly evolve. I think every team is going to get better at it as we learn from the experiences that we go through each year with respect to analytics, and how we interpret information and how we utilize that information to create a competitive advantage."

Sullivan is hopeful that the coaching staff and Dubas can learn from each other in that regard.

Sullivan said that he and Dubas have only had "preliminary discussions" on roster construction to this point. What they have spoken more in-depth about is the identity of the team, and Sullivan came away from those discussions thinking that he and Dubas were on the same page.

"Kyle and I had a number of couple of conversations just around the identity of the Penguins, how the Penguins have had success, trying to set the team up to play to their strengths," Sullivan said. "I've always looked at our core group of players and try to play a style of play that lends to their strengths. So I think Kyle is very much aligned with the identity of the Penguins and how the Penguins have had success, certainly in my time here, but it predates me as well. I think it's more about the players, Sid and (Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang), in the core group."

They're on the same page as far as what's going on around the rest of the league, too.

"My initial impression is that I think we share a lot of similar ideas and philosophies on just the evolution of the game and the evolution of the NHL and where it's going, and which teams that haven't success and why," Sullivan added.

Sullivan and Dubas are also aligned in the belief that the Penguins' window to win is still open. Dubas said Thursday that he's choosing to bet on Sullivan, Crosby, Malkin and Letang, but that they need to "supplement the greatness that those people bring" with the right pieces as far as depth goes.

Sullivan expressed the same sentiment on Friday.

"I've been a strong believer in this core group," Sullivan said. "They're a group that can still play at an elite level. I think there's plenty of evidence to suggest that when you look at their performances over the last couple of seasons. In my mind, they're the best core that I've ever been associated with. They still show an ability to be able to compete at a high level. I think in the short run our challenge is to try to surround them with what we can to field the most competitive team, to give the group an opportunity to compete for Stanley Cups."

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