TIOPS Plus + Highlights:

  • Muse was able to sell the group
  • What Stood Out? What Questions Loom?
  • Who were Actual Final Three in Mix?
  • Highest Paid to Lowest paid coaching staff in NHL?

The Dan Muse hire sent shockwaves around the league on Tuesday. A lot of the Penguins hired “who” among agents and executives. Kyle Dubas making an out of nowhere hire wasn’t the stunning part. A strength at times and a fault at times, Dubas is a wired type where he always thinks he’s outsmarting the rest of the field. Dubas thinks he found a hidden gem in the coaching ranks who has gone unnoticed by many in this coaching circuit. Even when it leaked earlier in the week that Muse was indeed brought in for final interviews, a finalist’s group that included Jay Woodcroft, David Quinn, Mitch Love and D.J. Smith, no one and I mean no one took Muse as a serious candidate. Rival executives thought Pittsburgh was looking more at Muse as a Top Assistant. When leaks started that Mitch Love was no longer the favorite, buzz around the league started to head towards the Penguins going the Blackhawks route with this hire, a coach looking for a second chance that they believed could toe the line of development and possibly getting something out of the core in the very short-term with a new voice, systems, ect. Yet, Muse really sold Dubas and his inner circle on a gamble from the Penguins that he can play a part in spearheading the next phase for the organization. Does being a great interviewer, though, mean anything when it comes to be the actual CEO of a team? The Penguins didn’t make this hire with a belief Muse is going to be developing all these draft picks they have over the next three years and trying to coach up Philip Tomasino types. Let’s call it like it is, that will probably be the next hire. In the present, they became sold his tactical prowess and attention to every detail type coach can sure up the structure woes Mike Sullivan’s staff had but most importantly elevate higher upside talent they are aggressively trying to acquire via trades and building out this roster for next season and beyond. Dubas inner circle is ecstatic about what they feel Muse can bring to the to the table in reorganizing the mindset and deck chairs on the blueline. Pittsburgh’s brass believes Harrison Brunicke is a star in the making with the right coach around him.

Old School Work Ethic / New School Evolving Ideas? When the Penguins gathered intel on Muse throughout this process from others, Muse work ethic behind the scenes was something they became enamored with. The drive he will do everything for the logo and won’t let any coach outwork him became a stample of how the Penguins viewed Muse throughout the process. They feel he brings an old school work ethic, new school developing ideas to the table. One former Rangers coach To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”! Muse worked so much, he forced other assistants to sit in their office and act like they were doing something just to kill time. Meanwhile, a team source added Muse is such a phenomenal teacher, communicator in presenting how he expects and wants you to do for every little detail. If you don’t know the system to a T, you’re being lazy mentally and he will know it. He will act to force the Penguins to think the game better on and off the ice. The Penguins room is heading towards an NFL type setting with Muse behind the scenes. And that’s where there is great mystery with this hire.

As a head coach, there’s a lot more to than being a systems guru and studying film 24/7. One of the main parts is being a presence and leader. You have to win the room over very early on and can’t think being the players favorite assistant can parlay to how you operate as the lead-boss. There’s a chance some of the core is shipped off via trades, but most will be back. Mike Sullivan was greatly popular and there are zero signs this core minus Sidney Crosby wants to be coached anymore. Getting Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson or Kris Letang to log in everyday to their IPads is going to be a chore in itself. Muse has to come in and make a statement that things are changing, there’s going to be more attention to the details with their play in all three zones, but he will have to find a happy medium on and off the ice. You can’t go Mike Johnston here and try to make this a junior team with film study after film study and try to overcoach. Then there’s what to expect from Muse as a main guy behind the bench in game situations. That’s where he is going to earn the players trust and there’s major questions outside of Pittsburgh To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

Final Three: Whispers in the organization are Pittsburgh’s final decision came really close to going another direction. On Monday, some thought it was leaning towards Jay Woodcroft over Muse, while David Quinn was really in it till the very end, that’s why you couldn’t bring him back when they went with Muse. One thing that has played out is Mitch Love and DJ Smith were not To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

Lowest Paid Coaching Staff in NHL? Hearing Dan Muse received a To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

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