Penguins hire Jason Spezza as assistant general manager

Nearly two weeks after taking over as president of hockey operations, Kyle Dubas added an All-Star to the organization.

On Wednesday, the team hired former NHL forward Jason Spezza as assistant general manager.

Spezza’s duties with the Penguins were not specified. Per a release from the team, Spezza will “report directly to Dubas and assist club management in all hockey operations departments.”

The addition reunites Dubas and Spezza, who worked together in some capacity the previous four seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As general manager of the Maple Leafs, Dubas signed Spezza as an unrestricted free agent in 2019. After spending the final three seasons of his playing career with the Maple Leafs, Spezza served as a special assistant under Dubas this past season.

After the Maple Leafs declined to renew Dubas’ contract May 19, Spezza resigned from the organization that same day.

Dubas was hired by the Penguins on June 1.

A two-time All-Star as a center during his 19-year playing career, the 40-year-old Spezza appeared in 1,248 career games and scored 995 points (363 goals, 632 assists).

The second overall selection of the 2001 NHL Draft, Spezza played for the Ottawa Senators and Dallas Stars, as well as the Maple Leafs.

The Penguins’ general manager manager position remains vacant, though Dubas indicated he would fill that role temporarily as the NHL Draft (June 28-29) and the start of the free agent signing period (July 1) approach.

“My intention is that I’ll handle that on an interim basis here through to July and then begin to go through candidates and make the decision that’s that’s best for the hockey department,” Dubas said during his introductory press conference June 1. “If we do go down that path, I think the type of person we would be looking for is someone progressive that can really add an element to the organization that perhaps I don’t have as a skill set in some regard.”

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