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Unexpected Name Emerges in Pittsburgh Penguins' Coaching Hunt
Following the departure of head coach Mike Sullivan from Pittsburgh, the Penguins are reportedly interested in several names - including Drew Bannister, who was terminated earlier in the season by the St. Louis Blues.
The Pittsburgh Penguins recently announced a major change in leadership. General manager Kyle Dubas parted ways with head coach Mike Sullivan, who had been on the job since December 2015.
One of the longest-tenured head coaches in the NHL, Sullivan led the Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cup victories and kept them in contention for the next several years; but he and the Penguins missed the postseason in each of the last 3 years, the longest drought of captain Sidney Crosby's career.
Since the Penguins are now one of several NHL clubs looking for a new head coach, the search of Dubas is now officially underway.
Per team insider Josh Yohe of The Athletic, one of the names being considered by Dubas is former St. Louis Blues head coach Drew Bannister; he was terminated by the Blues in November 2024 after they lost 13 of their opening 22 games.
Earlier in his managing career, Dubas was the GM Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), a club that Bannister once played for in the early 1990s.
Team sources said the Penguins have an interest in Drew Bannister. His recent stint behind the Blues bench lasted less than a year, but Dubas likes him.
For good measure, Bannister played for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and won the Memorial Cup there in 1993. If you know anything about Dubas, you know his connection to his hometown runs deep.
For good measure, Bannister played for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and won the Memorial Cup there in 1993. If you know anything about Dubas, you know his connection to his hometown runs deep.
Bannister, who was replaced by ex-Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery, has a career NHL coaching record of 39-31-6.
| POLL | ||
MAI 3 | 173 ANSWERS Unexpected Name Emerges in Pittsburgh Penguins' Coaching Hunt Would Drew Bannister be a good hire for the Penguins? | ||
| Yes | 40 | 23.1 % |
| No | 133 | 76.9 % |
| List of polls | ||