Former NHL Defenceman Rips Penguins GM For Terrible Deadline

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Matt Garland
March 11, 2024 (5:29 PM)

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General manager Kyle Dubas took some big swings during his first offseason with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Dubas added Stanley Cup winner Reilly Smith and former Norris trophy winning defenceman Erik Karlsson to the franchises' aging roster as they looked to go on another Stanley Cup run.

Fast forward the calendar to March, Pittsburgh has a record of 28-27-8 on the season and is currently eight points out of the final Wild Card position. After trading their biggest trade chip pending UFA Jake Guentzel last week, it verifies that the franchise's playoff hopes for this season is all but over.

Former NHL defenceman P.K. Subban was on the ESPN's pre-game segment before the Penguins game against the Bruins. The former Norris trophy winning defenceman ripped Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas

"Apparently, that's all it takes. You put on a pair of spectacles, it makes you the smartest person in the room. It's so disheartening to see Sidney Crosby like that. He deserves better."

When Dubas joined the organization last summer there is no doubt he would have been selling Crosby on all the things he was going to deliver this season. Unfortunately, there will be no playoffs in Pittsburgh this season. Guentzel was the best player available on the market, and in the end, he was traded for some mid level prospects and no guaranteed first-round pick.

Subban believes Dubas should find another line of work.

"I don't think they did that this year, that's a missed opportunity. If you're managing the game's best player, the face of the league for a long time, that's a huge responsibility, and if you can't handle the heat sometimes in the kitchen, you gotta get out of there."

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Which general manger is the worst in the league?
Kyle Dubas (Pittsburgh)	426	63.3 %
Steve Staios (Ottawa)	54	8 %
John Davidson (Columbus)	75	11.1 %
Mike Grier (San Jose)	118	17.5 %
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