The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced a press conference for 11:30 a.m. ET. They didn’t reveal the details of it ahead of time, but it will be to announce the firings of general manager Ray Shero and head coach Dan Bylsma, according to TSN’s Bob McKenzie.
Bylsma’s dismal doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Although he won the Stanley Cup in 2009 and Jack Adams Award in 2011, the Penguins have been underwhelming in their recent postseason. They’ve had the talent to make a serious run at the Stanley Cup on an annual basis and that just hasn’t happened.
More importantly, this move was telegraphed by a recent report, which suggested that the Penguins’ ownership had soured to Bylsma. There were also reports that Bylsma lost the locker room, although Sidney Crosby denied that.
Shero’s future was seen as a bit less certain. He won the GM of the Year award in 2013 and had secured favorable contracts for the likes of forwards James Neal, Chris Kunitz, and Pascal Dupuis. He also acquired Jussi Jokinen during the 2013 campaign for next to nothing and Jokinen turned out to be a significant contributor for the Penguins this season.
That being said, it looks like the Penguins want a fresh start as they look to change the course of the Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin-era before it’s too late.
