Penguins promote Amanda Kessel to manager of minor league operations and assistant GM

    PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (KDKA) -- Earlier this week, the Penguins announced multiple hockey operations hires and promotions, including promoting Amanda Kessel to Manager of Minor League Operations and Assistant General Manager of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

This year will be Kessel's third with the Penguins and comes just a year after she was Special Assistant to the General Manager in the 2023-24 season.

In her new role, Kessel will assist Jason Spezza, who was named the General Manager of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. She will also oversee the Penguins' ECHL affiliate the Wheeling Nailers.

Kessel's promotion does raise questions regarding her professional hockey-playing career. Earlier this year, she was drafted 41st overall by PWHL Montreal.

According to reporting from The Athletic, no decision has been made on her playing career as of yet.

"Any decision regarding [Kessel] playing pro hockey will come from her and we are supportive of whatever decision she makes," Penguins President of Hockey Operations Kyle Dubas said to The Athletic.

Along with Kessel and Spezza receiving promotions, the Penguins promoted Kain Tisi to goaltending coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Mark Oseicki to professional and NCAA scout.

The Penguins also announced the hiring of Jonathan Erlichman as vice president of hockey research, development, and strategy.

Erlichman joins the Penguins after spending 12 years with the Tampa Bay Rays of the MLB, where he was most recently the team's vice president of process and analytics. He was the first data analyst in MLB history to transition from the front office to the dugout as an analytics coach.

The team also hired five new scouts, a goaltending coach, and a new head athletic trainer.

You can see the full list of hires and their bios on the Penguins' website.