Paul Zeise: Kyle Dubas' Penguins rebuild plan is coming together, but it will take time to see results

Paul Zeise, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Oct 4, 2025

Published in Hockey

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PITTSBURGH — Kyle Dubas was hired to be the Penguins' president of hockey operations and general manager in 2023 and has guided the Penguins through two mostly forgettable seasons. Their futility, however, hasn't been his fault, as the team was mostly a crumbling dynasty still trying to hang on to their glory years and hoping for one last miracle run.

Dubas, however, didn't come to Pittsburgh to try and revive a dynasty, although it is clear that was what his marching orders were in his first year. He came to tear it down and rebuild it. He was handcuffed in some ways because of the sensitivity surrounding the aging stars and their desire to try and make playoff runs.

That led to some moves — like the addition of Erik Karlsson — that provided some sort of temporary false hope but stunted the rebuilding process. This was a team that needed to have the Band-Aid ripped off, needed to be stripped down and needed to be rebuilt from the ground up.

Rebuilding never seemed to be the actual goal as the Penguins tried to have it both ways — a playoff contender that was rebuilding — but it has been pretty clear to me by listening to Dubas talk that some of those decisions were out of his hands. It is also pretty clear that after two years of pipe dreams and missed playoffs, the Penguins are ready to rebuild.

Dubas has quietly, however, begun the rebuild process during the past two years even while paying lip service to the idea that they were also trying to compile a playoff roster. He has collected a plethora of draft picks, he has turned over most of the roster, he parted ways with Mike Sullivan, and he has positioned the Penguins to be a team that grows during the next few years.

Sullivan is an excellent coach, but he wasn't the right coach for the Penguins any more. That's why Dan Muse made so much sense as Dubas' choice to replace Sullivan, as his specialty is developing prospects, young players and young teams.

The rebuilding plan was delayed by a year or two and will require some patience, but from the outside looking in, it appears to be taking shape.

There is one troubling aspect still lingering, however. One of the keys to the Penguins rebuilding as they did in 1984 and in 2005 was they were putrid the year before and earned the top pick in the NHL draft. The 1984 draft brought Mario Lemieux, the 2005 brought Sidney Crosby, and both were the cornerstones of the Penguins growing into mini-dynasties.

There is a similar talent available in 2026 in Penn State forward Gavin McKenna, but the Penguins might be too good to give themselves the best chance to win the NHL draft lottery, and that is part of the problem.

It is true the Penguins are likely to struggle, but with Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, Karlsson and even goalie Tristan Jarry (who is inconsistent but can have streaks when he plays at a reasonably high level) they are probably not going to finish at the bottom of the standings.

They will have just enough firepower to win some games and even have some winning streaks, and if that is the case, they will probably be closer to the middle of the pack than the bottom. That is why if Dubas has any magic in him, he will make a few of those players go away.

The problem is he is saddled with bad contracts that have iron-clad no-trade clauses, so making some moves to further break up that core will not be easy and may actually be impossible to do. But it is the only thing that stands between the Penguins and a full rebuild, and that has been a bit frustrating for fans.

Crosby would actually be the key in this because if he agreed to be traded — which his agent floated as a possibility last month — then the rest of them would likely follow. But he has been steadfast in his desire to stay in Pittsburgh, so it doesn't seem likely that he would lead the exodus.

Regardless of what happens with the older group, the Penguins will feature plenty of young talent this season, and Dubas has begun the process of replenishing the prospect base within the organization.

It will be hard for Penguins fans to watch this season and next (at the very least) and know they have no real shot at becoming a playoff team or contending for a Stanley Cup. The fan base is used to winning, used to having a team loaded with stars, and used to watching the Penguins play in huge games while they are the talk of the NHL.

That is what they have been in the Crosby era, and really since Lemiuex was drafted, but if they keep their eyes on the big picture — the future — they should embrace what Dubas is building and trying to accomplish.

This year doesn't really matter in terms of wins and losses, as the only thing that matters is the younger players all develop and the team inches closer to getting back to playoff contention.