Kyle Dubas Speaks to the Media (09.18.25) | Pittsburgh Penguins
What we’re notably looking for is, you know, our our younger guys that have earned opportunities and chances, can they um can they run with it? Can they push themselves to play in more exhibition games? Can they assert themselves on the training sessions that are going to start here today in in addition to the exhibition games that they get? And especially as the lineups get better uh and the games get harder as it goes, can they continue to maintain their level? um if they continue to push all the way and it’s very clear that they should be on the team, then they’ll make the team and we’ll deal with um whatever um whatever the uh the ripple effects of those are on some of the more veteran guys. The message of the veteran guys is that with where we’re at, the young guys are coming. They’re going to get opportunity. They’re going to have to earn everything, but it’s been very clear to them what the expectation is and and it’s up to them to to hold on to their jobs and hold on to their spots and their and their places with the Penguins and in the NHL. Um, with regards to my expectations for the season, uh, the way that I kind of look at it is, you know, I try to say if we sat here, uh, last, uh, at this time next year, at the end of the year, what would, uh, what would I want for for you all to think and have be very clearly and and for me, what’s would be important is that if we were here a year from now or nine months from now, it’s been just very clear um, to everybody that the foundation that Dan and his staff are going trying to set in terms of training, competitiveness, the way that we play that’s going to begin to form today, day one on the ice, has taken hold throughout the whole 82 game season and and hopefully beyond. And uh it’s very clear to everyone that this team is on the right path to getting back to contending. How soon that happens will be up to the players and and all of us collectively in terms of player acquisition, coaching, the way that our players develop and play. Um and um that to us would would be uh would be a successful year and just that it’s more clear to everybody that we are definitely on the path back to being a contending team. Um I have resisted coming in here and saying that it’s going to take x amount of years. I continue to use the word urgency. And why I think that is that I think if you come and put a timeline on it, uh it gives me and maybe others in the organization a bit of cover and time that oh it’s going to take three years or five years or seven years to to get us back there. Our push uh is to get back there as soon as we possibly can. Um and uh today is our first day towards moving towards that with Dan and his staff taking control. So on that I will uh turn it over to everyone for questions. Uh Kyle, in the spring you talked about the goalending position and you wanted to see just for lack of a better term, I guess an open competition. um with Alex leaving and our tours arriving has that plan changed at all and how much so contractual obligations i.e. who needs clear waiverss, whatever plays a role into that. Um, I think it’s just too it’s it’s a simple swap out. Um, and it’s the same message as it was in April when we talked about it last. Um, we have two young goalies who have extremely high potential in Joel Bloomquist and Sergey Murishov. I think everyone has seen it at times whether it’s been in the American League or whether it’s been up here, Joel’s case. Um and um then we have Tristan and Archers that are um that are a little bit older, a little bit more advanced. Archers has had, you know, the ultimate success at the at the minor league level, winning a championship and being the MVP. So, but all that said, they’ll start competing here today and the the best two goalies that the way that they perform in camp and we deem as best for their development, but notably the way they perform in camp and preseason will determine who the two goalies are. to start with the Penguins, their contract situations. None of that matters. Kyle, I’m going to get this out of the way now. Um Pat Persan made a couple of comments recently that got a lot of attention around here, as I know you’re aware. Um is there any kind of concern that the way you’re building the team and the pace at which you’re building the team is not on the same page as, you know, not necessarily Sid, but also his representatives. And does that make your job harder? Is it an issue for you? Uh, I have a a friend um that reminded me shortly after that and uh reminds me often um who operates in in a different sport, but he’ll often say that shortcuts cut long run short and regardless of what the uh perceptions I didn’t take from Pat’s comments that uh he necessarily disagrees with where we’re at. talked to Pat daily, not twice daily, about all of his clients on our team, which they have plenty, and and other going on throughout the league. Um, I think he’s entitled to make whatever comments he wishes. Um, and but all that said, we can’t alter the course that we’re on, which is to bring the team back into a team that can contend for the Stanley Cup year in and year out. um because of what different media members may want um where they may want to see Sid play uh different things of that nature. Uh we have to focus on doing what’s right for the Pittsburgh Penguins and regardless of any sort of commentary or um things that are said in the media. We can’t change that. So, this is our sole focus. I knew when signing up for the job, this was likely going to be a part of it. And um it doesn’t deter us from the task at hand. Another goalending question. Over the weekend, there was a report that you were one of the teams that inquired about Carter Hart. Um, is that accurate? And if so, what’s the thought process there? Ah, um, no, we haven’t made any inquiries. I haven’t talked to Jud Mulaver about Carter Hart. So, um, I think with with any players that are available with where we’re at, especially in camp in that case especially, there’s a still a suspension needs to be served or run out for another month or so. and we haven’t dug deep into the facts of the matter than following along in the media to the to the trial and its outcome and so on and so forth, but if if um you know, so it’s it’d be foolish for me, I think, to comment now, but thanks. Um there seemed to be a lack of movement this summer just on the trade front across the league. Uh, do you think there’s any explanation for that looking ahead to next season with the cap going up and maybe just uh the draft and everything next season? Um, I I can only speak to our two off seasons which is, you know, we when we made the two trades in middle July the with Vancouver and then with Dallas and the commentary from other people throughout the league was it just doesn’t seem like anything’s going on. Um I think the increase in the salary cap from last year to this year which is the first year it really took a significant bump since the since co um played an impact in the fact that there just wasn’t the necessity to make a lot of deals. Last year we were involved I think in three deals in mid to late August and um I think that may set the what the level of expectation was but there just wasn’t a massive amount. I think part of it is to do with salary cap, part of going up, part of it is to do with other teams taking care of their RFAS due to last year’s offer sheet situation between St. Louis and and Edmonton. But I just think in the next number of years, you’ve got a salary cap project to go up. They’ve also outlined exactly what it’s going to be, so it’s better. It makes it easier to plan. Um, and so I think all of that just just combines to create what was a I think for everybody in the league. uh or and especially I could imagine for you all in here. Probably not the most exciting August. Uh but we’ll get ramped up today and see where it goes. Uh Kyle, when you talk about urgency to get back to contention, what is on your short list, what do you think you you’re missing and need to acquire to get from here to to there? Well, I think it’s it’s mostly there’s there’s two things I would say. It’s it’s continuing to to acquire young players through the draft or using our draft capital uh when those uh situations present themselves. And then it’s really developing our our younger guys that are going to form the the core of the group. Some of them are going to be drafted, some of them are going to be unsigned free agents like Avery Hayes type uh for example. Um others are going to be later round picks that come in in surprise and and there’s a number of them that uh are here now. But I think that, you know, our commitment to development across the whole organization is going to be the key to and then any time we have a chance at any position to improve ourselves. Um, we’re we’re going to do that. And so I I don’t think we’re we’re perfect or near perfect or anywhere close to where we want to be at any of the the three positions or four if you want to separate center and wing. So I think that’s our that’s our key. And then the other part would be um just Dan and his staff more deeply integrating the developmental part in and and everything that we’ve talked about on that front um to really expedite that. And what we want to really become here is um you know we want and I know that they’re not the biggest names but the players that we signed in free agency for example. So you get an you know whether you take Anthony Mantha, Raphael Harvey Bernard, Caleb Jones, Parker Weatherspoon that we’re looked at as the place that if you’re a player that hasn’t gotten the opportunity you think you deserve or you coming off injury that we’re the place that you know that we’re going to get the most out of you. We have to earn that. We’re not close to that at all. There other teams in the league do a great job of that, but that’s what we really want to become and stay there for a very long time. Just Kyle, you told us at the end of spring that Eric Carlson was a guy you thought was going to be someone to to help this team back into contention. Just a couple months later, as the new season approaches, do you still view Eric in that light? And just what are your expectations for him heading into a new season under a new coach and staff? Uh, I think I mean nothing has changed in my opinion about Eric. I think he’s in excellent condition. Um I just for me I think Eric’s an extraordinarily proud person and you know I think he comes into the year with a lot to play for um both reputationally himself but also I think more importantly wasn’t named to the Swedish Olympic first six and that’s a very important item for him and so I think you’ll see him uh he just has a huge amount of incentive uh this season. he he’s going to want to win before he retires and he’s going to want to play at the highest level of best on best hockey. He’s right in that kind of sweet spot of guys that were um you know between 2014 and 2026 that have their whole prime of their career has been they’ve missed that best on best situation. And so I think the way that he played last year at Four Nations is is any indication um you know we we’ll see a great version of Eric this year. So we’re excited about that. Hey Kyle. Um, in the off season as there often is, there was chatter about a few of your players. I know you talked about like Brian Rust in particular. Um, Raquel, you just mentioned Carlson. Um, now that the season is here, I mean, do you anticipate kind of standing pat for a while with all your players who could potentially in trade now that you’re here? Or is it kind of open-ended? Like where does where does things stand on that front going forward? I I think Matt, with where we’re at, we have to always look every single day at what’s best for the organization. So we we’re not in a spot where where we’re coming off uh you know being you know deep into the playoffs in consecutive years. The team’s missed the playoffs for three years and and the job is to return us there. So regardless of what that creates on the rumor front or or anything like that, we’re always looking for for ways that can help propel the team back to where we want it to to get to. So that work doesn’t really stop. There’s been tons of discussions on a lot of our guys throughout the summer, but we also aren’t just going to make deals to offload very key and important people in the organization and that have given a lot to the organization in their in their time. So, we have to if the right return is there, we would look at anything and uh in the meantime, we’re going to do everything we can to get the most out of those guys and and you know, we talked all three of them have a huge amount to play for. I mean, the Olympics are I know perhaps locally on September 18th, they aren’t a major, it’s not a massive deal, but I think for those three players in particular that you mentioned, plus others on our roster, it’s it’s they all want to be there. They all want to play in it. And I think that provides us the opportunity to to really push them forward and and and take and continue to preserve where they’re at as they continue to age, but also try to find another level for them that can help them be on those national teams. Hey, Kyle. Obviously a new team, new coach. What do you expect from this team when it hits the ice to start the season? I expect, you know, I think Dan and the staff, I mean, they’ve been at it essentially all day for the last several weeks. And in Dan’s case, and I mean together, I I think throughout the summer, you know, every coaching staff works, but they’ve been here, and you know, Dan is here before 6 and he’s here after 10. um he’s working to instill the the foundation that’s going to set our team up for success for a long time. Um and when hiring him, the key for me is that he could he could best uh help to lead this transition through this time where I think we’re we’re coming into the season and there isn’t the expectation that we’re going to contend externally and um he’s helping to get us there and that he’s the person that can keep us there once we’re there. So I I just think for me what I want to see from us is the habits and the foundation of what of of what he’s putting in. You’ll start to see it today on the ice in terms of how hard we play, how competitive we are, that the ability to be agile in the systems and way that we play, not just playing one way or another. And um I think as I said in the opening, what I’m hopeful for and what would be a successful year is that everybody, not just me or or the players at the end of the season looks and says the way that we play is going to is is is helping us to get back towards being a contending team. We and I think most importantly for our fans and and for you all that every night our effort is at an elite level. we don’t have the, you know, weeks weeks long dips and um and and um that we make the people of Pittsburgh proud every night that we play with how we play and how hard we play and how we play for one another. Kyle, a few months ago you were asked about ify Malin and and his future. You said that you plan to circle back with him at the Olympic break and then after the season, but just with training camp coming up, have you gotten any more indication on on where he may stand as far as maybe wanting to play past this year or not? He’s in a great mood every day. Uh funnier than ever? Um because you see from his videos that Jenner staff have put out. Um no change on that front. I I spoke with him and and JP in the summer when stuff started to percolate and bubble there and then um but it’s it’s the it’s the same. We’ll you know he’s at at that time in in every one of their careers. I’ll sit um when when time permits at you in the Olympic break provides a a key opportunity for that and then we’ll uh we’ll address where he’s at. But I expect him to have a great season and and um excited uh to see him back out there rolling. Hey, Kyle. Uh, similar to Josh’s question, a lot of chatter externally about ownership change, a potential ownership change. Did that impact you? I’m not expecting you to talk about that specifically, but did it impact your dealings at all this offseason? Thanks, Jason. Yeah, no, it it didn’t uh it didn’t impact the dealings. Obviously, it um it’s something that takes up a lot of bandwidth internally uh very openly. The way that I’ve come to view the ownership stuff is that for me obviously when when you know after situation added in in Toronto you know in in making the decision of where to go next ownership and who owns the team was was vitally important where I’ve come to uh land since is that you know you really the ownership is important but what’s more important I think is where where you work and who you work with and um I just I think in the two plus years that we’ve been here, we’ve really come to love the city and love the area and we’ve really uh come to love the people internally. Um and and that make the thing make the machine run every single day and uh that’s really who you who you do it for. Um having supportive owners is always important. Uh where and having them have a very clear um direction that they want you to go down is important and and we’ve still received that from from Fenway. Uh that hasn’t that hasn’t changed. And so for me um the focus is more on who we do it with every day and where we do it and and that’s what we’re trying to deliver for trying to bring the team back to a spot where the people I mean it’s such a great sports city. That’s what we found in the in the two plus years here and it’s such a great community and so we just want to deliver for that and um you know the whatever whatever happens on that front will happen and then we’ll just continue to move ahead with our plan. Couple more. Good morning Kyle. Morning Dan. Last week the team announced that Mark and Jay Flurry would return to Pittsburgh for a practice and a portion of an exhibition game next Saturday. Uh can you expand a little bit more and I know you issued an initial statement uh the thought process behind that and why it is so important to have him come back for a game wearing Penguins black and gold. Um I think the the thought process started last October. Um for me just seeing the amount of love that the fans have for Mark Andre and then his enthusiasm in return for the the city of Pittsburgh. Um, and then being with him in Stockholm at the Worlds, I think you you just begin to see the impact he has on everybody. And that was last October. And the thought process was in in talking to the folks internally that, you know, I I just thought it would be a great idea and for him to be able to kind of have this full circle moment and, you know, allow the fans the chance to to uh properly salute him in a Penguins uniform rather than a different uniform. I I think it’s we could spend here all day talking about the impact he makes on a daily basis, but you know this also the success he’s had and one of the most memorable saves probably in the history of hockey to help the team win uh in game seven in Detroit at the very end. I just think that when you know it’s we we were talking about a lot of like the short-term frankly issues and matters and challenges and I think especially what I’ve learned in a city like this um that um just values their sports teams and the players that really bring special moments to the team. Having a chance to do something like this for Mark Andre, but also for the fans became uh something that was important to us. And I think you see the work that has been done on the Hall of Fame throughout the summer um by Jen and Jason Siding and everybody internally to make that happen. And there’s such a great history here and you know part of for us um have is educating our younger group of players on that. So now Mark’s going to have a chance, you know, two days to be around Tristan and Archer Cloavs and Joel Bloomquist and Sergey Mirishov and Philip Larson and I don’t know how to calculate the value of that, but I observed his his impact on the younger players at the worlds and it was immense and that was in two weeks and he played half the games and he’s just he’s just awesome. I don’t know any other way to to put it and uh so it should be a special night and opportunity. we’re educating our younger players that come in. You you you take it for granted a little bit. Like some of the kids don’t even know what The Office is, like the TV show. So like they you know, you don’t know what they were watching in 2016 and 17, if anything. I know I I felt old when they didn’t know what Seinfeld was, and I felt really old when they didn’t know what The Office was. So, um, but it it’s just educating them on on what’s made the Penguins great in the past. And Mark Andre Flurry, you can’t talk about that without Mark Andre Flurry. So, it’ll be a and he of course has done a really great job of the photo. He’s was his is PTO signing and such. So, anyway, it’s just a it’s a chance for for us to allow the fans to properly salute a very important figure in the team’s history one final time uh in a Penguins uniform. It’s a chance for him to feel that love one more time and it’s a chance as I look at it for for our younger group to uh to learn from him. Kyle, sort of referencing Josh’s question. You mentioned not taking any shortcuts as you go through this process, but what’s your level of confidence that you guys can get to that destination of being a consistently contending team while Sid is still Sid? Well, there’s there’s two parts to the answer. The first is I wouldn’t put any uh timeline on Sid and stopping being himself. I just think you see the amount of work he puts into it every day. Um I think people tend to take the contract length of any player and say it’s got to be by this stage or within that time frame. in his case. You know, I think I’ll borrow Pat’s uh uh example of Tom Brady is that’s the one that I think has kind of caused this to go to to an off-ramp that no one wants to really go to. But he’s a he’s a player that if he played to that age, at that level, it wouldn’t be surprising. He would downplay it, but I don’t think anybody else would be surprised if he was if we’re years from now and he’s still playing at an elite level. there’s just there’s nobody that puts as much into it as as he does. I know he wants to have the team be be uh in the playoffs as he’s said in his his availability and our job is to you know we have to be in the playoffs to get to where we want to get to. So that’s that’s part of the the checklist. Um and so I wouldn’t put a timeline on him and do I think that we can execute what we want to within that timeline? Yes, I do. it just um if we try to short circuit it, we can probably get to a very uh not very high up the mountain that we’re trying to climb and then that would be disappointing for everybody. So, it’s just making sure that we’re following that those steps and we won’t uh veer from that at all. Early in the summer, you talked about potentially extending offer sheets or going after other teams RFAS. Is that something you ever came close to doing or just what happened there? Yeah, part part of the offer sheet thing, Taylor, is I think you when you do it, you have to, you know, there’s there’s the there’s the cost of it and then there’s the you get you once they’re an RFA, you can talk to the agent, you can find out this is what they would sign for and there there was just no real conversation that we like we didn’t feel that the value was there to to check off both boxes. So, it’s what they would sign for in an offer sheet and then two, would the other team be able to match that or not? So, what’s the salary cap situation? What’s the what’s their temperament towards the player? There just weren’t any fits that we felt were realistic. And just to have it be an exercise, which causes seven days of it would be great for everybody in here because you’d have seven days of wonderment and, you know, trying to figure out are they going to match or not, but there there were just no cases that felt really close. There’s still a few players left unsigned now. Um, but I I don’t I don’t sense that there offer sheet that those are there any imminent offer sheets on any of them. Thanks. Thanks. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. N. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music]
Penguins President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas will be available to the media prior to the start of training camp on Thursday, September 18 at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.
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