May 1, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Nick Bonino (13) handles the puck as Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby (70) defends the net in overtime of game three of the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/54e5757b-d79b-42d3-a0fd-33718183add5.jpeg] May 1, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Nick Bonino (13) handles the puck as Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby (70) defends the net in overtime of game three of the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the PPG PAINTS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Back on Jun. 4, the Pittsburgh Penguins hired Dan Muse [https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/who-is-new-pittsburgh-penguins-coach-dan-muse] as the 23rd coach in franchise history. And, now, his supporting cast has been made official. On Jun. 20, the Penguins announced that they have brought on assistant coaches Todd Nelson, Nick Bonino, and Rich Clunen as well as Troy Paquette, who will be the team's assistant video coach under Madison Nikkel. Andy Chiodo will remain on the staff as the team's goaltending coach. Nelson, 56, has been the head coach of the AHL's Hershey Bears - affiliate of the Washington Capitals [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/] - for the past three seasons and won back-to-back Calder Cups in 2023 and 2024. He has also coached the Chicago Wolves and Grand Rapids Griffins as part of his AHL resume - earning 450 total AHL wins, which is the fifth-highest mark in AHL history - and his coaching experience at the NHL level includes the now-defunct Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/dallas-stars/], and Edmonton Oilers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/] - which was a brief stint as head coach in 2014-15. A bonus nuggest? Nelson, a former defenseman, was drafted by the Penguins in 1989, appearing in only one NHL game with the organization. “With over two decades of coaching experience, Todd brings a championship pedigree and a winning history that speaks for itself,” Muse said. “He has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to get the most out of his players, most recently in Hershey, and his leadership qualities and wealth of experience will be a tremendous asset to our team as we continue to build a culture of excellence.” 'I Couldn't Be More Excited To Get Started Here': 3 Takeaways From Dan Muse's Introductory Press Conference As Penguins' Head Coach [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/012eccd7-7208-44e4-b50c-8dd19127353a.webp] 'I Couldn't Be More Excited To Get Started Here': 3 Takeaways From Dan Muse's Introductory Press Conference As Penguins' Head Coach On Wednesday, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas formally introduced <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/breaking-penguins-annoint-dan-muse-as-new-head-coach">Dan Muse as the 23rd head coach in franchise history</a> at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/i-couldn-t-be-more-excited-to-get-started-here-3-takeaways-from-dan-muse-s-introductory-press-conference-as-penguins-head-coach] Bonino, 37, said publicly that he would be joining the Penguins' staff on Wednesday. He was selected in the sixth round (173rd overall) by the San Jose Sharks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/san-jose-sharks] in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft and spent parts of three seasons with Pittsburgh, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. He was part of the famous "HBK Line" [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/best-penguins-by-jersey-number-81] - which also included Phil Kessel [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/penguins-cult-hero-gets-new-gig] and Carl Hagelin - that helped lead Pittsburgh to its 2016 championship. Bonino did see a short-lived second stint in Pittsburgh during the 2022-23 season post-trade deadline, appearing in only three games due to injury. In his NHL career - primarily as a responsible, shutdown two-way centerman - Bonino registered 159 goals and 358 points in 868 games, including 27 goals and 66 points across his two full seasons in Pittsburgh. Former Penguin Set To Join Coaching Staff For 2025-26 Season [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/ea8cc9db-b3f4-46f6-9325-3ee0f85ec680.webp] Former Penguin Set To Join Coaching Staff For 2025-26 Season A few weeks after it was announced that <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/i-couldn-t-be-more-excited-to-get-started-here-3-takeaways-from-dan-muse-s-introductory-press-conference-as-penguins-head-coach">Dan Muse would become the 23rd head coach</a> in <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> franchise history, it appears that a former Penguin will be joining his coaching staff as well. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/former-penguin-set-to-join-coaching-staff-for-2025-26-season] “Nick's understanding of what it takes to win at the NHL level is unmatched, and his unique experience as a player who filled many different roles over the course of his career will only help him as an assistant coach,” Muse said. “His familiarity with the Penguins organization, as well as my familiarity with him as a player, and person, made him a great fit for this role, and we’re excited to welcome him to our coaching staff as he enters the next phase of his career.” An assistant for the Anaheim Ducks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/anaheim-ducks/] last season, the 37-year-old Clune was also involved with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization in player development as well as with the AHL's Toronto Marlies as an assistant coach in 2023. The specific roles on the coaching staff for Nelson, Bonino, and Clune have yet to be announced. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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! Featured image credit: Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK
