PITTSBURGH — After vetting dozens of candidates in a lengthy search to try to find the right coach to lead the Penguins into the future, Kyle Dubas settled on a dark-horse selection.

The Penguins announced Wednesday that Dan Muse has been hired as their next coach. The 42-year-old is the 23rd coach in team history, replacing Mike Sullivan.

For Muse, a native of Massachusetts, this is his first head-coaching gig in the NHL.

Dubas, the third-year president of hockey operations who began his deliberate search in late April, selected Muse over Mitch Love, D.J. Smith and other candidates.

Penguins assistant David Quinn was in the mix at one point, though it is unclear if he advanced to their final round of interviews last week. Jay Woodcroft and Drew Bannister were two others who were linked to the Penguins during their search.

"Ultimately, Dan Muse stood out as the best choice. What separated Dan was his ability to develop players, win at all levels where he has been a head coach and his consistent success coaching special teams in the NHL," Dubas said in a statement.

Muse, who spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the rival New York Rangers, clearly fits the mold of what Dubas stated he was looking for in his next coach. In particular, Muse possesses a robust background in player development, which was a must for the Penguins as they continue their "transition" to the future.

Muse was a head coach with the U.S. National Team Development Program, where current Penguins forward Rutger McGroarty was one of his players. Muse was also on the bench for championship runs in the NCAA and United States Hockey League.

He was an assistant in Nashville, too, giving him five years as a coach in the NHL.

Dubas cited Muse's breadth of experience as one reason the Penguins hired Muse.

"From his success in developing college and junior players, to his impactful work with veteran players during his time in the NHL, Dan has shown a proven ability to connect with players at all stages of their careers and help them to reach their potential," Dubas stated. "His overall body of work, attention to detail and vision for our group showed us that he is the best coach to take our team forward."

Muse takes over a Penguins team that has missed the playoffs three years in a row.

The Penguins still have star center Sidney Crosby, who tallied 91 points last season at age 37. Evgeni Malkin, 38, has one year remaining on his contract. Pittsburgh's other higher-profile veterans include Kris Letang, Erik Karlsson and Bryan Rust.

However, the top priority for Muse will be overseeing the development of the wave of prospects expected to come through Pittsburgh over the next few years.

McGroarty, Ville Koivunen and Owen Pickering are among the youngsters who are projected to start 2025-26 in Pittsburgh. The Penguins have also amassed 30 draft picks over the next three years, including the No. 11 overall pick in the 2025 draft.

The Penguins did not announce who will be on his first Pittsburgh coaching staff.

Quinn is still under contract, but if he stays, it may be a bit of an awkward situation given his candidacy for the head coach position here. Assistant coach Mike Vellucci left for the Chicago Blackhawks. The contracts for fellow assistants Andy Chiodo and Ty Hennes have expired, though it is possible one or both could be back.

The Penguins were one of the last NHL teams to fill their head coach vacancy this spring. When Dubas discussed Sullivan's dismissal on April 28, he said the search to find his next coach would be "thorough and methodical." The process picked up when Dubas returned from the IIHF World Championship, which ended May 25.

Muse interviewed here in Pittsburgh last week, and Dubas concluded he was the right coach to lead the Penguins through this transition into the post-Crosby era.

The Penguins captain has two years left on the extension he signed last summer.

Muse, who played Division III hockey at Stonehill College, quickly climbed the coaching ladder upon graduating in 2005. Within three years, he was an assistant at the D-1 level. He was an assistant at Yale when the Bulldogs were NCAA champions in 2013. Muse won another title as the head coach for the Chicago Steel of the USHL.

He got his first NHL job in Nashville, serving as an assistant there from 2017-19.

Muse was the head coach of the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2020-23. During his run there, he led the U.S. to a gold medal at the 2023 World Under-18 Championship. And Muse helped McGroarty and several others become first-round NHL draft picks, which points to his prowess in player development.

Muse spent the past two seasons as an assistant to Peter Laviolette in New York.

Coincidentally, Muse was in limbo there after the Rangers fired Laviolette and swiftly hired Sullivan in May. As it turns out, he would end up replacing Sullivan here.

Muse was a surprising selection to some, especially given the buzz around Love over the last five weeks. But Muse is a respected coach seen as being on the rise.

The Penguins hope Muse and their future core, which is still early in its assembly, can continue to ascend together and return the team to Stanley Cup contention.

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