In a move that had been rumored for weeks, the Pittsburgh Penguins officially announced the addition of Jason Spezza to their front office on Wednesday. The former NHL player and close friend of Penguins General Manager Kyle Dubas will take on the role of Assistant General Manager, reuniting the pair in a different city. In a statement released by the Penguins organization, it was revealed that Spezza would report directly to Dubas and lend his expertise to various hockey operations departments.
The question in Pittsburgh over the next few months to a year is where does everyone go from here?
The appointment signifies the team’s commitment to bolstering their management team with experienced and knowledgeable individuals. But, are the Penguins done? Or, is this just the next step in the development of Spezza, who will eventually come in and become the team’s next general manager?
New President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas commented on the move suggesting their time together in Toronto made this an easy decision. He noted, “Jason fully immersed himself on the management side of the game learning all facets of hockey operations this past season while with Toronto he showed tremendous work ethic, curiosity, and ability to build relationships throughout all departments at the team facility.” He added, “We are thrilled to have Jason join the Pittsburgh Penguins today as he will add a great perspective to our Club, and we are excited to watch him reach his potential in management.”
It will be intriguing to see how this affects the future placement of a general manager. With Dubas acting the role and expected to hire someone down the line, will he hire Spezza after a certain amount of time, or will he bring in someone right away? If Spezza isn’t being groomed, that someone will obviously have to be OK with the fact that Spezza is working underneath him as an assistant.
The team wrote in their press release on the hiring:
Spezza retired from his impressive 19-year NHL career in 2022 but remained involved in the sport as a special assistant to the general manager for the Toronto Maple Leafs last season. During his tenure with the Maple Leafs, Spezza contributed to multiple areas within hockey operations, including player personnel, player development, minor league operations, and hockey research and development. His valuable insights and guidance were instrumental in helping the Maple Leafs secure their first playoff series victory since the 2003-04 season.
The connection between Spezza and the Penguins’ front office goes beyond his relationship with Kyle Dubas. Spezza had the opportunity to play alongside two members of the Penguins organization during his playing days. He shared the ice with Matt Cullen, who currently serves as a member of the player development staff, during their time with the Ottawa Senators. Additionally, Spezza played alongside Trevor Daley, who now acts as a hockey operations advisor, during their stint with the Dallas Stars.
The First of Many Moves for Dubas and the Penguins
The addition of Jason Spezza to the Penguins’ front office is expected to bring a fresh perspective and enhance the team’s hockey operations, but this is just the first of many moves Dubas will likely make over the next few weeks and months. With his wealth of knowledge and experience, Spezza is poised to play a vital role in the organization’s ongoing pursuit of success, but he’ll mostly continue to shadow Dubas who intends to be the GM in the interim.
More must-reads: