Frank Seravalli takes shots at Penguins GM Kyle Dubas in a hit piece released today
NHL insider Frank Seravalli wrote a scathing indictment of Kyle Dubas today after the Penguins general manager made a big move.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been a team stuck in limbo for a couple of years now.
The organization has made contradictory moves, unable to decide if they are ready to commit to a proper rebuild or if they should keep building around Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.
The result has been a little of both, which has resulted in a directionless team.
Now they are practically being forced into a rebuild due to costly mistakes.
In particular, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas is facing criticism for signing Tristan Jarry to a five-year extension two summers ago.
That deal is a real albatross around the neck of the team right now, made evident by the fact that he is on waivers today.
NHL insider Frank Seravalli released an opinion piece today laying into Dubas for the questionable moves he made in his first year at the helm of the team, Jarry's extension included.
"On the day goaltender Tristan Jarry was jettisoned on waivers, with the Pittsburgh Penguins sitting in 14th place in the Eastern Conference and on track for their lowest full-season point total since Sidney Crosby's rookie year, it's fair to ask the question: How did we get here?
Part of that answer lies in the tenure of GM Ron Hextall, who appeared ready to rebuild in the Steel City, only to send mixed messages and ultimately double down on the core. The other part of that answer lies in the first calendar year of successor Kyle Dubas' tenure, which can now be classified only as a full-fledged disaster."
Part of that answer lies in the tenure of GM Ron Hextall, who appeared ready to rebuild in the Steel City, only to send mixed messages and ultimately double down on the core. The other part of that answer lies in the first calendar year of successor Kyle Dubas' tenure, which can now be classified only as a full-fledged disaster."
Seravalli goes on to highlight all of the moves Dubas made in the summer of 2023 as well as moves he made last season when it became evident that the Penguins were not a playoff team.
While signing Jarry to that five-year deal has certainly aged poorly, he also points to the deals for Ryan Graves, Lars Eller, and Matt Nieto as examples of poor management.
He then makes the bold claim that the Penguins will regret signing Dubas to a seven-year deal even more than any of the individual contracts Dubas has handed out.
"It feels like not enough critical thought and analysis was put into his decision-making in Toronto, particularly since he tried to strong-arm the Leafs and wrest control from president Brendan Shanahan. Now, it feels like the only deal that the Penguins will rue more than any of the ones Dubas made in his first year at the helm is the seven-year deal that they gave Dubas himself, one of the longest and richest of any executive in hockey."
Regardless of how good of a job you think Dubas has done, it is clear that the Penguins are not in a great spot as an organization right now. Hopefully, Dubas will be able to turn things around, but it may take a long time.
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