Longtime Penguins Employee Unexpectedly Joins Divisional Rival's Staff After Getting Fired

The Pittsburgh Penguins saw Head Coach Mike Sullivan depart the team after a decade this off-season, and it appears as though he wasn't the only long-time staffer to leave the team.

According to a recent release from the Columbus Blue Jackets, long time Penguins equipment manager Paul DeFazio has joined their staff in a surprise move that nobody saw coming.

DeFazio has worked in various capacities with the Penguins organization between Pittsburgh and Wilkes/Barre-Scranton since the 2011 campaign, serving as either the Head or Assistant Equipment Manager throughout that time.

In Columbus, DeFazio will reportedly take on the role as the Head Equipment Manager, and while it's unclear whether or not the teams performance had anything to do with his departure, this is a young, up-and-coming team in Columbus that have given DeFazio the Head role, something he hasn't had in Pittsburgh yet.

While equipment managers don't always get the appreciation they deserve, especially in hockey given the amount of gear that players need to be in perfect shape for game day with so much travel to get all that gear to the cities these teams need to visit, it's an undervalued role, but those in the organizations that see the work they do certainly appreciate it.

As for DeFazio, he's now going to get that appreciation in the top role with the Blue Jackets, leaving Pittsburgh now looking to find someone with the experience and the knowledge to replace him after so long with the organization.