Penguins Wrap: No GM Yet, But a Legend Stops By

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ search for their next general manager appears — and “appears” is the key word here — to be in its final stages, with many expecting an announcement in the next few days.

Things figure to pick up considerably once that decision is finalized, and the new GM begins to develop plans for things like the NHL Draft and free agency, both of which are only a few weeks away.

The past week wasn’t entirely uneventful for the Pittsburgh Penguins, however. Here’s a look back at it:

Sunday

Jaromir Jagr makes his return to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ locker room. OK, it was only a brief visit, but still …

A report out of Canada suggests Kyle Dubas might be back under consideration for a job with the Penguins, after all.

Drew O’Connor scores two goals, his second and third of the tournament, in Team USA’s 9-0 victory over France at the world championships.

Monday

The Penguins get permission from Toronto to discuss their GM opening with Kyle Dubas, who a week earlier had said he was interested only in staying with the Maple Leafs or stepping away from the NHL.

There was a large field of contenders when the Pittsburgh Penguins launched the search for their next GM, but it could have been larger. (+)

Tuesday

Former Arizona GM John Chayka still seems to figure prominently in the ongoing effort to restructure the Pittsburgh Penguins’ front office.

New Jersey assistant GM Dan MacKinnon, who spent considerable time in the Penguins’ organization, has been rolled out as a potential successor to Ron Hextall as their GM.

One man’s perspective on what the Penguins’ front office will look like when all has been settled.

Nick Bonino and Casey DeSmith of the Penguins help Team USA earn a 4-3 victory over Sweden at the world championships, allowing the U.S. to make it through Group A with a 7-0 record.

Former Penguins president of hockey operations Brian Burke will be an analyst with NHL Network for the rest of this year’s playoffs.

Wednesday

There was a lot of information swirling around the Pittsburgh Penguins’ hunt for a new GM, but also more than a few pieces of the puzzle still missing. (+)

Thursday

The Penguins’ next GM will have plenty of issues to address upon taking the job. Here’s how they should be prioritized.

Casey DeSmith records a 15-save shutout as Team USA advances to the semifinals of the world championships with a 3-0 victory over Czechia.

Friday

Rethinking the merits of keeping Tristan Jarry, who is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Saturday

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ next GM will face quite a few personnel problems, with no easy options for addressing most of them.

Former Penguins prospect Frederik Tiffels beats Casey DeSmith in overtime to give Germany a 4-3 victory over Team USA in the semifinals of the world championships in Finland.