Kevin Acklin to step away as Penguins president

Kevin Acklin will be stepping away as president of business operations for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Via a text message with TribLive, Acklin indicated he would remain with the team through the end of the ongoing season.

A native of South Oakland, Acklin initially joined the team in 2018 as chief operating officer and general counsel under the previous majority owners, Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle. In 2022, he was promoted to his current role by Fenway Sports Group, which purchased the franchise in 2021.

In recent years, Acklin initiated discussions with former Penguins All-Star forward Jaromir Jagr that culminated in the franchise retiring Jagr’s No. 68 last season following a messy divorce between the player and franchise more than two decades ago in 2001.

Acklin provided a statement about his impending departure.

“After seven incredible seasons with the Penguins, I have decided that I will be moving on from my role as President of Business Operations at the end of the season,” Acklin wrote. “I’m grateful to Fenway Sports Group for the opportunity to help lead this organization, to my colleagues for their dedication, and to our fans for their unwavering support. It has been an honor to serve the team I grew up cheering for, and I look forward to continuing to support the Penguins as an advisor through the end of the year. I will forever be proud to be a Penguin, and look forward to next steps in my career while continuing my service to Pittsburgh.”

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Teddy Werner, senior advisor of strategy and growth for Fenway Sports Group, is expected to replace Acklin on an interim basis until a permanent replacement is hired.

Before joining the Penguins, Acklin served as chief of staff and chief development officer for former Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto and chairman of the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh.