John Henry and Tom Werner issued the following statement:
"We are grateful to Brian, Ron, and Chris for their contributions to the organization over the past two seasons, but we feel that the team will benefit from new hockey operations leadership. While this season has been disappointing, we believe in our core group of players and the goal of contending for the Stanley Cup has not changed."
The search for new hockey operations leadership will begin immediately.
During this transition, the managerial duties of hockey operations will be shared among current Director of Hockey Operations, Alec Schall, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton General Manager/Manager of Hockey Operations, Erik Heasley and Hockey Operations Analyst, Andy Saucier. Head Coach Mike Sullivan will also assist during the transition.
The Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time in 17 years, ending the longest-active playoff streak among teams in North American professional sports. The streak included three Stanley Cup Championships (2009, '16, '17), four Stanley Cup Final appearances and five trips to the Eastern Conference Final. This is only the second time since Sidney Crosby made his NHL debut in 2005-06 that the Penguins did not qualify for the postseason.
