The Pittsburgh Penguins have fired assistant coach Todd Reirden, announced by the team Friday. This news comes after rumors GM Kyle Dubas wanted to make some coaching changes but was facing resistance from head coach Mike Sullivan. It also comes a few weeks after the Penguins missed the playoffs for the second straight season. They finished with a record of 38-32-12 and finished fifth in the Metro Division with 88 points.
Reirden first joined the Penguins as an assistant coach back in the 2010-11 season. He went on to coach for four seasons in Pittsburgh before joining the Washington Capitals as an assistant coach in the 2014-15 season. He was an assistant in Washington for four seasons where he won a championship with the Capitals in 2018, and was promoted to head coach for Washington starting in the 2018-19 season. Reirden was head coach for two years before going back to Pittsburgh for a second stint as assistant coach from 2020-2024.
GM and President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas made the following statement regarding Reirden’s departure:
“We are grateful to Todd for his dedication and commitment to the Penguins over two separate stints with the organization. Mike Sullivan and I spent time over the past two weeks evaluating the coaching staff. We agree that this change was in the best interest of the team moving forward”.
Penguins In For Some Changes This Summer
Dubas and his staff are set to be busy this offseason. With the pressure of having a franchise legend in Sidney Crosby still playing for the team, chances are the Penguins look to stay competitive. A retool is likely to be expected.
There are certainly a lot of questions surrounding the Penguins. Does Mike Sullivan still have a defined future with the team? What if the Penguins start off slow again next season? Does the core still have what it takes to remain competitive? There are lots of questions with minimal answers.
Dubas is clearly in a tough position here. His moves will clearly be centered around giving their aging core a final chance to win a Stanley Cup. It was evident with the addition of Erik Karlsson on the blue line, which hasn’t worked out in the Penguins’ favor. More moves could also be coming with team staff and other personnel.
Reirden’s firing is just the first of many moves for a Penguins team looking to get back into the playoff conversation next season. What comes next with Sullivan will be interesting to watch. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli noted, “There was no shortage of friction in Pittsburgh, where as we reported, coach Mike Sullivan was vehemently opposed to making changes to his staff. Now that GM Kyle Dubas has fired assistant coach Todd Reirden, is that the tipping point on Sullivan’s tenure? We shall see.”
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