The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced the appointment of Kyle Dubas as the new President of Hockey Operations, making him only the second person to hold the position in the franchise’s history. At 37 years old, Dubas will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of the Penguins’ hockey operations department, including the establishment of a strategic vision and philosophy for the team.
“We are thrilled to welcome Kyle to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Throughout his career, Kyle has proven himself as a forward-thinking hockey mind and embodies all of the qualities – integrity, intelligence, and an unwavering commitment to building a winning culture – that we value in a leader at the Penguins and within Fenway Sports Group. We have done exhaustive work narrowing down candidates throughout this process, but it did not take long to be impressed by Kyle, the reputation he’s cultivated for himself in and around the National Hockey League, and his vision for the organization on and off the ice. His passion for the sport and ability to foster collaborative relationships with his staff, coaches and players is the type of leadership style that will undoubtedly resonate with the front office and set us on a new path for success in the near-term with our current championship-caliber core and beyond with a commitment to sustainable, long-term success” said principal owner John Henry.
Dubas brings with him a wealth of experience from his nine-year tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, where he served as the general manager for the past five seasons. Notably, when he was hired in 2018, Dubas became the second-youngest general manager in NHL history, demonstrating his exceptional leadership abilities at the age of 32.
During his time as the Maple Leafs’ general manager, Dubas achieved remarkable success, leading the team to a regular-season record of 221-109-42, resulting in an impressive .651 points percentage. This performance ranked the Maple Leafs fifth in the league for wins and points percentage. Under Dubas’ guidance, the team experienced three of its best regular seasons in history in terms of wins and points percentage (2018-19, ’21-22, and ’22-23).
“On behalf of my family, we are thrilled to join the Pittsburgh Penguins organization and all of the incredible people across Fenway Sports Group,” said Dubas. “I am deeply appreciative of the opportunity that lies ahead of me. The ownership group, FSG leadership and the Penguins staff on the ground in Pittsburgh have been absolutely outstanding. Everyone has demonstrated a clear commitment to building a best-in-class hockey operation.”
Dubas holds the franchise record in Toronto for the fastest general manager to achieve 100 and 200 regular-season wins, accomplishing these milestones in just 176 and 376 regular-season games, respectively. Additionally, under his leadership, the Maple Leafs qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of his five seasons as general manager, and in the 2022-23 season, they secured their first playoff series victory since the 2003-04 campaign.
Dubas joined the organization as an assistant general manager in 2014, working alongside Dave Nonis and Lou Lamoriello. In this role, he held various responsibilities, including player personnel management, overseeing the club’s player development department and farm system, and managing the organization’s research and development department. As the GM of the Maple Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, Dubas oversaw the organization’s top prospects.
“The rich history of winning and the competitiveness of the coaching staff and players were evident in each conversation I had about this position,” Dubas added. “The opportunity to work with such passionate and committed people, as well as the established character and leadership of the long-standing core group of talented players, gives me great enthusiasm for the challenge at hand. Our family has been made to feel extremely comfortable throughout this process and we are excited to now call Pittsburgh our home.”
During his four-year tenure as general manager of the Marlies, Dubas achieved an impressive record of 190-90-20-4, leading the team to win the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as the AHL’s regular-season champion in the 2015-16 and 2017-18 seasons. The Marlies’ success culminated in their first Calder Cup championship victory in the 2017-18 season.
Prior to joining the Maple Leafs organization, Dubas served as the general manager of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League, from 2011 to 2014. Under Dubas’ leadership, 14 Greyhounds players were drafted into the NHL, the second-highest number among all OHL teams during his tenure.
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