On Monday afternoon, Penguins General Manager Kyle Dubas addressed the media for the final time this year. In thirty minutes, Dubas answered several questions and offered some illuminating glimpses into his plans and the future of the organization.
1. The team is in a better spot than last year.
In his opening monologue, Dubas stated that while it is obviously not a good feeling to miss the playoffs for a third consecutive season, he was pleased with how the team played and responded to the changing roster dynamic.
In responding to a question asking if the team hit rock bottom, Dubas responded with a passionate “no,” offering his opinion that he thought the team had bottomed out after the Jake Guentzel trade last March. After the trade, the Penguins played poorly throughout March before going on an improbable run that almost netted them a playoff spot.
This season, Dubas said he was pleased with how the team responded to the post-deadline trades, which gave the Penguins much-needed draft capital and younger players. Most notably, Dubas said the forward and goalie positions are “in a good spot” pointing to the depth at goaltender, including young prospects Joel Blomqvist and Sergei Murashov. As for the forward group, he was pleased with the play of Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen.
2. Do not get your hopes up.
In The Shawshank Redemption, Morgan Freeman’s character “Red” famously said, “Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.” While many people would take Dubas’ comment about the team being in a better spot than it was last year with optimism and a sign of better days, he quickly squashed those feelings.
He was asked if the playoffs were a realistic expectation for next year, and he said it would take a miraculous effort from the group. Dubas noted that the left defense position “is of major concern.” He acknowledged that the play from players such as Ryan Graves was below the necessary standard.
Furthermore, the Penguins' blue-chip prospect at the position, Owen Pickering, and other AHL defense pieces are “ways away” from being NHL-ready. For Pickering, Dubas said this is a crucial summer for the twenty-one-year-old 2022 draft pick and he wants to see him make significant strides in all aspects of his game.
Finally, Dubas was asked if the Penguins would follow the Washington Capitals model of being aggressive in free agency. While commending the Capitals ability to drastically transform their roster in one summer, Dubas noted that Washington already had a plethora of young picks and prospects which enabled them to supplement those young players with free agents. As for Pittsburgh, he explained that the Penguins do not possess the necessary prospect pool to justify massive spending in free agency.
3. Do not expect much in Free Agency.
In addition to the lack of young players, Dubas told a story in response to a question about the rising salary cap and how he plans to take advantage of it. He recalled a meeting he had with other Penguins officials when he took the job in 2023, where he was told to “give the team one last jolt.” Dubas promised he would make a push for the cup, but in turn asked for support in a plan to rebuild the team if it did not work, which he was given.
The most notable move Dubas made was trading for defenseman Erik Karlsson from San Jose, a move that has not aged well. This move seems to have altered Dubas’ psyche because he said he will not target older players in free agency. Rather, he will focus on targeting young Restricted Free Agents and offer them some term or trade for younger players with multiple years left on their deals. He will avoid signing free agents to long-term, expensive deals like the Ryan Graves contract.
4. Mike Sullivan is safe...for now.
When asked about Mike Sullivan’s future behind the bench, Dubas said he would not offer much until he conducted his end-of-year meeting with the Penguins coach on Tuesday. He sang Sullivan’s praises, calling him an elite coach, and that was evidenced by his performance as the head coach of the USA squad at the Four Nations Faceoff.
However, he also said Sullivan would immediately provide a boost to a contending team that needs a headman to get them over the hump. Dubas offered that he wants to make sure Sullivan is still on board with the rebuilding process. Hopefully for Penguins fans, this does not turn into a John Tortorella-type situation in Philadelphia, where the head coach is initially on board with an extended rebuild but then becomes dissatisfied and the team is left with no choice but to find a replacement.
5. Some Penguins are safe, others are not.
Dubas was also asked about the futures of several key players, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson. When addressing Rust and Rakell, Dubas said both told him they are happy in Pittsburgh and want to stay in the Steel City.
For Rust, the GM quashed any inklings that the Penguins want to move on from the two-time Cup-winning winger. Dubas explained that Rust is revered in the dressing room by the younger players, and trading a player of Rust’s standing would be detrimental to the team.
When addressing Rakell, Dubas lauded the Swedish winger's play on both ends of the ice. This is not a revelation, considering the rumored price for Rakell at the deadline was two first-round picks and the best prospect for the acquiring team, a price very few teams are either willing to or are capable of meeting.
The rhetoric surrounding Erik Karlsson was more critical and somber. Dubas started with “he (Karlsson) will always be a polarizing figure,” an interesting comment. He also said that the Swedish defenders “actions need to meet his ambitions,” highlighting that Karlsson still has elite skill and can play at a high level such as he did at the Four Nations but he needs to be more consistent for the Penguins. While there have been rumors of Dubas’ desire to move on from Karlsson, it becomes more likely by the day that Karlsson is traded.