The Pittsburgh Penguins are back in the playoffs, and general manager Kyle Dubas has opened up about the bold coaching decision that helped spark the turnaround. Hiring Dan Muse, a first-time NHL head coach, was seen as a gamble, but it has paid off.

Speaking on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast, Dubas explained the thinking behind the move. He said the organization wanted a coach with a strong background in player development and the ability to connect with both young talent and experienced players.

Muse’s work at Yale, the Chicago Steel, and USA Hockey stood out during the process. “Those are all purely developmental jobs and [he’s] done a great job there,” Dubas said.

MORE: NHL analyst backs Kyle Dubas as Toronto’s ‘most successful’ modern GM

Dubas also pointed to Muse’s reputation from his assistant roles with the Nashville Predators and New York Rangers. Feedback from players was consistently positive, which helped separate him from other candidates.

“Then it was digging into the feedback on him, running the penalty kill for Nashville and the Rangers,” Dubas said. “So we knew the developmental piece was really strong, and then it was trying to get feedback from veteran players that had had him in Nashville and Rangers, and that all came back extremely positive, more positive than almost anybody else that we were talking to about the position.”

Despite not being a widely expected choice, Dubas said management was unanimous in believing Muse was the right fit.

“Just for us, it felt like the best fit to accomplish what we wanted to accomplish last off-season,” Dubas said. “And we were unanimous as a group in management that he was gonna be the best person for the Pittsburgh Penguins.”

The results have backed that belief. Muse guided Pittsburgh to a 41-24-16 record and ended a three-year playoff drought. The Penguins secured second place in the Metropolitan Division and will face the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round.

Dubas praised how Dan Muse handled the Penguins’ Injuries

Dubas highlighted Muse’s work ethic and leadership during challenging moments in the season. He noted that even during a difficult stretch in December, Muse avoided excuses and focused on improving the group. That approach helped build trust within the locker room.

“For me, the best part of working with him in my role is that no matter what’s happened during the year, injuries, illness, suspensions,” Dubas said. “In December, we had a bad stretch. We started to falter a little bit, and no excuses, no blaming of the players, what we don’t have or where we lack.

“And just trying to get the most out of every single person that we have as a member of our group. And get really connected with the players. And you know, they played their [expletive] off for him all year, and it’s been fun to see it all kinda come together.”

MORE: Sidney Crosby’s next contract not tied to $24.4M Penguins star’s future

Veterans like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have responded strongly, with the team showing consistent effort throughout the year.

For Dubas, the decision to take a risk has delivered exactly what the Penguins needed, and that is their return to playoff hockey.