Dave Beeston, the Penguins’ alternate governor and surrogate for Fenway Sports Group (FSG), is a part of a course of for which he wished no half: discovering new hockey management for a franchise that simply completed a turbulent season.

This wasn’t the way it was purported to go for Beeston or FSG when it bought the Penguins halfway by the 2021-22 season. Then the flagship franchise of the NHL’s salary-cap period, the Penguins appeared a positive wager to easily preserve crusing the waters of prosperity.

Change — like a puck turned over within the impartial zone — comes at you quick in life. After a hockey operations overhaul Friday, Beeston is enjoying a pivotal function to find the particular person, or individuals, who will attempt to shortly flip round what stays of the high-end seasons for growing old stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

Beeston mentioned Friday he had no predetermined candidates to steer hockey operations. FSG is open to all the things from a singular GM to an govt VP of hockey and a GM, and possibly one thing that hasn’t been accomplished but within the NHL.

This is FSG’s first likelihood to outline what it needs from hockey operations. Seemingly something is feasible.

The Athletic has recognized 10 potential candidates on FSG’s radar in the case of a GM function. More might emerge, however this record is an effective place to begin for doable candidates.

Mathieu Darche

Assistant GM, director of hockey operations (Lightning)

Darche has a assorted background. With the Lighting, he has assisted GM Julien BriseBois on all main selections and in all aspects of administration. A former NHL participant, he performed a giant function on the NHL Players’ Association’s behalf in negotiations throughout the 2012-13 lockout. After retiring as a participant, he was vice chairman of gross sales and advertising for Delmar International, a Canadian customs dealer and freight forwarder.

He has labored underneath one of many league’s most profitable and aggressive GMs since May 2019. Darche has witnessed firsthand preserve assembling rosters round an growing old core of star gamers, which ought to attraction to FSG’s said need for the Penguins to once more grow to be a Stanley Cup contender.

Tyler Dellow

Vice president hockey analytics (Devils)

Dellow is considered universally — if not at all times favorably — throughout the NHL as a sophisticated analytics whiz. A former litigator, influential blogger (and, sure, columnist for The Athletic), his work with the Devils has been throughout their whole hockey operations division. He’s accomplished that since April 2019, after beforehand spending two seasons as an analytics guide with the Oilers. His ability for combining information with video was groundbreaking within the early a part of the final decade.

He would probably be extra conversant in the Penguins’ strengths and weaknesses having spent so a few years competing in opposition to them with the Devils. FSG most likely wouldn’t thoughts doubtlessly irritating old-guard NHL executives who typically have considered Dellow because the poster baby for an undesirable “fancy stats” revolution. (FSG is John Henry’s firm, in any case.)

Jeff Greenberg

Associate GM (Blackhawks)

Greenberg has been in hockey solely since May, when Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson employed his fellow finalist for the large chair to a job overseeing methods and processes inside hockey operations. Before becoming a member of Chicago’s NHL franchise, Greenberg spent 11 seasons in baseball operations with the Cubs, rising from assistant to the GM to assistant GM. His methods with the Cubs had been lauded throughout an early 2010s rebuild that helped that franchise attain 4 postseasons and win the 2016 World Series.

Greenberg is from Pittsburgh. His father, Chuck, was a longtime adviser to Mario Lemieux. Though his NHL expertise is restricted, Greenberg needs to be well-vetted by FSG, which additionally owns the Red Sox. Going exterior the hockey world, which is mainly what bringing in Greenberg as GM could be doing, is one thing Beeston didn’t rule out when addressing parameters for hockey operations hires.

Cameron Lawrence

Scouting guide (Panthers)

Lawrence is understood for integrating conventional scouting strategies with analytics instruments, a course of the Panthers have used with success for prospect evaluations. Though he comes with hockey credentials, Lawrence has additionally labored as a senior monetary officer with a number of publicly traded firms within the tech group. He additionally manages a number one e-commerce firm in Vancouver.

That resume reads as if it could intrigue FSG’s outside-the-box approach of doing enterprise. It’s doable Lawrence might flip a GM interview into one other — if not greater — function in hockey operations.

Alexandra Mandrycky

Assistant GM (Kraken)

Mandrycky was employed by the Kraken earlier than the NHL’s newest growth franchise introduced in a GM. That GM, Ron Francis, thought so extremely of Mandrycky that he promoted her from director of hockey technique and analysis. As assistant GM, she nonetheless heads the Kraken’s analysis and growth crew but in addition oversees novice scouting. Before becoming a member of the Kraken, Mandrycky was with the Wild as an analyst for 4 seasons.

Her rise throughout the NHL has been meteoric, and she or he is considered as one of the highly effective girls in hockey. Though lots of people will join the dots between the Penguins and former affiliate GM Jason Botterill, an assistant GM with the Kraken, it’s Mandrycky who appears extra in sync with FSG’s philosophies for his or her different skilled groups.

Scott Mellanby

Senior adviser (Blues)

Mellanby’s prolonged run with the Canadiens, for whom he went from director of participant personnel to assistant GM over 9 seasons, resulted in November 2021. He resigned after studying he was not in rivalry for Montreal’s then-vacant GM place. Mellanby’s identify has appeared on many future GMs lists in recent times, and he was a finalist for the Sharks GM opening that went to Mike Grier. Mellanby additionally interviewed with the Blackhawks for the opening that went to Davidson.

His function with the Blues is tailor-made in order that Mellanby can carry his huge expertise to all features of hockey operations. That expertise additionally contains 21 seasons as an NHL participant — although, to have performed within the league is just not identified to be a prerequisite for FSG.

Scott Nichol

Assistant GM, director of participant growth (Predators)

He was additionally a finalist for the Sharks GM opening. Nichol was promoted to assistant GM with the Predators in November 2021, however he had already dealt with GM duties with Nashville’s AHL affiliate in Milwaukee. Also, Nichol has lengthy been the Predators’ director of participant growth, and his popularity inside hockey is one in every of maximizing prospects’ NHL potential.

He has labored carefully with one of many NHL’s legendary GMs, David Poile, for 15 seasons. Like Mellanby, Nichol performed a very long time — 13 seasons — within the NHL. Nichol won’t include a wow issue, however he additionally could possibly be one of the best mixture of secure wager with upside.

Eric Tulsky

Assistant GM (Hurricanes)

He’ll be excessive on any record of candidates for a GM opening till he lastly lands the large chair. Tulsky is actually already the GM in Carolina, the place he focuses on hockey operations whereas GM Don Waddell tends to a variety of enterprise issues. Tulsky has spent solely two seasons as assistant GM with the Hurricanes, although he beforehand served as VP of hockey administration and technique after initially becoming a member of the franchise as a hockey analyst.

Tulsky’s background is fascinating. He holds 19 patents — extra, most likely, than the mixed complete of each GM in league historical past. He additionally spent 12 years managing groups of researchers who used nanotechnology to unravel issues in DNA sequencing and photo voltaic vitality. Figuring out the cap most likely wouldn’t stress him an excessive amount of.

He’s been by GM interviews earlier than. If FSG fancies the preferred date on the dance, Tulsky could possibly be its rent.

Sam Ventura

VP hockey technique and analysis (Sabres)

He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University and labored for the Penguins. What else does anyone must know?

Well, Ventura introduced analytics to the Penguins, constructing out a division that did not exist earlier than the mid-2010s. Originally a guide, his information experience was credited by former GM Jim Rutherford as enjoying a key function in helping the Penguins’ Stanley Cup wins in 2016 and 2017. Ventura rose to the rank of director of hockey operations and analysis earlier than accepting a promotion with the Sabres in July 2021.

Ventura would carry a elementary understanding of the Penguins’ strengths, weaknesses and tradition. Don’t low cost the significance of tradition; institutional information could be invaluable to an possession group based mostly exterior of Pittsburgh. FSG would win the information convention with Ventura as GM and would most likely have picked the appropriate particular person for the gig, too.

Hayley Wickenheiser

Assistant GM participant growth (Maple Leafs)

Wickenheiser has a bio web page on Encyclopedia Britannica’s web site. She’s that large of a deal.

Considered the best feminine hockey participant, she gained 4 gold medals with Team Canada. The Maple Leafs employed her as assistant director of participant growth in August 2018, promoted her to senior director in May 2021 and named her assistant GM final July. Player growth is her calling card, and few franchises have accomplished that higher than the Maple Leafs over the previous half-decade.

Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas is on an expiring contract and possibly isn’t a candidate for a lateral transfer. However, with Dubas’ future in Toronto murky, the Maple Leafs won’t grant his assistant GM, Brandon Pridham, permission to interview for the Penguins’ opening.

Wickenheiser’s hiring could be a daring alternative for FSG. Of course, fortune typically favors the daring.

(Top picture of Mathieu Darche: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)