Penguins announce new head coach Dan Muse’s staff

The Pittsburgh Penguins unveiled the coaching staff that will support first-year head coach Dan Muse on Friday.

The new assistants will be Todd Nelson, Rich Clune and former Penguin and Stanley Cup champion Nick Bonino, while Andy Chiodo will remain in his current goaltending coach role and Troy Paquette joins as assistant video coach.

Nelson joins the organization from his previous post as head coach of the AHL’s Hershey Bears, the Washington Capitals affiliate which he led to back-to-back Calder Cup championships in 2023 and 2024.

“With over two decades of coaching experience, Todd brings a championship pedigree and a winning history that speaks for itself,” Muse said via the team’s press release. “He has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to get the most out of his players, most recently in Hershey, and his leadership qualities and wealth of experience will be a tremendous asset to our team as we continue to build a culture of excellence.”

Bonino, who was on both of Pittsburgh’s Stanley Cup-winning teams in 2016 and 2017, wrapped up his playing career in Austria this past year after closing out his time in the NHL with the New York Rangers in 2023-2024, while Muse was an assistant.

“Nick’s understanding of what it takes to win at the NHL level is unmatched, and his unique experience as a player who filled many different roles over the course of his career will only help him as an assistant coach,” said Muse.

Clune is a five-year veteran of the NHL, whose time with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Marlies overlapped with that of Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas. He spent this past year as an assistant with the Anaheim Ducks.

“Rich’s experience in coaching, development and as a former player and captain will be extremely valuable in this role, and we’re excited for his addition to our coaching staff,” Muse said.

Paquette will support video coach Madison Nikkel, and he too has ties to Dubas and Toronto, as he was the video coach of the Marlies from 2021 to 2025.

The Penguins hired Muse to replace outgoing head coach Mike Sullivan, who was let go after a 34-36-12 campaign that saw Pittsburgh miss the playoffs.

Dubas, Muse and this new staff will look to put together and develop a roster capable of another era of contention in Pittsburgh over the years to come.