Pascal Dupuis' playing days are over, but he remains a valued member of the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.
Forced off the ice while undergoing treatment for blood clots, Dupuis remained with the club through to the end of the season and was able to participate in the team's Stanley Cup celebration.
With one year left on his contract, Dupuis will continue to work for the club in some capacity, according to general manager Jim Rutherford.
"He's going to do some scouting out of (Quebec) and possibly a little bit of development work," Rutherford said, according to Bill West of TribLive. "I think it's one of those things where he's still under his player's contract, and he'll just kind of feel his way a little bit."
For his part, Dupuis is happy to spend more time with his family, and says he'll always remain loyal to the Penguins, especially if he chooses to keep working in the game.
"If I do something with a team in the NHL, it's 100 percent going to be with the Penguins," he said. "I was treated right, and I feel like if I'm on the other side as part of management or staff, I would want to treat people the same way I was treated. Their philosophy is something that I really respect."
For now, both sides are taking things one day at a time.
"There's no pressure (on Dupuis to work)," said assistant GM Bill Guerin. "We're on his time. ... Whether it's this year or 10 years from now, he's always going to be one of those guys that wants to give back.
"We're lucky to still have him around."
