"Was Mitch Love’s interview that bad?": NHL fans react as Penguins hire Dan Muse as HC after Mike Sullivan's exit

At long last, the Pittsburgh Penguins have hired their new coach in Dan Muse. The 42-year-old has officially been named the 23rd coach in franchise history, taking over for Mike Sullivan after a 10-year run behind the Penguins' bench.

Muse spent time as an assistant head coach in the NHL for the Nashville Predators and, most recently, the New York Rangers. He has also been a head coach at the USTNDP junior level and with the U.S. National U17 and U18 teams.

NHL fans started reacting to the news of the hiring on Wednesday afternoon on X (formerly Twitter).

"Was Mitch Love's interview that bad?" one fan wrote.

"A lot of people who never heard of him are going to have big takes on this," another posted.

"That ain't DJ Smith," another fan added.

More fan reactions poured in on X.

"This is a good hire Penguin fans, hes big on giving young guys a fair shot and good on his X's & O's," one wrote on X.

"I'm upset about this as a Rangers fan... this is a good hire by the Penguins," another added.

"Big emphasis hire on developing youth and making the PK click. I like it a lot," added one fan.

The majority of the hockey world isn't too familiar with Dan Muse, though Ranger fans do appear upset that he's left the organization for a bitter rival in Pittsburgh.

GM Kyle Dubas provided a statement following the hiring of Dan Muse

In the aftermath of the Pittsburgh Penguins announcing they have hired Dan Muse, general manager Kyle Dubas released a statement about the decision.

The Pittsburgh Penguins shared his comments on X.

"What separated Dan was his ability to develop players, win at all levels where he has been a head coach, and his consistent success coaching special teams in the NHL," Dubas wrote.

"From his success in developing college and junior players to his impactful work with veteran players during his time in the NHL, Dan has shown a proven ability to connect with players at all stages of their careers and help them to reach their potential."

The hiring is another sign of Dubas showing his full control and putting his own stamp on the organization.

It will be interesting to see how Dan Muse can develop the Penguins' young talent while managing the aging core players at the same time.