Throughout the years, the city of Pittsburgh has been known for its blue-collar work ethic, often referred to as the Steel City, City of Champions, The Burgh. Pittsburgh is home to tough, hard-working individuals so when tough hard-nosed players arrive in Pittsburgh, they are welcomed with the same grace of the most skilled players. First and foremost, in my opinion, a player who is tough doesn’t necessarily mean they are a great fighter. A tough player in my opinion is someone that is both mentally and physically strong, someone who can adjust in the toughest environment and still perform at a high level. Here is my top five toughest players in Penguins history.
5. Darius Kasparaitis: Kasparaitis at one time was a hated man in Pittsburgh as he was a member of the 1993 Islanders team that took out the Penguins in the playoffs. In 1996, the Penguins acquired Kasparaitis who instantly became a fan favorite in Pittsburgh and will always be remembered for his bone-crushing check on the Flyers’ Eric Lindros in 1998. “Kaspar” was known for catching players with their heads down and blowing them up in the neutral zone. Standing in at 5’11” and weighed in at a mere 200 pounds, Kasparaitis was fearless on the ice, hated by opposing players, yet heralded by teammates and fans.
4. Ulf Samuelson: Samuelson also known as, Robocop was acquired in 1991 from the Hartford Whalers. At 6’1 and 205 pounds, Samuelson played like he was 6’4 and 245 pounds. During his time in Pittsburgh, Samuelson led the Penguins in penalty minutes and brought a ton of nastiness night in and night out and became one of the NHL’s most feared hitters and hated players.
3. Kevin Stevens: At 6’3 and 230 pounds, Kevin Stevens was a large frame who fearlessly bulldozed opposing players to create open space for his line-mates. Stevens also had great hands, creativity around the net, and vision. Furthermore, Stevens during the 91-92 season, became the first NHL player with 100 points and 200 penalty minutes in a season.
2. Rick Tocchet: Tocchet was the true meaning of a power forward: Fearless, hardworking, and tough as nails. Tocchet, known for his fighting as he averaged 18 fights a year in his first four seasons, became a versatile player later in his career. In 1992, Tocchet was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins and would play primarily alongside Mario Lemieux, providing both muscle and goal-scoring ability. In his 1992-1993 season, Tocchet had a career year when he tallied 48 goals, 61 assists, and 252 penalty minutes.
1. Mario Lemieux: Mario Lemieux is simply one of the greatest and toughest players to ever play in the NHL, period. In 1992, Lemieux was Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and would have to undergo radiation treatment for two months. Lemieux’s life and career were both threatened. On the final day of his radiation treatment, Lemieux left a Pittsburgh hospital, flew directly to Philadelphia and went out and scored a goal and an assist against the Flyers. Despite missing two months of action, Lemieux captured the scoring title with 160 points on the year. He also continued to be one of the game’s all time greats for 10 more years racking up 690 goals, 1,033 assists for 1,723 points over his career. Furthermore, playing hockey at an elite level is tough, beating cancer is on a completely different level, which is why Mario Lemieux deserves the top spot on this list.
