The Penguins wasted no time in overhauling personnel Friday morning as the team announced on Twitter that General Manager Ron Hextall, President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke, and Assistant General Manager Chris Pryor were relieved of their duties.
John Henry and Tom Werner of Fenway Sports Group issued a statement saying they were grateful for the trio’s contributions over the last two years, but they felt that “the team will benefit from new hockey operations leadership.”
They also believe that the core group of players and goal of contending for a Stanley Cup “has not changed.”
The team will begin looking for their replacements immediately. During the transition, managerial duties will be shared among head coach Mike Sullivan, Director of Hockey Operations Alec Schall, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton General Manager Erik Heasley, and Hockey Operations Analyst Andy Saucier.
The moves come after the Penguins missed the playoffs with a 40-31-11 record.
