Mike Stothers, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ new assistant coach, nearly missed the chance to discuss his role with Director Danmus due to being without a phone while celebrating his 40th wedding anniversary at a lakeside home in Owen Sound, Ontario. Returning late at night, he finally saw the missed call and reached out to Muse, leading to a positive conversation about joining the Penguins’ staff. Stothers described the coaching staff as a roster where everyone plays a specific role, and he was quick to accept the opportunity, having thought about it since the initial outreach.
Stothers has significant ties to Pittsburgh from his playing days, spending the majority of his professional career in the AHL with the Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs organizations. Drafted 21st overall by the Flyers in 1980, he appeared in 30 NHL games over five seasons and accumulated 1,843 penalty minutes in 671 AHL games, mostly with the Hershey Bears.
The Penguins completed their coaching staff for the 2025-26 season by adding Stothers, who feels a strong connection to Pittsburgh. He expressed enthusiasm about joining because of his familiarity with the city and its hockey culture. Stothers brings extensive coaching experience, beginning as a player assistant coach with the Bears in 1991-92, moving on to assistant roles with the Philadelphia Phantoms and Flyers, and serving as head coach for teams including the Owen Sound Attack, AHL, and WHL squads. He also coached as an NHL assistant with the Atlanta Thrashers and Anaheim Ducks more recently.
In his new role, Stothers will oversee defense and penalty kills, areas that need improvement. He anticipates working closely with Muse and Nick Bonino, emphasizing a collaborative approach to strategy rather than a one-size-fits-all formula. He likened the process to a chess match, with detailed preparation and teamwork.
Previously, Stothers faced a challenging battle with stage 3 melanoma in the lymph nodes, which sidelined him from hockey for over a year. Despite this, he remained eager to return to coaching and looks forward to rejoining the Penguins, reconnecting with assistants Todd Nelson and Rich Kromm, and forward Boko Imama, with whom he shares a special bond.
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Fan Take: This hiring is a significant boost for the Penguins as Stothers brings a wealth of experience and a personal connection to Pittsburgh, which can translate into a cohesive and motivated coaching staff. For hockey fans, his collaborative approach to defense and penalty kills could spark strategic innovation, potentially elevating the Penguins’ performance in a fiercely competitive league.
