For the past several weeks, there had been a few names dominating the headlines regarding who would be named the next coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Mitch Love was one of the biggest ones. There was also DJ Smith. Even Jay Woodcroft and Alain Nasreddine's were thrown around as options. 

It seemed like Penguins' POHO and GM Kyle Dubas had an idea in his pocket about the type of coach he wanted to hire, as he was overtly targeting current NHL assistant coaches with developmental experience. On Wednesday, he got his guy.

And - as it turns out - it would be none of the names mentioned above.

As a surprise to almost everyone - the Penguins and Dubas announced that Dan Muse would become the 23rd head coach in franchise history. Muse's name was hardly mentioned - if at all - in media circles and by league sources.

Muse, 42, may have been a relative unknown prior to his hiring. But that doesn't mean he's the wrong choice.

In fact - by all indications - the decision to hire Muse seems like a pretty solid one.

As mentioned previously, Dubas said in his press conference following the departure of former head coach Mike Sullivan - now bench boss for the New York Rangers - that the Penguins would like to put a focus on development when casting their "wide net" for potential candidates.

And, well, Muse certainly has a history in development.

BREAKING: Penguins Name Dan Muse New Head Coach After more than a month of searching, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> have finally named a successor to Mike Sullivan behind the bench.

His coaching career started out in 2007 with gigs in consecutive years at Milton Academy, Williams College, and Sacred Heart as an assistant. He then earned his first major coaching position with the Yale University Bulldogs under head coach Keith Allain, where he spent six seasons and helped lead the team to a national championship in 2013.

Although Muse's collegiate coaching career was certainly part of his resume, that's not necessarily what stands out. 

In 2014-15, he began his career coaching in the United States Hockey League (USHL) for the Chicago Steel - which was his first head coaching position - and led them to a Clark Cup in 2017. He took a position on Peter Laviolette's coaching staff for the Nashville Predators between 2017 and 2020 - and he was an assistant for the Rangers from 2023-25 - but, sandwiched between those stints, he became very involved with USA Hockey.

Muse began coaching the National Team Development Program (NTDP) in 2020 and led the 2021 and 2023 IIHF World Under-18 Championship squad, winning the title in 2023. He headed the under-18 USHL team in 2020-21 and 2022-23, and he coached Penguins' top forward prospect Rutger McGroarty on the 2021 Worlds Squad and in the NTDP during that time.

Clearly, he has a track record of success in developmental leagues, but it's also his diverse resume that stands out. He has collegiate experience, junior experience, NHL experience, and international experience - which will bode well for a coach trying to connect with young players.

And that's exactly the kind of person the Penguins need right now as an organization. They are moving into a new era that will be led by both players who will crack the roster next season and players who have yet to step foot on NHL ice.

Having a coach - even without a ton of NHL experience - who can demand the best out of that young talent is an ideal scenario. And having a coach who can be around for this phase - as well as the next phase of contention - is the best-case scenario.

Maybe Muse is that guy, maybe he isn't. But Dubas and Penguins have a vision for the future - and that starts with the hiring of a coach who will help propel the organization toward that future.

Penguins Trading Star Forward Would Come With Big Risk For much of the 2024-25 season, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins </a>forward Rickard Rakell was the subject of trade speculation. It was understandable, as the Penguins were out of the playoff race, while Rakell enjoyed himself a career year. In 81 games, the 32-year-old winger set new career highs with 35 goals and 70 points.

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