After two long months, the Pittsburgh Penguins' quest to bring on a new coaching staff for the 2025-26 season is finally complete.

On Monday, the Penguins announced that they added Mike Stothers as an assistant coach to Dan Muse, Pittsburgh's new bench boss. Stothers joins previously named assistants Todd Nelson, Nick Bonino, and Rich Clune on Muse's staff.

This group of new coaches will join forces with what's left of the Mike Sullivan-era staff in goaltending coach Andy Chiodo and video coach Madison Nikkel, along with another recent hire in assistant video coach Troy Paquette.

Stothers figures to be the man in charge of the defense and penalty kill, as general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas said Friday that the Penguins were looking to add one more coach behind the bench to oversee those units. 

Muse is excited to get to work with Stothers, who has more than 30 years of coaching experience and has served as an assistant coach at the NHL level with the Anaheim Ducks, the now-defunct Atlanta Thrashers, and the Philadelphia Flyers.

“As a champion at both the AHL and international levels, Mike has a tremendous track record of helping develop players and [taking] their game to the next level, as seen throughout the multiple leagues he has coached in over the last 30 years,” said Muse. “We’re thrilled to welcome Mike to the city of Pittsburgh as he rounds out our coaching staff for the 2025-26 season.”

In addition to his NHL experience, Stothers has experience at multiple levels of development - which seemed to be the focus for the Penguins in rounding out their coaching staff. He was at the helm of the Ontario Reign of the AHL from 2015-20, and he was also head coach of the Manchester Monarchs (2014-15) and Grand Rapids Griffins (2007-08). He was also an assistant with the Philadelphia Phantoms and Hershey Bears in the 1990s.

At the junior level, Stothers coached the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL from 2011-14 and the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL from 2002-07, and - as an assistant - coached Team Canada to a gold medal at the World Under-18 Championship in 2021-22.

Stothers was drafted 21st overall by the Flyers in 1980 and played a total of 30 NHL games between Philadelphia and the Toronto Maple Leafs, registering two career assists.

Penguins Name Full Coaching Staff For 2025-26 SeasonBack on Jun. 4, the

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According to PuckPedia, former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen is signing a one-year, $1.3 million contract to stay with the Edmonton Oilers. 

Kapanen was claimed off waivers by the Oilers from the St. Louis Blues back in November of this past season. In 57 regular-season games with the Oilers after this, he posted five goals, 13 points, 73 hits, and a minus-16 rating. He also recorded three goals, six points, and a plus-4 rating in 12 playoff games for the Oilers this spring. 

The #Letsgooilers are re-signing UFA F Kasperi Kapanen for 1 year $1.3M.

13P in 57 GP with EDM

Rep’d by Markus Lehto @wassermanhockeyhttps://t.co/NVDOrUzbHp

— PuckPedia (@PuckPedia) June 30, 2025

Kapanen played in three NHL seasons with the Penguins from 2020-21 to 2022-23, where he recorded 29 goals, 53 assists, and 82 points in 162 games. His time in Pittsburgh ended during the 2022-23 season when he was claimed off waivers by the Blues. 

Kapanen was also drafted by the Penguins with the 22nd overall pick of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, but was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the deal that brought Phil Kessel to Pittsburgh. 

Penguins Miss Out On Top Trade TargetThe

Photo Credit:  © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Flyers were open to lots of things ahead of the NHL Draft, but, ultimately, a bold New York Islanders trade offer wasn't enough to pull them away from selecting Porter Martone with the sixth overall pick.

The Islanders, who already drafted stud defenseman Matthew Schaefer with the No. 1 pick, received the 16th and 17th overall picks from the Montreal Canadiens in the Noah Dobson trade, and those ultimately became winger Victor Eklund and defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson.

Those two picks were reportedly offered to the Flyers, according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, but it was a non-starter with Martone on the board.

"With the 16th and 17th picks, I think [Islanders GM Mathieu Darche] definitely offered them to the Predators at five," Friedman said in his latest episode of the "32 Thoughts" podcast.

"I think Philly told them... I think [the Islanders] called and said we'll do this, but Philly's like, nope. I don't even think Philly considered it. I think once Martone was there, Philly was like, 'We're not doing this,' because they really like Martone."

Flyers Can Thank Cutter Gauthier for New Left Wing ProspectWith the 2025 NHL Draft now in the books, the Cutter Gauthier trade is now complete with the

Friedman went on to explain that the Flyers, like the Predators and Utah Mammoth before them, were right to reject the Islanders' approaches based on the value of the picks.

The Islanders, presumably, were after new Boston Bruins center James Hagens at the draft, but dropping that far in the draft would have guaranteed that the Flyers lost out on Martone.

Aitcheson actually would have been a nice add for the Flyers given the start of their prospect pool on the left side of the defense, but Eklund is another small (but very talented, to be fair) winger who would have quickly become redundant in Philadelphia.

Plus, fans have been clamoring for size and skill.

They finally got it in Martone, as the Flyers refused to give into the temptation of trade offers or the allure of a center like Hagens.