Nick Pryor, who served as the Penguins’ director of amateur scouting since joining the black-and-gold in July 2021 as part of Ron Hextall’s staff, has accepted the same position with the Avalanche. Replaced in essence by long-time Kyle Dubas associate Wes Clark, who was named vice president of player personnel a couple of weeks ago.
Strength and conditioning coach Alex Pianosi has joined the Avs as well.
I thought it odd, intriguing and perhaps more than a bit reflective of the younger Pryor’s abilities that he remained an integral part of the Pens’ staff even after his father, Chris Pryor, who served as our assistant GM under Hextall, was fired as part of the management purge in April 2023.
For Nick, it must’ve seemed more than a bit surreal to work for the management team that replaced his dad. However, not only did Pryor remain on board, he oversaw the past two drafts under Dubas and, by most accounts, unearthed some potential gems.
Before joining the Pens, he’d spent the previous eight seasons as part of the Flyers’ scouting staff, again surviving a purge that cost Hextall and his father their jobs in 2018.
Some of Pryor’s picks in the ‘Burgh, including Owen Pickering, Tristan Broz, Tanner Howe (pictured), 2023 first-rounder Brayden Yager and fifth-round sleeper Sergei Murashov, may one day serve as centerpieces for the rebuild that looms just over the horizon.
Meanwhile, back at the Pens’ ranch, Dubas continues to restock the front office with former Maple Leaf execs, including assistant GM Jason Spezza and Clark, who most notably drafted emerging power-forward Matthew Knies with the Leafs’ second-round pick in 2021.
As for Dubas?
Although it’s a bit too early to judge, if I were assigning letter grades I’d probably give him an A for effort and a C+ for execution thus far.
His deal to acquire former Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson last summer for what essentially amounted to Mikael Granlund, Jeff Petry, Jan Rutta and Casey DeSmith was a stroke of pure genius. The Jake Guentzel-for-Michael Bunting-and-a-prospects-haul deadline deal may turn out favorably as well.
However, many of Dubas’ other moves, most prominent among them acquiring Reilly Smith, extending Tristan Jarry and inking Ryan Graves to a long-term pact have left something to be desired.
His work this summer?
Starting with the Kevin Hayes acquisition, frankly uninspired in my book.
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Rick
I agree on the positive and negative summary on the Deals completed by
Dubas. My only question is how much of a hand did Sullivan play in these
moves? First picking up Graves a player with size who plays a finesse game
has Sullivan written all over it. Second, I didn't hate the Reilly Smith trade,
but to me it was a head scratcher to let Zucker walk, especially when it
appears they could of resigned him to a one year deal for less money than
they had to pay Smith. IMO, this has Sullivan fingerprints all over it as well.
Also, the bottom six was a disaster!! Except for Eller and Acciari while the later
was hurt and only played in 55 games. To make a long story short I'm hoping
by Dubas shaking up his staff it will reduce at least some of Sullivans input.