List of Pittsburgh Penguins head coaches


The Pittsburgh Penguins are an American professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Hockey League. The franchise was established as one of six new franchises of the 1967 NHL expansion. Since their foundation, the Penguins had played their home games at the Civic Arena, which was replaced by the Consol Energy Center in 2010. The franchise is co-owned by Ronald Burkle and Mario Lemieux—the only player/owner in the NHL's modern era. According to Forbes, the Penguins were the 11th most valuable NHL franchise, at US$222 million, in 2009.
There have been 23 head coaches for the Penguins franchise. The franchise's first head coach was Red Sullivan, former New York Rangers captain and coach. Sullivan was replaced by future Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Red Kelly, after two seasons. Kelly was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player, and head coaches Craig Patrick, Bob Johnson, Scotty Bowman, and Herb Brooks were inducted as builders. Bob Johnson led the Penguins to their first Stanley Cup victory in 1991, but was forced to retire due to health problems after the season—he died later that year. Bowman succeeded Johnson and coached the team to its second Stanley Cup victory the following season. Michel Therrien won the Prince of Wales Trophy, as Eastern Conference champion, during the 2007–08 season. Therrien was replaced the following season by Dan Bylsma. Bylsma would lead the Penguins to their third Stanley Cup championship that same season. Bylsma was fired after the 2013–14 season and replaced by Mike Johnston. Johnston was fired during the 2015–16 season and replaced by Mike Sullivan, who led the Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017 and leads the team in games coached. Sullivan ultimately departed the Penguins on April 28, 2025, following three consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance. Dan Muse was hired on June 4, 2025, succeeding Sullivan.

Key

#Number of coaches
TermYears spent as coach
GamesGames coached
WWins
LLosses
TTies
OTLOvertime/shootout losses
Win%Winning percentage
PGPlayoff games coached
PWPlayoff wins
PLPlayoff losses
PWin%Playoff winning percentage
*Spent entire NHL head coaching career with the Penguins
* or Elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame

Coaches

Note: Statistics are correct through the 2024–25 season.
#NameTermGamesWLTOTLWin%PGPWPLPWin%AchievementsRef
119671969150477924.393
2196919732749013252.42314.429
319731974,
19761977
203839228.478
419741976151666124.517.555
5197719802409110544.47112.333
619801983,
19931997
51623222460.508462224.478
71983–1984801658.232
8198419872408812725.419
91987–1988803635.506
10198819891065047.51411.636
111989–1990,
1997
742936.453.200
121990–1991804133.5502416.667Stanley Cup champions
1319911993164955316.628332310.696Presidents' Trophy
Stanley Cup champions
1419971999189866735.5111911.421
151999–2000572924.57011.545
1620002001864232.55818.500
172001200316055811410.419
1820032005113316414.274
192005200927213510532.502251510.600Prince of Wales Trophy
202009201440125211732.670784335.551Stanley Cup champions
Jack Adams Award
2120142015110583715.595514.200
222015202575340925589.602824438.537Stanley Cup champions
232025–present