On Friday, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced who would be filling out their coaching staff – in addition to new head coach Dan Muse – for the 2025-26 season.
And they may have struck gold with one of their hires.
Todd Nelson – who was head coach of the AHL's Hershey Bears for the past three seasons – was named as one of the assistants on Muse's new staff on Friday. Nelson coached the Bears to back-to-back Calder Cup championships in 2023 and 2024, and he has a boatload of coaching experience at both the AHL and NHL levels.
Given the phase of their rebuild that the Penguins find themselves in – and their focus on development – Nelson may just be the perfect hire.
Even some former players under Nelson agree. Goaltender Zachary Fucale – who was part of the 2023 Bears' championship team and now plays in the KHL for Chelyabinsk Traktor – gave Nelson a glowing endorsement on socials:
"The best of the best!" Fucale wrote. "Thank you Nelly for everything. Unforgettable moments being part of your team. Absolutely 0 doubts you will have success with @penguins. All the best to you."
The best of the best! Thank you Nelly for everything. Unforgettable moments being part of your team. Absolutely 0 doubts you will have success with @penguins. All the best to you 🙏🏼 https://t.co/SleRD8SdIx
— Zach Fucale (@Fucale31) June 20, 2025
Although Nelson was wildly successful as head coach of the Bears, the AHL accolades don't stop there. He also won a Calder Cup as an assistant coach for the Chicago Wolves in 2008 and as head coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2017, which makes him one of only six coaches in AHL history to win three times as a head coach. He is also only one of three people in AHL history to win the Calder Cup as an assistant coach, a head coach, and a player.
Nelson also has a bit of experience at the NHL level, too. He was an assistant with now-defunct Atlanta Thrashers before they moved to Winnipeg, he was the interim head coach of the Edmonton Oilers after Dallas Eakins was fired in 2014-15, and he had another assistant gig with the Dallas Stars from 2018-22.
And his playing career? Ironically, he was selected by none other than the Penguins as a defenseman in the fourth round (79th overall) of the 1989 NHL Draft. He only appeared in one NHL game with Pittsburgh on Nov. 23, 1991 in a 2-2 tie against the New York Islanders. He also later appeared in a few games for the Washington Capitals later on.
Penguins Name Full Coaching Staff For 2025-26 SeasonBack on Jun. 4, the Pittsburgh Penguins hired Dan Muse as the 23rd coach in franchise history.
The history with the Penguins' organization is there. But, more importantly, the developmental angle is there. Nelson has personal experience in the arena of fighting tooth and nail for NHL playing time, and he has spent a great deal of time working with developing young players and maximizing their potential.
And this – in addition to that track record of success – is something that drew him to Muse when he was filling out his staff.
“With over two decades of coaching experience, Todd brings a championship pedigree and a winning history that speaks for itself,” Muse said. “He has consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to get the most out of his players, most recently in Hershey, and his leadership qualities and wealth of experience will be a tremendous asset to our team as we continue to build a culture of excellence.”
Over the next several seasons, the Penguins hope to build back up that culture of excellence that they became so renowned for. And – given his track record – Nelson could be a big part of helping them get there.
Former Penguin Set To Join Coaching Staff For 2025-26 SeasonA few weeks after it was announced that Dan Muse would become the 23rd head coach in Pittsburgh Penguins franchise history, it appears that a former Penguin will be joining his coaching staff as well.
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Feature image credit: Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK
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