Kyle Dubas Is Doing It His Way in Pittsburgh, And It’s Working
Here’s something you didn’t necessarily expect to be saying this season: the Pittsburgh Penguins were back in the playoff mix. And a big part of that story is Kyle Dubas quietly doing some pretty sharp work behind the scenes.
The Penguins are far from being a Stanley Cup favourite, but they’re relevant.
There’s no way to see the Penguins as some perfectly built modern contender. It’s not. In fact, the strangest part of Pittsburgh’s success might be this: their three best players are still the old guard — Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang. That’s not exactly the blueprint most teams are chasing in 2026.
But here’s where Dubas deserves a bit of credit. Instead of fighting that reality, he’s leveraged it. Crosby and Letang are still producing at a high level, and they’re both signed for next season at a combined cap hit that’s actually pretty reasonable — under $15 million for the two of them. In today’s NHL, that’s not bad business for a pair of cornerstone players who still drive results. Dubas didn’t try to tear it all down or rush a rebuild that didn’t fit the room. He recognized what still works and built around it.
Malkin just refuses to act his age.
And then there’s Malkin, who somehow keeps refusing to fade quietly into the background. At 39, he put up 61 points in 56 games this season. That’s not just “good for his age;” that’s legitimately strong production. Per game, he was right up there, tied with Crosby and even Connor Bedard.
But Malkin is also where things get interesting. He’s a free agent now, and the Penguins have a decision to make. How much does he have left in the tank? More importantly, how motivated is he to keep pushing? And maybe the biggest question of all: what does a contract even look like for a player like that at this stage?
Dubas will try to get Malkin signed at a team-friendly rate.
This is where Dubas’ balancing act really shows up. It’s not just about identifying talent — it’s about managing timelines, personalities, and expectations. He’s dealing with a team that still leans heavily on its veterans while trying not to completely ignore the future.
There’s still a lot of work to do in Pittsburgh. This isn’t a finished product, and it could turn quickly if those older legs start to slow down. But give Dubas credit: he’s been smart about understanding who his drivers are and not overcomplicating it.
Sometimes the job isn’t to reinvent the team. Sometimes it’s to recognize what still works — and ride it as far as it can go.