Penguins GM Kyle Dubas: ‘I’m certain that Mike Sullivan is the best person to help us’

For the time being, Mike Sullivan has the confidence of Kyle Dubas.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ general manager spoke to reporters in a press conference on Monday afternoon, telling the media that he still has a strong belief in his head coach.

“Being with Sullivan every day and seeing his attention to detail on the systems and with the players, I think we’re very fortunate to have Mike,” said Dubas. “Do I think he’s the right person for this job, right now and far into the future? I absolutely do.

“I’m certain that Sully’s the best person to help us,” said Dubas.

It was a strong show of confidence for Sullivan from Dubas, whose Penguins squad is 11-12-3 with 25 points through 26 games, seventh in the Eastern Conference’s Metropolitan Division. The Penguins have lost four straight and are 3-4-3 in their last 10 games.

With the offseason acquisition of last season’s Norris Trophy winner, Erik Karlsson, many saw the 2023-24 campaign as a sort of “Last Dance” for a veteran Penguins lineup with Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang both being 36 years old, and Evgeni Malkin being 37.

But despite being one of the NHL’s best analytical teams, the results haven’t come, and there’s fear the Penguins will miss the playoffs for a second-straight season.

Some have called for a change behind the bench. While Sullivan did win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Penguins in 2015-16 and 2016-17, Pittsburgh was eliminated in the opening of the playoffs for four consecutive seasons before missing it completely in 2022-23.

In nine seasons with the Penguins, Sullivan has a 348-199-68 record in 615 games, including a 44-38 record in the playoffs.

The Penguins next game is Tuesday at home against the Arizona Coyotes.

You can watch the full Dubas press conference here: