Pittsburgh Penguins

Five-time Stanley Cup champions, founded in 1967.

The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has played its home games at PPG Paints Arena since 2010, and has previously played at the Civic Arena, which was better known by its nickname "the Igloo". The Penguins are affiliated with two minor league teams – the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. 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.

Quick Facts

Draft year: 2014
Nhl debut date: October 8, 2019
First nhl goal date: October 12, 2019
Penguins trade date: January 5, 2022

Lore & Background

The Penguins were awarded to Pittsburgh on February 8, 1966, for the 1967–68 season. The team's nickname was chosen from a contest; the winning entry was inspired because the team was to play in the "Igloo", the nickname of the Pittsburgh Civic Arena. The Penguins' first captain was Ab McDonald. Michel Briere, drafted in 1969, led the team to its first playoff berth in 1970 but suffered a career-ending car crash on May 15, 1970, and died a year later; his number 21 was never reissued and was formally retired in 2001.

Did You Know?

The Penguins are tied with the Edmonton Oilers for the most Stanley Cup championships among non-Original Six teams.
Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin have won the Hart Memorial Trophy while playing for the Penguins.