The Penguins have a new assistant GM and it is not a surprising hire at all
The Penguins have named Jason Spezza as Assistant General Manager.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 14, 2023
In the immediate aftermath of the Toronto Maple Leafs moving on from Kyle Dubas it was Jason Spezza who tendered his resignation despite seemingly having his dream path as an executive for the Maple Leafs. Dubas and Spezza have a very positive working relationship and it was expected that wherever Dubas went Spezza would not be far behind. This is just the official confirmation of what was seemingly obvious.
He showed tremendous work ethic, curiosity, and ability to build relationships throughout all departments at the team facility. His move from the roster to the front office helped make the hockey ops, coaching staff, and playing roster a more cohesive and collaborative unit."
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 14, 2023
It is known that Kyle Dubas will be handling the GM responsibilities for the forseeable future. I could see this future extending until he feels like Spezza is ready to take over the GM role. Long term I feel like this isn’t quite inevitable, but a step lower than that.
As for other tasks, the buyout window is approaching within the next 48 hours. I can’t imagine Mikael Granlund surviving whether he departs via buyout or a miracle trade. Stay tuned.
Thanks for reading!