NASHVILLE -- Kyle Dubas spent his 28th day as the Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations putting his plan for the franchise into action.
The Penguins made two moves Wednesday, one for the present and one for the future, exactly the type of two-pronged approach Dubas talked about on June 1.
Pittsburgh acquired forward Reilly Smith from the Vegas Golden Knights for a third-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. They also selected center Brayden Yager from Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League with the No. 14 pick of the 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Bridgestone Arena.
"Two important parts of business for the present and future much the way that we've kind of mapped this out and plan to do it," Dubas said. "Exciting day for us."
In Smith, the Penguins get a 32-year-old player who is coming off a Stanley Cup championship season with the Golden Knights. He had 56 points (26 goals, 30 assists) in 78 games and another 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 22 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Smith has two years remaining on a three-year, $15 million contract ($5 million salary cap charge) that he signed with Vegas on July 13, 2022.
"We think Reilly is a great fit because he's extremely reliable defensively in addition to being able to produce very reliably over 20 goals and 50 points in nearly every single season, especially with Vegas and coming off what he did in the Stanley Cup, being a really important part of that," Dubas said. "He can kill penalties, play left wing or right wing. He did that in the playoffs for Vegas and we view it to be interchangeable throughout the top of our lineup. With the cost being what it was we just thought it was something too good for us to pass up. We're very excited."
In Yager, Dubas said the Penguins get an 18-year-old who could be a big part of their future center depth in the post-Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin era, whenever that might begin.
"He was simply the top player on our board at the time we picked," Dubas said.
Dubas said Wednesday, and the work that was required in the preceding days since arriving in Nashville this week, was nearly a month in the making for him and the new staff he's working with in Pittsburgh after spending the past nine years with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the past five seasons as their general manager.
He credited hockey operations analyst Andy Saucier and Erik Heasley, the general manager of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Penguins' American Hockey League affiliate, for their "massive support" in helping him get acclimated.
"There's some great people on the staff," Dubas said.
Dubas hired Jason Spezza as assistant general manager on June 14. Spezza worked with Dubas in Toronto and was the special assistant to the GM this season.
He also hired Vukie Mpofu as the director of hockey operations and legal affairs on Monday.
"So we're starting to put the staff together and see the staff grow, and then also you get to actually execute on different planning things, the trade today and the draft pick," Dubas said. "I think it's great for the staff as well because it's been obviously a little bit uneasy, there's been a lot of change and trying to actually get here and do work with each other and experience how everyone works together, it's been enjoyable."
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said he has appreciated how transparent and collaborative Dubas has been in his short time with Pittsburgh.
"Trying to utilize all the people around him to try to game plan to make the best decisions," Sullivan said. "He's been very inclusive with our coaching staff, our whole coaching staff, as an example, in just trying to prepare for free agency and who might be available and who might fit within the group that we have. He's very collaborative. That's the biggest thing that jumps out to me."
Wednesday, of course, was only the start of a busy offseason of work for Dubas and the Penguins.
There's still Day 2 of the draft. The Penguins currently have five more picks to make Thursday.
Dubas said he's still having conversations with Pittsburgh's pending unrestricted free agents, namely goalie Tristan Jarry and forward Jason Zucker, and did not rule out bringing either or both back.
The Penguins could be active in the free agent and trade market too.
"We want to continue to build our depth so we'll continue to engage," Dubas said.
They will also look to the future on Saturday, when they begin their three-day development camp.
Dubas said they also will have more hires in the hockey operations department, though he's pushed those decisions off until July 5 so they're through development camp and the July 4 holiday.
But at least now he can say with certainty that the plan is in motion and his strategic vision and philosophy for the franchise is starting to take shape.
"The whole month has sort of been building up to this week," Dubas said.
