It's official: Nick Bonino will be joining the Penguins as an assistant coach on Dan Muse's staff.
Dejan first reported the hiring on Tuesday, noting that Bonino previously signed an extension to play for HK Olimpija Ljubljana for next season. Bonino, 37, officially announced his retirement on Wednesday and his intention to join the Penguins' staff.
"I had a really unique opportunity come up to coach the Pittsburgh Penguins," Bonino said in a video through Ljubljana. "It's something that we thought was the best move for our family at this time."
Bonino played for Muse when Muse was an assistant in both Nashville and New York.
Muse, in his introductory press conference, said the process was already underway in a search for an assistant coaching staff.
"The big qualities you look for, you want to make sure that it's going to be a fit here, within the group, within the organization," Muse said of the search. "And then from there, I'm looking for a little bit of variety. Different experiences, different backgrounds, different ideas, but where we still have the same base concepts that we believe in moving forward."
In Bonino, Muse gets just that -- he's a fit within the organization, he's been here twice already. He's a fit with Muse himself, having the prior experience of working together with the Predators and Rangers. And with Muse having minimal experience as far as a playing career, Bonino adds variety in that his resume includes 868 NHL games over 15 seasons, as well as two Stanley Cups right here in Pittsburgh.
Bonino, given his own experience as a player, will presumably manage the forwards and penalty kill. Muse managed successful penalty kills with Bonino in Nashville and New York, among the best in the league in either stop.
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THE ASYLUM
Taylor Haase
6:21 pm - 06.18.2025DowntownOfficial: Bonino joining Penguins' staff
It's official: Nick Bonino will be joining the Penguins as an assistant coach on Dan Muse's staff.
Dejan first reported the hiring on Tuesday, noting that Bonino previously signed an extension to play for HK Olimpija Ljubljana for next season. Bonino, 37, officially announced his retirement on Wednesday and his intention to join the Penguins' staff.
"I had a really unique opportunity come up to coach the Pittsburgh Penguins," Bonino said in a video through Ljubljana. "It's something that we thought was the best move for our family at this time."
Bonino played for Muse when Muse was an assistant in both Nashville and New York.
Muse, in his introductory press conference, said the process was already underway in a search for an assistant coaching staff.
"The big qualities you look for, you want to make sure that it's going to be a fit here, within the group, within the organization," Muse said of the search. "And then from there, I'm looking for a little bit of variety. Different experiences, different backgrounds, different ideas, but where we still have the same base concepts that we believe in moving forward."
In Bonino, Muse gets just that -- he's a fit within the organization, he's been here twice already. He's a fit with Muse himself, having the prior experience of working together with the Predators and Rangers. And with Muse having minimal experience as far as a playing career, Bonino adds variety in that his resume includes 868 NHL games over 15 seasons, as well as two Stanley Cups right here in Pittsburgh.
Bonino, given his own experience as a player, will presumably manage the forwards and penalty kill. Muse managed successful penalty kills with Bonino in Nashville and New York, among the best in the league in either stop.
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