Pens Labyrinth
Fansided

Pittsburgh Penguins: Top 5 Coaches in Team History

By Matthew Rodrigopulle

Jan 20, 2017; Raleigh, NC, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan looks on from behind the players bench against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 7-1. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2017; Raleigh, NC, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan looks on from behind the players bench against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena. The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 7-1. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 6
Next
Feb 3, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma (right) gestures on the bench against the Ottawa Senators during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 3, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma (right) gestures on the bench against the Ottawa Senators during the second period at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

3: Dan Bylsma

Record: 252-117-32

Achievements: 2009 Stanley Cup winner with the Penguins, Jack Adams Trophy winner in 2011.

Bylsma replaced Michel Therrien as head coach of the Penguins midway through the 2008-09 season. At 38, he was the youngest head coach in the NHL at the time and he immediately took the Penguins to a 18–3–4 record—the second most of any coach in NHL history through their first 25 games.

Bylsma then completed the ultimate goal as a coach in his first year–he won the Stanley Cup in 2009. Now yes, you can say that this team that had made the Finals in the previous year were bound to win it anyways, but before Bylsma stepped in the team was struggling to even make the playoffs. His coaching made an immediate difference on the team that is definitely hard to overlook.

The success kept coming for Bylsma in the next few seasons. In 2011, Bylsma was awarded the Jack Adams Award as the league’s most outstanding coach as he coached the Penguins to the playoffs even without their key pieces in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Bylsma soon after became the fastest coach in NHL history to reach 250 wins, and is also the winningest coach in Penguins history with 252 wins.

Despite being fired in 2014, Bylsma arguably achieved the most as a coach of the Penguins. With all the ups came downs however, but he was able to pull through.

Home/History