The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced the following hockey operations staff hirings and promotions:
Staff Additions:
- Jonathan Erlichman - Vice President, Hockey Research, Development & Strategy
- Kevin Elliott - Head Athletic Trainer
- Lucas Malloy - Manager, Hockey Operations
- Chris Roque - Amateur Scout
- Brandon Dennis - Amateur Scout
- Brian Ihnacak - Amateur Scout
- Jason Pietrzykowski - Professional Scout
- Chad Nehring - Professional Scout
- Karel Popper - Goaltender Coach, Wheeling Nailers
Staff Promotions:
- Jason Spezza - Assistant General Manager & General Manager, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Amanda Kessel - Manager, Minor League Operations and Assistant General Manager, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Kain Tisi - Goaltender Coach, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Mark Osiecki - Professional & NCAA Scout
Erlichman joins the Penguins organization after spending the last 12 seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays of the MLB, most recently serving as their Vice President, Process and Analytics where he worked across departments to accelerate projects of high impact and conduct research related to player wellness. He also held various other roles with the Rays including Process and Analytics Coach (2019-23), Director of Analytics (2016-19), and Baseball Research and Development Analyst (2013-16). In 2019, Erlichman had the distinction of being the first data analyst in MLB history to make the transition from the front office to the dugout as an Analytics Coach.
The Toronto, Ontario native received his degree in Mathematics at Princeton University in 2012. In his new role, Erlichman will lead the Penguins’ Research & Development strategy, including the Club’s use of data and analytics in the player acquisition, player development and player evaluation processes. Erlichman will also be tasked with leading future hockey operations strategy projects for the Penguins. He will report directly to Dubas.
Elliott, 58, assumes the role of Head Athletic Trainer with Pittsburgh after spending the last three years with Hockey Canada as Manager of Medical Services. Elliott has been an Athletic Trainer on a year-round basis for multiple Hockey Canada programs including the U-20 National Junior Team, the Men’s Under-18 and Under-17 teams, as well as multiple World Championship teams and Team Canada’s squad at the 2022 Olympic Games.
Prior to his time at Hockey Canada, Elliott spent 17 seasons as Head Athletic Trainer of the Charlottetown Islanders of the QMJHL (2003-07, 2009-21), with brief stops at the Florida Panthers (2007-08) and the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers (2008-09) as well. In his new role, Elliott will be responsible for the daily organization of player health and wellness within a multi-disciplinary team of the medical director, medical consultants, sports performance, and physical therapists. He will also evaluate the players’ conditions during practices and games, and proactively problem solve to mitigate injury risks by implementing training protocols and regulations. Elliott will work alongside of Director of High Performance, Marty Lauzon and report into Club Medical Director & Head Team Physician, Dr. Dharmesh Vyas.
Malloy joins the Penguins as Manager, Hockey Operations after spending the last five years with Fenway Sports Management, including the last three as former Penguins Alternate Governor, David Beeston's Special Assistant, where he was a key part of the acquisition of a controlling interest in the Pittsburgh Penguins, the purchase of a TGL golf team now known as Boston Common Golf, and most recently the minority investment in PGA Tour Enterprises. Malloy managed the search processes that resulted in new leadership with the Pittsburgh Penguins in spring of 2023 and the Boston Red Sox in the fall of 2023. In his new role, Malloy will assist and support the hockey operations staff with a focus on major business-related projects and strategic initiatives, and also serve as a conduit between hockey operations, business operations and Fenway Sports Group. He will report directly to Dubas.
The trio of Roque, Dennis and Ihnacak join Pittsburgh’s amateur scouting staff, while Pietrzykowski and Nehring each join the Penguins’ professional scouting department. Roque, Dennis and Ihnack will all report directly to Vice President of Player Personnel Wes Clark. Pietrzykowski and Nehring will report to Director of Professional Personnel Andy Saucier.
Roque has nearly 20 years of scouting experience including stints as a scout at the Toronto Maple Leafs (2018-24), Soo Greyhounds (2011-18) and Kingston Frontenacs (2005-11) of the OHL.
Dennis, who will scout players throughout the United States, has spent the past two seasons as Assistant Coach of the Youngstown Phantoms of the USHL. Prior to that, Dennis was a scout at the Chicago Steel (USHL) from 2020-22, and he was also the Manager of Business Development at USA Hockey from 2019-22.
Ihnacak has spent the last two seasons as a European Scout for the Mississauga Steelheads of the OHL after a 17-year professional playing career that spanned across North America and Europe. Ihnacak was originally drafted by the Penguins in the ninth round (259th overall) in the 2004 NHL Draft and will scout players in Europe.
Pietrzykowski has spent his entire 15-year professional career in the Edmonton Oilers organization, most recently as a professional scout (2022-24) and as the team’s assistant video coach (2009-22).
Nehring recently concluded a 12-year professional playing career across the ECHL, AHL, and Germany’s top league, the DEL from 2011-24. The Springside, Saskatchewan native also enjoyed a four-year collegiate career at Lake Superior State University, where he received his degree in Exercise Science.
Popper assumes the role as the Goaltending Coach of the Wheeling Nailers after spending the last three seasons as an Assistant Coach of the Chicago Steel of the USHL. The Steel finished in the top-two in the USHL for overall record twice, and they qualified for the playoffs all three seasons Popper was with the club. The Mainville, Ohio native also served as the Men’s and Women’s Goaltending Coach at the University of Minnesota (2018-21) and as the Assistant Coach of Ohio State Women’s team in 2016-17.
In addition to his duties as the Penguins’ Assistant General Manager, Spezza has also been named General Manager of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In his expanded role, Spezza will direct all facets of the Penguins' American Hockey League affiliate.
Kessel, entering her third season with the Penguins, has been promoted to Manager, Minor League Operations and Assistant General Manager, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins after spending the 2023-24 campaign as Special Assistant to the General Manger in Pittsburgh. In her new role, she will assist Spezza with all matters involving WBS, and will oversee the Penguins' minor league affiliate in the ECHL (Wheeling) to ensure seamless communication between Pittsburgh and its member clubs.
Tisi has been elevated to the Goaltending Coach for WBS after spending the last two years as Pittsburgh’s Goaltending Development Coach, where he primarily split his time with goaltenders in WBS, and young goaltending prospects throughout the Penguins organization. Prior to his time with the Penguins, the Mississauga, Ontario native spent seven seasons with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League as the team's goaltending coach.
Osiecki recently completed his first season with Pittsburgh as a professional scout where he was responsible for scouting professional organizations in the mid-western United States. As part of his expanded role, he will also scout draft-eligible prospects and free agents in collegiate hockey. The St. Paul, Minnesota native has nearly 30 years of coaching experience at various levels, including the AHL, USHL and collegiate hockey. He was most recently on the coaching staff at the University of Wisconsin as Associate Coach.
