PITTSBURGH — Dan Muse’s teaching employees is full.
The Pittsburgh Penguins introduced Friday that the assistant coaches who will encompass the first-year head coach embrace former Penguins heart Nick Bonino, former Hershey Bears head coach Todd Nelson, former Anaheim Geese assistant coach Wealthy Clune and former Toronto Marlies video coach Troy Paquette, who will grow to be an assistant video coach for the Penguins beneath video coach Madison Nikkel.
Goaltending coach Andy Chiodo will stay on the employees.
Let’s check out every coach:
Nick Bonino
Why he is smart: Some of the revered and cerebral members of the 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup champion Penguins, Bonino has by no means coached earlier than however appears to have some pure attributes for the function. Former Penguins coach Mike Sullivan was fond of claiming that a number of of his gamers on that crew — he would at all times point out Bonino and Matt Cullen — have been like coaches on the ice.
There’s one other connection, too: In 2023-24, Bonino performed beneath Muse with the Rangers and, earlier than that, throughout his time with the Nashville Predators. Muse was an assistant coach on each of these groups.
The Penguins have lots of veterans on this crew, and Muse was employed primarily to information the brand new wave of Penguins, which can arrive within the coming seasons. Whereas Bonino has by no means coached earlier than, he was a revered teammate of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust. He additionally performed with Erik Karlsson in San Jose. If there’s a drawback between the brand new coach and one of many veterans, Bonino is a pure bridge.
The Penguins have suffered defensively since Bonino’s departure in 2017 and haven’t been as difficult to play towards since then. These have been two areas of experience throughout his NHL profession, and maybe he’ll carry some knowledge to the younger Penguins on this regard.
He additionally stays a fan favourite and the topic of a viral Punjabi goal call by Harnarayan Singh in 2016:
What Muse is saying about him: “Nick’s understanding of what it takes to win on the NHL degree is unmatched, and his distinctive expertise as a participant who stuffed many alternative roles all through his profession will solely assist him as an assistant coach. His familiarity with the Penguins group, in addition to my familiarity with him as a participant and individual, made him a fantastic match for this function, and we’re excited to welcome him to our teaching employees as he enters the subsequent part of his profession.”
Todd Nelson
Why he is smart: Nelson was thought of top-of-the-line — if not the perfect — coaches within the American Hockey League. He was additionally briefly the top coach of the Edmonton Oilers a decade in the past and served as an assistant coach on the NHL degree with the Atlanta Thrashers and Dallas Stars. He was a candidate for the Penguins’ head teaching job, and this rent shall be roundly praised.
Nelson is extremely regarded in hockey circles, and his expertise is anticipated to pay dividends for a training employees that lacks intensive expertise. He has been a head or assistant coach for greater than 20 years and was named the 2024 AHL Coach of the 12 months.
3 seasons in Chocolatetown. 141 wins. 2 Calder Cups.
For that, and the numerous reminiscences that may final a lifetime, thanks 🫶🏻
Be a part of us in wishing Todd Nelson all the perfect as he heads again to the NHL as an assistant coach with the @penguins!
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— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 20, 2025
What Muse is saying about him: “With over twenty years of teaching expertise, Todd brings a championship pedigree and a profitable historical past that speaks for itself. He has constantly demonstrated an distinctive capacity to get essentially the most out of his gamers, most just lately in Hershey, and his management qualities and wealth of expertise shall be an incredible asset to our crew as we proceed to construct a tradition of excellence.”
Wealthy Clune
Why he is smart: There’s actual familiarity and a robust connection to Penguins president and common supervisor Kyle Dubas.
Clune, a demanding buyer as a participant for 5 seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, Predators and Maple Leafs, started his NHL teaching profession within the Toronto group whereas Dubas was the Maple Leafs’ GM. Dubas named him a participant improvement coach in 2022.
He would later be a part of the Marlies (AHL) employees as an assistant coach earlier than transferring on to Anaheim as an assistant coach on the NHL degree final season.
The Penguins wish to get harder to play towards, and Clune, a tricky participant in his day, ought to have some concepts on how that may occur. He’s additionally a extremely regarded, younger coach.
What Muse is saying about him: “Wealthy brings a wealth of information throughout each degree {of professional} hockey, spanning from his 15-year enjoying profession to his time in improvement and training on the AHL and NHL ranges over the previous three years. Wealthy’s expertise in teaching, improvement and as a former participant and captain shall be extraordinarily invaluable on this function, and we’re excited for his addition to our teaching employees.”
Andy Chiodo
Why he is smart: The choice to retain Chiodo, whom the Penguins promoted to be their NHL goaltending coach in 2021, will come as a shock to some followers, given the appreciable struggles that goaltenders Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic endured final season.
Nevertheless, Chiodo shall be again teaching the goaltenders. Whereas this place was less than par final season by anybody’s estimation, the Penguins usually imagine that their putrid defensive work final season — not their goaltending itself — was the largest cause for his or her incapability to forestall targets.
Chiodo is well-liked within the group. The work he and Jarry did collectively through the remaining month of the common season stood out.
Troy Paquette
Why he is smart: Video coaches have grow to be more and more vital in recent times, as all the pieces from replay challenges to in-depth strategic nuances is extremely depending on their work.
Paquette is taken into account top-of-the-line within the enterprise, and Sullivan typically referred to him as a “famous person.”
Belief is important for a video coach, and Paquette, a local of Kingston, Ont., was employed by Dubas because the Marlies’ video coach in 2021. Due to this fact, familiarity and belief exist already between the final supervisor and Paquette.
(Photograph of Nick Bonino: Bruce Bennett / Getty Photographs)
