Even The Biggest NHL Fans Can't Name All These Penguins
- by Chris Roberts
- – on
- in Sports
There has been no franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) that has had more success than the Pittsburgh Penguins in recent history. The Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings, going farther back, have won multiple Stanley Cups in the past 15 years, but the Penguins became the first team to win back-to-back in the salary cap era, which is a testament to the management team led by general manager Jim Rutherford. Of course, it also speaks to the star power on the Penguins with the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, both of whom are future Hall of Famers, and secondary talent like Phil Kessel, Kris Letang, and Matt Murray.
However, Stanley Cup success isn't new to the Penguins. The same core group gave Pittsburgh its first Stanley Cup in more than 15 years back in 2009 and a previous core of Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr helped the Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cups in the early 1990s. Put simply, there's a history of winning in the Steel City. There were dark times between those two eras, but it's clear that Pittsburgh is establishing itself as a City of Champions, both for the success of the Penguins and Steelers of the NFL. Because of that success, we're guessing you'll have little trouble identifying a lot of these current and former Penguins, but it might be a little more difficult guessing players from the early 2000s.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
A native of Madison, Wisconsin, this right winger was acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a first-round draft pick and former Penguins prospect Kasperi Kapanen. Although he has been criticized in the past due to a perceived lack of training and on-ice effort, he scored 20-plus goals in each of his first two seasons with the Penguins and has a career-high 90 points this season with one game remaining. The former fifth overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft now has 739 points in 913 career regular season games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
An eighth-round pick of the Penguins in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, this 34 year old has spent the past two seasons playing in Russia, but prior to that was a valued member of the Penguins' bottom-six forward group and key contributor to its penalty killing unit from 2005 to 2011. He has also played for the rival Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche, and Boston Bruins. The Quebec native finished his NHL career with 204 points in 704 career regular season games and 39 points in 84 playoff games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
Regarded as one of the greatest playmakers of his generation, if not all-time, this 55 year old won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 1991 and 1992, recording a combined 44 points in 45 playoff games. He joined the Penguins at the trade deadline in 1991 after being acquired from the Hartford Whalers, where he spent the first 10 years of his career. He played seven seasons in Pittsburgh and went on to play an astounding six more seasons in the league, totaling 1,731 career regular season games in which he produced 1,798 points. He's a three-time winner of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
A native of Biddeford, Maine, this 26 year old defenseman played three seasons at Boston College and three with the Penguins' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before making the NHL roster on a full-time basis in 2015-16. He was originally drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft and acquired by Pittsburgh in the deal that sent Jordan Staal to the Hurricanes. He recorded 14 points in the past two playoffs and played an instrumental role in the team's success. He has a career-high five goals and 18 points this season.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
Selected fifth overall in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, it's remarkable to think that this Czech Republic native was still playing in the league as of this season. While he has played for a handful of teams throughout his 27-year career, he was at his best with the Penguins as he topped 100 points four times with the team, including during the 1995-96 season, when he recorded a career-best 149 points. He's a five-time Art Ross Trophy winner and future first-ballot Hall of Famer who finished his career with 1,921 points in 1,733 regular season games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
This 30 year old winger is a member of the Vegas Golden Knights and previously played for the Nashville Predators, where he spent three seasons and scored a combined 77 goals. He played for the Penguins from 2010 to 2014 and previously played three seasons with the Dallas Stars. Save for the 2010-11 season in which he was limited to 20 games due to an injury, he has scored at least 20 goals every season since debuting during the 2008-09 season and now has 263 goals and 232 assists for 495 points in 702 career regular season games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
A 30 year old native from Montreal, Quebec, this defenseman was selected by the Penguins in the third round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft but has since proven himself as a first-round talent. A multiple-time All-Star, he has recorded more than 50 points in four of his 11 seasons and produced a career-high 67 points during the 2015-16 season. He has been with Pittsburgh for each of its three Stanley Cup wins and has a combined 68 points in 116 career playoff games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
Selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, this defenseman played three seasons with the University of Wisconsin and opted not to sign with the team, instead choosing to become a free agent and sign with the Edmonton Oilers. He was good at times with the Oilers, but was eventually booed out of town as his defensive miscues were highlighted regularly. He was acquired by the Penguins at the 2016 trade deadline and turned his game around. He was even better last season as he recorded a career-high 51 points in the regular season and 13 points in the playoffs.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
You can be forgiven if you don't remember this player's time with the Penguins as it lasted only two seasons from 1995 to 1997. He previously played for the New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, and Vancouver Canucks, and went on to play for the Rangers again as well as the Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes, and Philadelphia Flyers. A 46 year old native of Czech Republic, he produced a career-high 99 points with the Penguins during the 1995-96 season and finished his NHL career with 717 points in 982 regular season games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
The second overall pick of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, this 31 year old center made an immediate impact upon coming from Russia to North America for the 2006-07 season, when he recorded 85 points and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the league's rookie of the year. He has since won the Art Ross Trophy as the top scorer twice and the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP in 2012. He was also the Conn Smythe winner when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2009.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
An undrafted free agent, this left winger signed a contract with the Minnesota Wild after five seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and played six seasons with the team before playing briefly with the New York Rangers and Atlanta Thrashers. He truly found his niche in the NHL in 2007, when he joined the Penguins. He went on to spend eight seasons with the team, but was limited in the final two seasons due to blood clot issues. The Laval, Quebec native finished his career with 409 points in 871 regular season games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
Selected by the Penguins with the 19th overall pick in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft, this Czech Republic center played three seasons with the team before being dealt to the Ottawa Senators. He later played briefly with the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers before re-joining the Penguins in 1997, following which he spent an additional six seasons with the team and produced a career-high 95 points during the 2000-01 season. He finished his NHL career with the New York Rangers in 2008 and played six more seasons in Czech Republic before retiring in 2014.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
The one entry that doesn't really need any accompany hints, but we'll provide them anyway in the slight chance you can't name one of the greatest hockey players of all-time. Selected first overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, this Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native recorded 102 points as a rookie but finished second in Calder Trophy voting behind Alex Ovechkin. He has since won three Stanley Cups, two Conn Smythe Trophies, two Art Ross Trophies, and two Hart Memorial Trophies. He also won the Rocket Richard Trophy for a second time last year with a league-leading 44 goals.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
Before Sidney Crosby there was this Canadian superstar, who, like Crosby, is in the conversation for the greatest player of all-time. He certainly has more impressive offensive statistics than Crosby, but the game was also more offensive-oriented during the 1980s and early 1990s. Selected first overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, the Montreal, Quebec native scored 100 points as a rookie and easily won the Calder Trophy. He topped 100 points nine more times, including in 1988-89, when he produced a career-high 199 points. The Hall of Famer is a three-time Hart Memorial Trophy recipient.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
This talented Russian winger produced single-season point totals of 95, 84, 76, and regularly topped 50, but most fans, media members, and coaches felt he had plenty more to give. He had all the talent in the world, but appeared to lack the competitive drive that makes the greatest players in the world so impressive. Still, that didn't stop him from having an impressive career in which he recorded 1,029 points in 1,316 career regular season games and 100 points in 123 playoff games. He played with the Penguins from 1999 to 2003.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
The last overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft - or any draft for that matter - is dubbed Mr. Irrelevant. The player generally never makes much of an impact in the NHL if he makes it at all. That's far from the case with this 31 year old Swede, who the Nashville Predators picked with the 230th selection in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Four years later, he made the Predators on a full-time basis and scored 30 goals in 80 games. He played four more seasons with the Predators and was dealt to the Penguins in 2014. Since joining Pittsburgh, he has scored 20-plus goals in four consecutive seasons and was instrumental in the team's last two Stanley Cup wins.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
This mobile Russian rearguard played with the Penguins from 2005 to 2010 and was a key member of the 2009 Stanley Cup team, producing 14 points in 22 playoff games. He has also played for the Ottawa Senators, Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens, and Washington Capitals, the latter of which selected him 14th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. He has a career-high 67 points, which he set with the Capitals and later matched with the Penguins, and retired in 2015 with 811 points in 1,301 career regular season games. He's currently an assistant coach with the Penguins.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
Widely regarded as one of the dirtiest players in the game, this 39 year old Belleville, Ontario native was selected in the sixth round of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks and played nine seasons with the team before being dealt to the Washington Capitals at the 2008 trade deadline. The following year, he signed with the Penguins and helped the team win the Stanley Cup with his on-the-edge physical play and secondary scoring - he had 13 goals and 18 assists in 76 regular season games. He retired in 2015 with 398 points and 1,135 penalty minutes in 1,046 regular season games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
Few young goaltenders have been able to do what this 23 year old Thunder Bay, Ontario native has accomplished. Selected by the Penguins in the third round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, he posted astonishing numbers in the AHL and became the Penguins backup goaltender during the 2015-16 season, but was called into action in the playoffs due to injuries and poor play by Marc-Andre Fleury. He posted a remarkable .930 save percentage in the playoffs and helped the team win the Stanley Cup. He did more or less the same the next season, winning his second Stanley Cup after only playing in 62 career regular season games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
The Penguins have done a great job as of late in developing secondary players to join its core group of players consisting of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Phil Kessel. This 23 year old native of Omaha, Nebraska was selected by the team in the third round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft and played three seasons with the University of Nebraska-Omaha before joining the Penguins during the middle of the 2016-17 season, scoring 33 points in 40 regular season games and an impressive 13 goals and eight assists in 25 playoff games. He finished the 2017-18 season with 22 goals and 26 assists.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
One of the most beloved Penguins of all-time due to his impressive play and larger-than-life personality, this 33 year old netminder was picked up by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft, but he'll forever be remembered as a Penguin. He was selected by the team first overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft and, after some early struggles, established himself as one of the league's best goaltenders, winning three Stanley Cups as well as 375 regular season games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
A 23 year old native of Jyvaskyla, Finland, this 6-foot-2, 206-pound blueliner was selected by the Penguins with the 22nd overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft and played two seasons with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) before joining the Penguins in 2013. He has since played in 302 career regular season games and scored 24 goals and added 69 assists for a total of 93 points. He has been a steady force on defense in each of the last two Stanley Cup runs and has 19 points in 56 career playoff games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
Another hidden gem the Penguins unearthed recently is this 25 year old Michigan native, who the team selected with the 80th overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The 5-foot-11 right winger spent four years at Notre Dame and two seasons with the Penguins' AHL affiliate before making the NHL on a full-time basis in 2015-16. He produced nine points in 23 playoff games in each of the team's past two Stanley Cup runs and produced a career-high 38 points in 69 games this past season.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
Selected in the sixth round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks, this Hartford, Connecticut native made his NHL debut with the Anaheim Ducks in 2009 after three years at Boston University. He spent five seasons with the Ducks before being dealt to the Vancouver Canucks. After one season in Vancouver, he spent the following two in Pittsburgh, where he was a key contributor during the team's two Stanley Cup runs, producing a combined 25 points in 45 playoff games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
Sharing the same name as a former Canadian Prime Minister (that might not be of much help to American fans), this 37 year old defenseman played for the Penguins from 2010 to 2015 after signing a contract with the team after spending the first six years of his career as a member of the rival New Jersey Devils. He signed with the San Jose Sharks in 2015 and, while he is still in the league, has been limited to 13 games this season. He has 320 points in 869 career regular season games and 46 points in 115 playoff games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
A 25 year old undrafted player out of Winchester, Massachusetts, this left winger played four seasons with UMass-Amherst before being signed by the Penguins in 2014. He played parts of two seasons with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton before earning a recall to Pittsburgh during the 2015-16 and has been an important player for the team ever since. He recorded 10 points in 23 playoff games during the team's 2016 Stanley Cup run and posted a career-high 53 points in 61 regular season games the following season playing alongside Sidney Crosby.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
One of the fastest players in the league, this Swedish forward was acquired by Pittsburgh from the Anaheim Ducks in 2016. He was a proven secondary scorer previously with the New York Rangers, but struggled through his first 43 games with the Ducks, recording only 12 points in 43 games. Following the trade, he produced 27 points in 37 games with the Penguins as well as 16 points in 24 playoff contests. He now has 222 points through 488 regular season games and has established himself as a valuable third-line winger and penalty killer.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
A native of Detroit, Michigan, this 6-foot-3 blueliner was a menacing and physical presence for three seasons in Pittsburgh. Originally drafted by the Washington Capitals in the first round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, he spent nine seasons with the team before joining the Dallas Stars in 1994. Two years later, he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Known for his physicality and goal-scoring capabilities, he recorded double-digit figures in goals every year from 1987 to 1999 and finished his career with 227 goals and 450 assists for 677 points in 1,157 regular season games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
A 38 year old native of Regina, Saskatchewan, this left winger was undrafted out of Ferris State University and signed with the Anaheim Ducks in 2003. He scored a career-high 25 goals with the team in 2006-07, but found even more offensive success when he joined the Penguins three seasons later. Playing alongside Sidney Crosby, he reached a new career high in goals (35) during the 2013-14 season. He's currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning after spending nine seasons in Pittsburgh.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
This 38 year old Pittsburgh native had his dream come true when he was selected by his hometown team in the fourth round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He played four seasons at St. Cloud State before turning pro in 2003 and scoring 22 goals as a rookie. He followed that up with four 20-goal seasons in the next five years. He had the best season of his career in 2007-08, when he scored a career-best 27 goals and 24 assists. He last played with the New York Rangers in 2015 and finished his NHL career with 370 points in 647 career regular season games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
The youngest of three brothers who have all played in the NHL, this 29 year old Thunder Bay, Ontario native was selected by the Penguins with the second overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and scored a career-high 29 goals as a rookie during the 2006-07 season. He gave the Penguins incredible center depth behind Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but the team was forced to deal him due to salary cap issues in the 2012 offseason. He's now a veteran of 842 career regular season games in which he has 481 points.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
Selected fifth overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, this Massachusetts native spent six seasons with the team before joining the Edmonton Oilers in 1997. He went on to play for the Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, and New York Islanders before joining the Penguins for the final two seasons of his career. Acquired at the 2009 trade deadline, he recorded 15 points during the team's 2009 Stanley Cup playoff run and produced 45 points during the regular season the following year. He retired with 856 points in 1,263 career regular season games.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
A 29 year old native of Huntington, New York, this player spent four seasons with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League (WHL) and was selected 11th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. He spent four seasons with the team before being acquired by the Penguins as part of the trade that sent Jordan Staal to Carolina. He spent three seasons with the Penguins, but unfortunately for him, was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in the 2015 offseason. The Penguins went on to win back-to-back Stanley Cups and the Canucks have yet to make the playoffs.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
The Penguins have been blessed in the goaltending department as of late with Marc-Andre Fleury and Matt Murray leading the team to Stanley Cup success. Pittsburgh had some bad teams during the late 1990s, but you can't fault this goaltender, who previously helped lead the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup wins in 1991 and 1992. Originally selected fifth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, he also played for the Ottawa Senators, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and St. Louis Blues before retiring in 2003. He concluded his career with a record of 369-277-86 to go along with a 3.24 goals against average and .892 save percentage.
Who is this Pittsburgh Penguin?
A 41 year old native of Virginia, Minnesota, this speedy center is still playing in the league as a member of the Minnesota Wild and even has 21 points through 78 games, which is quite impressive for someone his age who plays limited minutes. He has played with the Anaheim Ducks, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, and Nashville Predators, but was particularly successful in two seasons with the Penguins, winning the Stanley Cup in back-to-back years and recording at least 30 points in the regular season.