The Pittsburgh Penguins franchise was founded in 1967 and in that time has been home to some of the greatest players ever to play the game. While other teams in the NHL may boast a longer history than the Pittsburgh Penguins, few can match the Penguins in their history of great players and championships. Since their inception in 1967 as part of the NHL’s first expansion from six to 12 teams, the Pens have been blessed with great players and three Stanley Cup victories.
As we look forward to the rest of an eventful season, let’s look back at the Pittsburgh Penguins’ all time team. There is one rule that I wanted to adhere by and that is a player must have spent at least a full season with the franchise to be considered. So players like Marian Hossa and Jarome Iginla do not qualify.
First Line
LW- Kevin Stevens: Stevens was a bruising forward who surprised most people by his soft-handedness around the net, enabling him to become fifth on the Penguins’ all-time goal scoring list.
C- Mario Lemieux: Sidney Crosby may be the Penguins present and future, but even as good as Sid the Kid is, it’s hard to see him ever unseating Super Mario from this spot. Mario Lemieux may not have been the best player to ever play the game, but he surely was the most skilled. Lemieux made everyone around him better and put together a brilliant career.
RW- Jaromir Jagr: Jagr, to this point, in my opinion, is the second best hockey player to ever wear a Penguins jersey. Second to only Mario in every major offensive category in the Penguins’ record books, Jagr’s insane workouts, determination and drive during the Penguins’ Cup runs is what made Jagr one of the best offensive skilled players of all time.
D- Larry Murphy: Murphy spent five seasons with the Penguins, winning two Stanley Cups, Murphy was as sound as they come in his own zone, could handle the puck well, and had an accurate slap shot.
D- Paul Coffey: Coffey might have been the most gifted offensive defensemen to ever play in the NHL. Sitting ninth on the Penguins’ all-time scoring list, Paul Coffey was recently inducted into the Penguins’ Hall of Fame. Despite only playing five seasons with the Penguins, Coffey recorded 440 points.
Second Line
LW- Evgeni Malkin: Since the beginning, we knew Malkin was extraordinary. Malkin became the first player since 1917–18 to score goals in each of his first six NHL games. Malkin has been compared to Lemieux as Malkin became the first player to lead both the regular season and playoffs in scoring in 2009 since Lemieux did in 1992. Another Penguins great Malkin is comparable to is Jaromir Jagr. Both of which have amazing skill but also like Jagr, Malkin is a workhorse with an incredible amount of strength on his frame. While It’s still early in Malkin’s career, it will be amazing to watch him evolve into a legend mentioned in the same breath as these men. *Lemieux had Jagr, which is why I moved Malkin to LW, which for the record has played sparingly in his career.
C- Sidney Crosby: Wayne Gretzky. Mario Lemieux. Mike Bossy. That’s it, that’s the list of players in NHL history with a better career points per game average than Sidney Crosby (1.42). While injuries have limited Crosby to only one scoring title and Hart Trophy in his ninth NHL season, there’s no doubt who the best hockey player in the world is today. On a nightly basis, we are marveled by his speed, vision, hand eye coordination, and many other god given skills. Furthermore, the second best player isn’t even close.
RW- Alexei Kovalev: Kovalev spent five seasons with Pittsburgh, and is remembered by many as one of the best snipers to ever wear the black and gold. Kovalev has a wrist shot that rivaled most defensemen’s hardest slap shot. Kovalev sits in the 12th slot on the Penguins’ all-time goal scoring list.
D- Ron Stackhouse: Stackhouse was a skilled offensive defenseman who spent nine seasons with the Penguins from 1973-1982. Stackhouse finished his NHL career as a Penguin, playing the final 621 games of his career here, while recording 343 points as a Penguin, good for 14th on the all-time list.
D- Ulf Samuelsson: loved by teammates and hated by opponents who rarely had a kind word about Ulf, but no one can deny the magnitude of a physical defenseman. Samuelsson was brought to Pittsburgh in to protect Mario and Jaromir on the ice. Ulf clearly exceeded expectations there as Samuelsson was one of the most intimidating, feared, and hated players to ever play in the NHL.
Third Line
LW- Rick Kehoe: Sitting at number three on the Penguins’ all-time scoring list, Rick Kehoe was a gifted winger who played 11 seasons for the Pens, from 1974-1985. Kehoe was a quick, smooth-skating winger who loved to shoot the puck as he amassed 312 goals with the Penguins.
C- Ron Francis: In his day Francis was to Lemieux as Malkin is to Crosby. Francis was one of the best faceoff men in Penguins’ history. Francis was also a gifted passer who possessed quick wrists and an excellent vision of the ice. Francis sits in the number four slot on the Penguins’ all-time scoring list.
RW- Mark Recchi: Recchi was a vital ingredient on the Penguins’ road to their first Stanley Cup in 1990-91. Recchi led the Penguins in scoring during that regular season, netting 40 goals and recording 113 points. Recchi also holds a rather interesting distinction of assisting both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on each of their first NHL goals, respectively. While Recchi may have fell short in size, he never lacked heart and determination which led to him to a successful career in the city of Pittsburgh.
D- Sergei Gonchar: Gonchar has made a name for himself over his career for being an offensive defenceman, the quarterback to any power-play. Even though Gonchar is not a physical presence he can still make a great first pass to get out of the zone. At 6’2 210 pounds, Gonchar is tough to knock off the puck and is well known for his hard and accurate bomb from the point.
D- Darius Kasparaitis: Kaspar was small and unassuming at times, which can be the perfect combination for a big-hitting defenseman, an agitator, and a decent goal scorer. Kasparaitis to this day still has one of the best open ice hits of all time on, Eric Lindros.
Fourth Line
LW- Joe Mullen: One of the most underrated players in NHL history, Joe Mullen scored 153 career goals as a Penguin and was a key ingredient in both of the Penguins’ Cup runs. Furthermore, Mullen was one of the classiest players to ever play the game as he was a two-time winner of the Lady Byng Trophy.
C- Syl Apps: Apps became an instant star in Pittsburgh following his trade from the Rangers in 1971. By his third full season in the NHL, Apps had developed into one of the league’s best play-makers. Playing alongside Pronovost and Greg Polis, Apps led the Penguins’ in assists and points from 1971-1974. In 1975-76 Apps recorded 99 points in 80 games for the best season of his career.
RW- Rick Tocchet: Tocchet was a power forward: Fearless, hardworking, and tough as nails. Tocchet became as dangerous in front of the net as in the corners. In 1992, Tocchet was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins where he helped the Penguins repeat as Stanley Cup champions recording 19 points in 14 playoff games. The following season, Tocchet enjoyed a career year with the Penguins scoring 48 goals and 61 assists.
Goaltenders
Tom Barrasso: While Barrasso may not have been the most likable player to play goalie for the Pens, to date, Barrasso was probably the best. Like him or not, without Barrasso in net, the Penguins would not have even come close to winning back-to-back Cups in the early 90’s. His 43 wins and 3.01 GAA during the Penguins’ President’s Trophy season in 1992-93 speak for themselves. Barrasso was the real deal and to this point, is the top netminder in Pens’ history.
Marc-Andre Fleury: Marc-Andre Fleury is without question one of the most physically talented netminders in today’s game. He holds almost every record as a Penguin goalie and will continue to add to those records. Unfortunately for Fleury, he has been shaky in his last four playoff appearances and while he’s been an outstanding regular season goalie, he will not be graded till his next playoff appearance. For that reason and that reason only, I have Barrasso as the Penguins’ starting netminder.
So there it is, my all-time Penguins lineup. Please feel free to share your input and players you think should have made this list.
