The Pittsburgh Penguins are rebuilding and are not projected to be very good this season. However, they do still have Sidney Crosby and some promising young prospects who will more than likely make their NHL debuts. The Penguins also have a new head coach in Dan Muse, who has never coached at the NHL level. General manager Kyle Dubas is optimistic about Muse mainly because of his background in player development. No one is expecting the new head coach to turn his team into overnight cup contenders, but will he find any success in 2025-26?
Muse Hoping For a Successful First Season
Even though no one is expecting Muse to perform miracles, he will be expected to produce some type of success. One big area where the Penguins need to find some success this season is on defense. Kris Letang struggled through most of last season, and Erik Karlsson has not been the powerhouse everyone expected.
Over the summer, Pittsburgh acquired defenseman Matt Dumba from the Dallas Stars. He is a right hander who will bring some physicality to the blue line and will more than likely be on the third pairing with Owen Pickering. Pickering made his NHL debut last season, but he is trying to earn a permanent spot on the roster. At 21 years old, he is the exact type of player the Penguins want to build around.
If Muse can help Pickering develop his game, while also tightening up the rest of the defense, that may also help goaltender Tristan Jarry. Jarry signed a five year contract worth $5.375 million annually on July 1, 2023. Since then, he has not lived up to expectations. Last season he was sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL) three times because of his struggling play, and that is not acceptable for a starting goaltender. Some of his struggles can be blamed on poor defensive play, but his leash is not going to be very long this season and he needs to bounce back pretty quickly.
If Jarry can’t bounce back, the Penguins have some options including 24-year-old Arturs Silovs. In 2024, Silovs burst onto the NHL scene when he posted a 28-save shutout in the first round of the playoffs with the Vancouver Canucks. Last season, he led the Abbotsford Canucks, Vancouver’s AHL affiliate, to a Calder Cup win.
How Will Muse’s Success Be Measured?
There are a lot of young players vying for roster spots this season, which is the main reason Muse was brought to Pittsburgh. Former head coach Mike Sullivan was often criticized for letting struggling veterans remain on the ice and not giving younger players an opportunity. It is likely that players such as Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen, Tristan Broz and Avery Hayes will get NHL minutes this season.
Advancing to the postseason will always be the goal of players like Sidney Crosby, but that will more than likely not be the Penguins reality this season. However, if Muse can help the younger players find success at the NHL level that would be a huge win. Ideally, infusing the younger guys into the bottom six would breathe life back into the team and be a huge help to Crosby and the rest of the top six.
As of right now, the Penguins are not ready to be a competitor. The defense still needs work, and there are still too many question marks surrounding their goaltending. However, things could change in a hurry if Dubas trades Rickard Rakell, Bryan Rust or Karlsson.
Related: Expectations for Penguins Goalies in 2025-26
No matter what happens this season, the Penguins are in a good spot with their rebuild. With the salary cap going up next summer combined with their draft picks and prospects, Dubas has put them in a good position. However, if Muse can strengthen the defense, and develop some of the young forwards, he will quickly become a fan favorite in Pittsburgh.
