Penguins Fire GM Ron Hextall, Others In Top Management

PITTSBURGH, PA — The Penguins have fired general manager Ron Hextall and two other members of the team's management team. The move came a day after the Pens concluded their season by failing to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

Also fired were Brian Burke, president of hockey operations, and assistant general manager Chris Pryor.

The terminations were announced by John Henry and Tom Werner of Fenway Sports Group, which owns the team.

"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," the pair stated in a release. " 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 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, 2016 and 2017) 17), four Stanley Cup Final appearances and five trips to the Eastern Conference Final.

The search for new hockey operations leadership will begin immediately, according to Henry and Werner.

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