Former Penguins Exec Rising in NHL GM Searches

Former Pittsburgh Penguins director of player personnel and current Vancouver Canucks assistant general manager Derek Clancey is an increasingly hot commodity, with two NHL GM spots open and the possibility of more.

The Penguins and Calgary Flames are currently engaged in varying degrees of a GM search.

An industry source confirmed to Pittsburgh Hockey Now that Clancey’s name is being discussed in hockey circles as someone ready for the job and a name to watch. The chatter has been increasing, although the source also said Clancey was scouting the U-18 World Championship tournament last week in Switzerland and was not thought to be available for interviews.

He returns this week.

Our source did not specifically confirm Clancey is a candidate for the Penguins vacancy.

Clancey was part of the Penguins’ all-star front office with assistant GMs Bill Guerin, Tom Fitzgerald, and Jason Botterill. He was with the Penguins from 2007 to 2021 and was the director of player personnel from 2019 to 2021.

Former GM Ron Hextall announced that the team and Clancey parted ways in February, 2021, shortly after Hextall was named GM. Chris Pryor assumed Clancey’s role.

Clancey got three Stanley Cup rings with the Penguins. He also served as a pro scout for three seasons (2007-2010) and was director of pro scouting for nine (2010-2019). He has been an assistant general manager under GM Patrik Allvin and president of hockey operations Jim Rutherford in Vancouver for two seasons.

The only news regarding the Pittsburgh Penguins’ GM search has been the lack of news. The morning following the Penguins’ regular-season finale, Penguins ownership, Fenway Sports Group, swept clean the front office of Brian Burke, Ron Hextall, and Chris Pryor, leaving a skeleton staff. The Penguins’ transition team includes director of hockey operations Alec Schall, WBS GM Erik Heasley, hockey operations analyst Andy Saucier, and coach Mike Sullivan.

The Calgary Flames are also GM-hunting. Brad Treliving left the organization, reportedly over his inability to terminate coach Darryl Sutter, who was indeed fired Monday, two weeks after Treliving left.

The NHL Draft Lottery is May 8, and the NHL Draft begins on June 28.