EASTON, Mass. (June 4, 2025) – Stonehill College men's ice hockey alumnus Dan Muse '05 has been named the 23rd head coach of the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins, as announced Wednesday. Muse, a four-year member of the Skyhawks from 2001 to 2005, succeeds Mike Sullivan, who was recently appointed head coach of the New York Rangers on May 2.
A native of Canton, Massachusetts, Muse appeared in 61 games over his collegiate career, tallying 11 points on five goals and six assists during his time in Easton.
Now 42, Muse brings two decades of coaching experience to the Penguins, including five seasons as an NHL assistant coach with the New York Rangers (2023–25) and the Nashville Predators (2017–20). He was part of coaching staffs that secured three division titles—two with Nashville (2017-18, 2018-19) and one with New York (2023-24)—as well as two Presidents' Trophy-winning campaigns (Nashville in 2017-18; New York in 2023-24).
Following his playing career, Muse quickly transitioned into coaching, beginning with a one-year stint at Williams College (2007-08), followed by two seasons at Sacred Heart University (2008–10). He then joined Yale University as an assistant coach, eventually serving as associate head coach in 2014-15.
Muse later made the leap to head coaching in the United States Hockey League (USHL), where he guided the Chicago Steel to a 68-43 record over two seasons. During the 2016-17 campaign, he led the Steel to the top record in the Eastern Conference and a franchise-first Clark Cup Championship.
In addition to his professional and collegiate coaching resume, Muse has played a prominent role with USA Hockey. From 2020 to 2023, he served as head coach with the U.S. National Team Development Program. He led the U18 team to a gold medal at the 2023 IIHF World Under-18 Championship and helped set a program record with 16 wins over NCAA opponents that same season. Muse also served as head coach of the U17 team in 2021-22 and contributed as a video coach during the 2013 and 2014 IIHF World Junior Championships, including a gold medal performance in 2013.
Muse now looks to return the Penguins to Stanley Cup contention, aiming to guide the franchise to its first Finals appearance since back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017.
