When Kyle Dubas took over as general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins last summer, everyone knew he had his work cut out for him. The organization has been mismanaged for years, and there was no way all that damage would be fixed overnight. A year later, Dubas is still trying to untangle the Penguins’ mess. After missing the playoffs two years in a row and staying relatively quiet this offseason, no one is expecting much from the team heading into 2024-25.
Has Dubas Done Enough This Offseason?
Whether it’s fair to hold Dubas responsible for the Penguins’ current state no longer matters; the team has not improved much during his tenure. Last summer, he brought in Lars Eller and Noel Acciari to help the bottom six, but Pittsburgh’s depth scoring remained a major issue last season.
Dubas has been somewhat limited over the offseason due to the team’s small amount of available cap space. He added forwards Kevin Hayes and Anthony Beauvillier; Hayes is coming off a season with the St. Louis Blues where he scored 13 goals in 79 games – the lowest-scoring season of his 10-year career. He signed with the Penguins through the 2025-26 season with an average annual value (AAV) of roughly $7.1 million (but the Philadelphia Flyers, who tendered him that contract, retain half of his salary.)
Acquiring Hayes after a poor season is a curious move by Dubas; however, it does have a potentially high reward. Two seasons ago, Hayes posted 54 points with the Flyers, so maybe a change of scenery is exactly what he needs. He is good in the faceoff dot and can be a consistent third or fourth-line center. He is also a playmaker, and with good finishers around him, he could become a great addition to the bottom six.
Pittsburgh also received a 2025 second-round draft pick in the Hayes trade. If nothing else, Dubas has Hayes for the short term and a future draft pick as he continues his mini-rebuild no one is calling a rebuild.
Anthony Beauvillier signed a one-year contract worth $1.25 million on July 1. At the beginning of last season, he was a member of the Vancouver Canucks but was then dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks in November. He ended the campaign with the Nashville Predators after being traded in March. He played in 60 games with five goals and 12 assists. It’s possible he wasn’t able to gain any traction anywhere, and the Penguins are hoping that with a little more stability, he will be able to produce for them.
Should Dubas Be on the Hot Seat?
The answer is yes, because despite having Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang on the roster, the Penguins continued to fall short last season. Bringing in Hayes and Beauvillier does not seem like it will make a huge difference, however Dubas has backed himself into a corner financially largely thanks to the Tristan Jarry contract. Last summer, he signed Jarry to a five-year contract with a $5.375 million AAV in what is probably his most controversial decision to date. Pittsburgh’s starting goaltender has struggled to stay healthy and consistent, and this past season was no different.
Related: Penguins’ Projected 2024-25 Opening Night Lineup
The Penguins re-signed backup Alex Nedeljkovic to a two-year deal on June 20, which left fans with more questions than answers. Is Dubas still trying to move Jarry before the start of the season? That money could be better spent elsewhere, and if Pittsburgh wants to return to the playoffs in 2024-25, he should be doing anything he can to make that happen. His job may very well depend on it.
