Pittsburgh Penguins

Lore & Background

Founded during the 1967 expansion, the Penguins have qualified for six Stanley Cup Finals, winning the Stanley Cup five times – in 1991, 1992, 2009, 2016, and 2017. Along with the Edmonton Oilers, the Penguins are tied for the most Stanley Cup championships among the non-Original Six teams and sixth overall. With their Stanley Cup wins in 2016 and 2017, the Penguins became the first back-to-back champions in the salary cap era. Several of the team's former members have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, including co-owner Mario Lemieux, who purchased the Penguins in 1999 and brought the club out of bankruptcy. Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin have won the Hart Memorial Trophy while playing for the franchise.

Reader's Guide

The Penguins' first general manager, Jack Riley, opened the first pre-season camp for the franchise in Brantford, Ontario, on September 13, 1967, playing the franchise's first exhibition match in Brantford against the Philadelphia Flyers on September 23, 1967. George Sullivan was named the head coach for the club's first two seasons, and Ab McDonald was named the team's first captain. On October 11, 1967, league president Clarence Campbell and team president Jack McGregor jointly dropped the ceremonial first puck of the Penguins' opening home game against the Montreal Canadiens.

On October 21, 1967, they defeated the Chicago Black Hawks 4–2. The team's best player proved to be goaltender Les Binkley, who recorded a 2.88 goals-against average and was second in the league with six shutouts. Defensive winger Ken Schinkel won the team's sole league honor, being named to represent the Penguins in the NHL All-Star Game. Andy Bathgate led the team in scoring with 59 points but retired at season's end.

McDonald, who led the team in goals and was second in team scoring, was traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for center Lou Angotti.

Did You Know?

• The Penguins' nickname was chosen from 26,000 entries; the winning entry was submitted by Mark Peters, inspired because the team was to play in the 'Igloo'.
• Michel Briere, selected 26th in the 1969 draft, led Pittsburgh to its first NHL playoff berth since the 1928 Pirates and scored the series-clinching overtime goal against the Oakland Seals in the 1970 quarterfinals.
• Briere suffered a career-ending car crash on May 15, 1970, and died a year later; his number 21 jersey was never reissued and was formally retired in 2001.