PENGUINS ANNOUNCE HOCKEY OPERATIONS ADDITIONS, PROMOTIONS

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins announced several additions to their hockey operations department today, as well as multiple internal promotions. The Penguins have hired Karel Popper as Goaltending Coach, Ryan Lennon as Video Coach, Cédrik Cabana as Manager of Team Services, and Morgan Payne as Assistant Equipment Manager.

Furthermore, David Roper and Dan Resavy have been promoted to the roles of Head Equipment Manager and Head Athletic Trainer, respectively.

Popper spent the past two seasons as the goaltending coach of the Wheeling Nailers, where he had hands-on experience developing Penguins prospects such as Sergei Murashov and Taylor Gauthier. Prior to his time with Wheeling, the 34-year-old accumulated three years of experience as an assistant coach of the Chicago Steel. Popper also logged time as a goaltending coach for the University of Minnesota hockey programs and the Ohio State University women’s hockey team.

Lennon joins the Penguins from the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League. He served as the team’s Director of Hockey Analytics and Video Coach during the 2024-25 and 2025-2026 campaigns, and he became the club’s Director of Hockey Operations in 2026. Lennon, 24, has also enjoyed various video-scouting roles with Hockey Canada. He was recently named Video Coach for Team Canada Red at the 2026 World U17 Challenge after he provided pre-scout services for his home country for both the 2026 World Juniors and 2026 Winter Olympic Games.

Popper and Lennon join head coach Kirk MacDonald’s staff, alongside returning assistant coaches Nick Luukko and Brad Malone.

Cabana comes to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after serving as Video Coach and Team Services Coordinator for the Victoriaville Tigres of the Québec Maritime Junior Hockey League. The 24-year-old from Sherbrooke, Québec holds a master’s degree in business administration from Laval University and served as an artillery officer in the Canadian Army for three years.

Payne joins the Penguins organization after attending five seasons at the helm as Head Equipment Manager of the OHL’s Barrie Colts. Payne was also the Colts’ Assistant Equipment Manager for one year, 2019-20.

Season-ticket packages for the upcoming 2026-27 season, including Full-Season, 22-game, 12-game, Flexbook and Premium Seating plans, as well as Corporate Partnership opportunities, are available by reaching out to the Penguins directly at (570) 208-7367.

Every minute of Penguins hockey can be watched online with the league’s streaming service, AHLTV on FloHockey. AHLTV on FloHockey provides its subscribers access to not just every regular-season and Calder Cup Playoff game for all 32 AHL teams, but also more than 21,000 hockey contests from other professional and junior leagues on FloHockey, as well as access to all other live event streams and replays across FloSports.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who are the new members of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hockey operations staff?
A: The Penguins have hired Karel Popper (Goaltending Coach), Ryan Lennon (Video Coach), Cédrik Cabana (Manager of Team Services), and Morgan Payne (Assistant Equipment Manager).

Q: Who received promotions within the Penguins organization?
A: David Roper has been promoted to Head Equipment Manager, while Dan Resavy has been elevated to Head Athletic Trainer after serving in previous roles with the organization.

Q: What experience does Karel Popper bring to the Penguins?
A: Popper spent the past two seasons as goaltending coach of the Wheeling Nailers, where he worked closely with Penguins prospects such as Sergei Murashov and Taylor Gauthier. He also has coaching experience with the Chicago Steel, the University of Minnesota, and Ohio State University.

Q: Who is Ryan Lennon?
A: Ryan Lennon joins the Penguins after serving as Director of Hockey Analytics, Video Coach, and later Director of Hockey Operations for the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs. He has also held video and scouting roles with Hockey Canada, including work for the World Juniors, Winter Olympics, and the 2026 World U17 Challenge.

Q: Who will be on the Penguins’ coaching staff this season?
A: Head Coach Kirk MacDonald will be joined by Assistant Coaches Nick Luukko and Brad Malone, along with new Goaltending Coach Karel Popper and new Video Coach Ryan Lennon.

Q: What does a video coach do in professional hockey?
A: A video coach analyzes game footage, prepares opponent scouting reports, supports coaches with tactical breakdowns, and provides players with video clips to aid development and game preparation.

Q: What are the responsibilities of a Manager of Team Services?
A: The Manager of Team Services oversees many of the day-to-day logistics that keep the team operating smoothly, including player travel, accommodations, meals, scheduling, and other operational needs.

Q: What does an Assistant Equipment Manager do?
A: An Assistant Equipment Manager helps prepare and maintain players’ gear, manages equipment for practices and games, assists with travel logistics, and ensures everything is ready for the team on a daily basis.