Jan 25, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet looks on from the bench against the Washington Capitals in the second period at Rogers Arena. (Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/e543ab78-b3a3-4f33-85eb-3f0ffce78ac2.jpeg] Jan 25, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet looks on from the bench against the Washington Capitals in the second period at Rogers Arena. (Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images) With the shocking news that the Pittsburgh Penguins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins] and longtime coach Mike Sullivan have mutually agreed to part ways [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/breaking-penguins-and-head-coach-mike-sullivan-mutually-parting-ways], it comes as no surprise that one of the first talking points is who will be the one replace him. Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas certainly has his work cut out for him. When speaking with the Pittsburgh media on Monday following the announcement of Sullivan's departure [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/i-started-to-think-that-it-may-just-be-time-takeaways-from-dubass-press-conference-regarding-departure-of-mike-sullivan], Dubas mapped out the timeline for their coaching search, specifying that the organization expects to name a new head coach in early June. He also tipped off some ideas about the kind of coach he might be looking for, and the sticking point seemed to be prioritizing the development of their young players as the Penguins navigate a transitional period back to Stanley Cup contention. With that in mind, here are eight candidates that Dubas should consider for the position. BREAKING: Penguins And Head Coach Mike Sullivan Mutually Part Ways [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/43576d42-ce27-4562-8e44-30ffb461a0bb.jpeg] BREAKING: Penguins And Head Coach Mike Sullivan Mutually Part Ways After nearly 10 years, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> will have a new voice behind the bench for the 2025-26 season. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/breaking-penguins-and-head-coach-mike-sullivan-mutually-parting-ways] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE "BEST-CASE SCENARIO" CATEGORY DAVID CARLE Apr 13, 2024; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Denver Pioneers forward Connor Caponi (22) dumps blue Powerade on head coach David Carle after defeating the Boston College Eagles for the national championship at the 2024 Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament at Xcel Energy Center. (Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/819c23b4-8d17-4e0b-a067-f386bfa7cb70.jpeg] Apr 13, 2024; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Denver Pioneers forward Connor Caponi (22) dumps blue Powerade on head coach David Carle after defeating the Boston College Eagles for the national championship at the 2024 Frozen Four college ice hockey tournament at Xcel Energy Center. (Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images) After turning down an opportunity with the Chicago Blackhawks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/chicago-blackhawks], it remains to be seen whether or not Carle - head coach of the University of Denver Pioneers - is interested in coaching at the NHL level altogether right now. But if he is an option, he's certainly someone Dubas shouldn't hesitate to call. Carle is only 35 years old - so, yes, he's younger than Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/like-ovechkins-capitals-penguins-owe-it-to-crosby-to-right-the-ship] - but if the Penguins are looking for a head coach with a proven track record of success in development, there's arguably no one more fitting than Carle. In seven seasons coaching the Pioneers, he's won two national championships and has a .694 winning percentage. He also led Team USA to gold at the World Junior Championship this season [https://thehockeynews.com/news/world-juniors-team-usa-earned-its-place-in-history], and he will helm the 2025 squad as well. He's great with young players, he knows how to win, and he's the perfect fit for the Penguins if he's open to the position. TODD NELSON Hershey Bears head coach Todd Nelson talks with media after Game 2 of the Calder Cup Finals at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Saturday, June 10, 2023. [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/7c004b2e-94f5-4ab0-b674-165044b871cc.jpeg] Hershey Bears head coach Todd Nelson talks with media after Game 2 of the Calder Cup Finals at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Saturday, June 10, 2023. Although Dubas ruled out first-year Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins head coach Kirk MacDonald as a candidate [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/we-have-a-close-team-wbs-penguins-practice-in-pittsburgh-talk-chemistry-of-group], that doesn't mean he won't turn to other AHL head coaches as options. And there's, perhaps, no better such option than Nelson. A former Penguin as a player, Nelson - head coach of the Hershey Bears, AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/] - has shown a proven track record of success at the AHL level. He spent some time with the Chicago Wolves and Grand Rapids Griffins before coaching the Bears to back-to-back Calder Cup championships in 2023 and 2024, with another potentially on the horizon. He also has some experience at the NHL level. Nelson was an assistant coach for the now-defunct Atlanta Thrashers from 2008-10 and for the Dallas Stars [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/] from 2018-22. In between, he was named the interim head coach of the Edmonton Oilers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/] in the back half of the 2014-15 season before being replaced by Todd McLellan in the season's aftermath. Nelson has the right mixture of experience, developmental acumen, and success for the Penguins' vacancy, and he should be a top option in their search. RICK TOCCHET Jan 18, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet speaks with forward Pius Suter (24) on the bench against the Edmonton Oilers in the second period at Rogers Arena. (Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/b6a49482-720b-4504-aabc-097b911a278c.jpeg] Jan 18, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet speaks with forward Pius Suter (24) on the bench against the Edmonton Oilers in the second period at Rogers Arena. (Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images) Although his NHL coaching career has had some ups and downs, there's no denying Tocchet's connections to the Penguins. In addition to winning the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 1992 as a player, Tocchet was behind the Penguins' bench as an assistant coach during their back-to-back Cup runs in 2016 and 2017 before taking a head coaching position with the Arizona Coyotes the following season, where he remained until the end of the 2021-22 season. He was then brought on to coach the Vancouver Canucks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/] in the 2023-24 season, and after leading the team to a Pacific division title, he received the Jack Adams Award for NHL coach of the year. 2024-25 was tumultuous, however, as the Canucks missed the postseason amid a lot of drama surrounding the organization all season long. Tocchet's contract with the Canucks has expired, and although it's believed that Canucks president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford wants to retain the sought-after coach [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/vancouver-canucks/latest-news/practice-facilities-and-penguins-coaches-an-update-on-the-canucks-and-rick-tocchets-contract-negotiations], it's not clear yet what Tocchet's intentions are. He has a great relationship with the veteran core of the Penguins, and his reputation with young players is a very positive one. Since both things are crucial to Dubas's plan moving forward, if the Penguins are to choose a "re-tread," there is a very high chance that Tocchet would be their guy. 'I Started To Think That It May Just Be Time': Takeaways From Kyle Dubas's Press Conference Regarding Departure Of Mike Sullivan [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/f4910064-b521-4be2-b11c-6685d32dae4f.jpeg] 'I Started To Think That It May Just Be Time': Takeaways From Kyle Dubas's Press Conference Regarding Departure Of Mike Sullivan On Monday, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>’ president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas shook the hockey world when he announced that <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/breaking-penguins-and-head-coach-mike-sullivan-mutually-parting-ways">head coach Mike Sullivan would not be returning to coach the Penguins in 2025-26</a>. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/i-started-to-think-that-it-may-just-be-time-takeaways-from-dubass-press-conference-regarding-departure-of-mike-sullivan] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE "INEXPERIENCED BUT INTRIGUING" CATEGORY MIKE HASTINGS Wisconsin Head Coach Mike Hastings speaks to forward William Whitelaw (8) during the second period of the match against Michigan St. on Saturday March 2, 2024 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. (Credit: Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/432928a3-16a0-4c50-af77-1d6403b44ed7.jpeg] Wisconsin Head Coach Mike Hastings speaks to forward William Whitelaw (8) during the second period of the match against Michigan St. on Saturday March 2, 2024 at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis. (Credit: Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK) Of all the options on this list, Hastings is certainly the most unproven. But "unproven" may not necessarily be a bad thing in this case. Hastings was bred from the USHL program, where he racked up both USHL Coach of the Year and General Manager of the Year honors with the Omaha City Lancers over the years. He then turned around a near-irrelevant Minnesota State Mavericks collegiate team from 2012-23, leading them to the Frozen Four in 2021 and earning him a nod as an assistant coach for the 2022 U.S. Men's Olympic team that never came to fruition with the NHL backing out of the games. He has spent the last two seasons coaching the Wisconsin Badgers with a combined 38-31-5 record. Hastings is a prime example of a coach who has earned everything he's gotten, rising from his humble beginnings in the USHL and elevating himself to a Big-10 coaching role. That organic growth seems synonymous with what Dubas is looking for. AARON SCHNEEKLOTH Jumping back to AHL candidates, Schneekloth, 46, has been at the helm for the Colorado Eagles - AHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/colorado-avalanche/] - for the past two seasons, putting up a very respectable 83-46-10-5 record. Prior to that, the Eagles were actually the ECHL affiliate of the Avalanche, and Schneekloth won back-to-back Kelly Cup championships in 2017 and 2018. The Eagles are known for their high-octane offense - they led the AHL in goals for this season with 250 - which should go over well with the Penguins and the types of high-end offensive players they have at the top of their lineup. He is held in high regard in the Avalanche's system, and he has grown along with the players in that system. If development is a priority, Schneekloth would certainly qualify. Inside the Numbers: Mike Sullivan's Decade As Penguins Head Coach [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/406ea960-337b-46c3-ac0b-dc5a0ff7d8f7.jpeg] Inside the Numbers: Mike Sullivan's Decade As Penguins Head Coach On April 28, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they mutually parted ways with head coach Mike Sullivan. As the winningest coach in franchise history, it's a monumental day for the organization, which will begin its search for a new leader for the first time since 2015. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/inside-the-numbers-mike-sullivans-decade-as-penguins-head-coach] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE "WORTHWHILE RE-TREAD" CATEGORY DAVID QUINN Mar 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan (left) gestures on the bench as assistant coach David Quinn (right) looks on against the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime at PPG Paints Arena. (Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/1242e165-8d40-4ce6-9a5e-4f5bf2f61529.jpeg] Mar 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; former Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan (left) gestures on the bench as assistant coach David Quinn (right) looks on against the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime at PPG Paints Arena. (Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images) Even though Dubas said that the rest of the Penguins' coaching staff was deemed free to pursue other opportunities - including Andy Chiodo, Ty Hennes, and Mike Vellucci - Quinn's name still remains in the fold because he is still under contract. It's hard to deny the work that Quinn did with the Penguins' power play this season [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/hes-very-detailed-quinn-makes-impression-in-first-season-as-penguins-assistant-coach], and he has some familiarity with the Penguins' players and their system but not enough tenure for any philosophy to be engrained. He's also notorious for his "people skills," [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/hes-very-detailed-quinn-makes-impression-in-first-season-as-penguins-assistant-coach] which Sullivan himself pointed out multiple times throughout the season. Since the Penguins are in a transitional period, it might not be the worst idea to have someone around who is somewhat familiar but still relatively fresh. He may not be a long-term option, but he's not necessarily a bad one for the "now." 'He's Very Detailed': Quinn Makes Impression In First Season As Penguins Assistant Coach [https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/OFlVteYZ/poster.jpg?width=720] 'He's Very Detailed': Quinn Makes Impression In First Season As Penguins Assistant Coach Penguins assistant coach David Quinn - who oversees the defense, power play, and overtime - has brought an element of authenticity to the room [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/hes-very-detailed-quinn-makes-impression-in-first-season-as-penguins-assistant-coach] JEREMY COLLITON Colliton - who is currently an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils/] - has a bit of a bumpy track record. His first NHL head coaching gig didn't exactly go swimmingly, as he was named the successor to Joel Quenneville with the Chicago Blackhawks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/chicago-blackhawks] in 2018 and was fired almost exactly three years later in 2021 after falling short of expectations. A former NHL player with the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders] from 2005-11 (three goals, six points in 57 games), he's seen AHL stints with the Rockford Icehogs and Abbotsford Canucks in addition to his NHL experience. The 40-year-old certainly has more to prove, but he may be worth a gamble by the Penguins and could even be a "bridge" option for them if their rebuild turns out to be longer-term than expected. JAY WOODCROFT Apr 29, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Edmonton Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft speaks with media following game six of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. (Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/480b197c-4af1-413c-9522-130d87f0023e.jpeg] Apr 29, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Edmonton Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft speaks with media following game six of the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. (Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images) Woodcroft's resume may be short, but that doesn't mean it is lacking. During the 2021-22 season, Woodcroft was promoted from his position with the AHL's Bakersfield Condors in February and managed to revive an Oilers team that was dead in the water at the time of his hiring, leading them to the Western Conference Finals. The Oilers went 50-23-9 with 109 points in the following season, which was good enough for the second-best regular season finish in the Western Conference. Even though he was fired after Edmonton's abysmal 3-9-1 start to the 2023-24 season [https://thehockeynews.com/news/news/edmonton-oilers-fire-coach-jay-woodcroft-bring-in-kris-knoblauch], it felt like Woodcroft had a lot left in the tank. Aside from being an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, however, he hasn't had a coaching gig since, and he has been awaiting another opportunity. Woodcroft is known for his work with young players, and that's something the Penguins and Dubas will need out of their new coach. He may technically be a "re-tread," but of the non-Tocchet re-treads available, he's probably the most intriguing option. 'We Have To Stick To A Very Concise Plan And Then Execute Our Butts Off': Dubas Clarifies Penguins' Summer Plans [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/355744a4-25fa-426a-a85d-5687f943b75b.jpeg] 'We Have To Stick To A Very Concise Plan And Then Execute Our Butts Off': Dubas Clarifies Penguins' Summer Plans To close out the 2024-25 season, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas spoke with the Pittsburgh media on Monday. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/we-have-to-stick-to-a-very-concise-plan-and-then-execute-our-butts-off-dubas-clarifies-penguins-summer-plans] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwquDfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
