Penguins Interview Former Senators Head Coach as Search to Replace Mike Sullivan Heats Up

After moving on from Mike Sullivan as Head Coach, Pittsburgh Penguins fans were hoping for a big name replacement, with the likes of Joel Quenneville, Rick Tocchet and David Carle all on their list before being hired and retained elsewhere.

Now, their potential list of candidates is running thin, and that's defined in a recent report from David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, who reveals that the team are looking to hire former Ottawa Senators Head Coach D.J. Smith.

According to Pagnotta, the team have already spoken with him after he spent the 2024 campaign as an assistant on the Los Angeles Kings, with many believing it was just a matter of time until he finds another role in the NHL.

His last role didn't go swimmingly, as he spent five years with the Ottawa Senators before being fired following the 2022/23 campaign, and during that span he tallied a 131-154-32 record for a team that failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs during that span.

Other names that have been suggested for the Penguins are Mitch Love, Todd Nelson and Manny Malhotra, all of whom have been AHL Head Coaches in the past few years or currently are, showing that at this point in time, the pickings are slim for General Manager Kyle Dubas and the Penguins.

Ultimately, this is not the appealing job that it once was, with Sidney Crosby set for his final few years in the NHL while the team may be looking to go in a different direction for the future, but given the veterans on this team, whoever is picked to be the coach will have a very interesting opportunity moving forward.