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Dan Muse Makes Fiery Comments During Training Camp: 'Competition' is Main Focus
Photo credit: Pittsburgh Hockey Now
While the Penguins aren't expected to be competitive in 2025/26, Head Coach Dan Muse has revealed how competitive training camp has been thus far.
The Pittsburgh Penguins outlook for the upcoming season is bleak, but with some bright spots and a new Head Coach in Dan Muse, they won't struggle for a lack of effort in 2025/26.
After just a few practices in training camp, it appears there's been plenty of effort so far, and with competition wide open for several spots in the lineup this season, the competition is fierce.
Dan Muse opens up after first day of training camp
It's also the first day of training camp for Head Coach Dan Muse, who is clearly trying to set the tone early in Pittsburgh, early on establishing just how important it is to compete every minute that they're on the ice, as he revealed to The Hockey News.
"I think everybody's competitiveness is going to look a little bit different. There's got to be purpose to what you're doing. This isn't just a run-around, anything like that, and I don't think that was the case if you look at the three practices. I think there was purpose to what guys were doing, and we're asking guys to show the best version of their compete, whatever that is. And that's not going to change."
Clearly, this mindset is one that the veterans on the team would enjoy, with Bryan Rust commenting quickly on just how competitive things were early in camp, noting that everyone on the ice was working hard.
"Practice was great. I think it was about establishing an identity and a work ethic. You saw the battle drills out there, a lot of competing. Keeping score pretty much every drill, just kinda trying to get that mindset that we're going to compete every day.
And I think the energy out there was great. It was contagious. [The coaches] were all very vocal, they were all banging their sticks, they were all trying to motivate guys, trying to get guys going. I think everybody out there - from the old guys like me to the young guys - were out there working hard."
And I think the energy out there was great. It was contagious. [The coaches] were all very vocal, they were all banging their sticks, they were all trying to motivate guys, trying to get guys going. I think everybody out there - from the old guys like me to the young guys - were out there working hard."
Obviously, with only so much talent, this competitiveness and desire only takes you so far, but in Muse's first training camp with the team, he's clearly having an effect on things already.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 19 | 42 ANSWERS Dan Muse Makes Fiery Comments During Training Camp: 'Competition' is Main Focus Will the Penguins finish bottom-five in the standings next season? | ||
| Yes | 17 | 40.5 % |
| No | 25 | 59.5 % |
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