Penguins' Coaching Search Heats Up with Two Front-Runners Identified

After missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the third straight season, the Pittsburgh Penguins moved on from Mike Sullivan, who quickly took a job to become the New York Rangers new Head Coach.

Since that point, Joel Quenneville, Rick Tocchet and David Carle have all come off the board, leaving the Boston Bruins, Seattle Kraken and the Penguins all without a Head Coach heading into the off-season.

With the Penguins still having a veteran core, this makes the Head Coach search a very tough one for GM Kyle Dubas, as he has to think about the immediate future as well as the long-term one when making this key decision.

We've heard plenty of names linked to the Penguins job, and now, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, Washington Capitals assistant Mitch Love and former Ottawa Senators Head Coach DJ Smith are firming as the two front-runners for the role.

With Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin all still leading the way in Pittsburgh, many believed that this role would be best suited to a veteran, but with the team hoping to build something good and sustainable for the future, a younger, inexperienced coach could also be a good option.

Ultimately, the Penguins still have some solid candidates for the role, but Love and Smith are now clearly the two front runners, and with the two bringing different styles, experience and skillset to the table, it's safe to say that whichever way they go, things will continue to change in Pittsburgh as they look to build for the future beyond 87.