Pittsburgh Penguins

Guide Note

The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional hockey team that plays in the NHL's Atlantic division of the Eastern Conference. For a listing of teams and their divisions, see NHL Teams.

Fast Facts

1. Inaugural season: 1967
2. Finals appearances: 2
3. Stanley Cups: 2 (last in 1992)
4. 2008 Eastern Conference Champions
5. Home: Mellon Arena Pittsburgh

The Penguins, or the Pens, joined the NHL as part of the 1967 expansion, when the league doubled in size, adding six new teams. The Penguins made their first playoff appearance in 1970, where they fell to the St. Louis Blues in the conference finals. That marked the furthest the team would get in the post season over the next two decades.

As the first selection of the 1984 NHL Draft, the Penguins drafted a 19 year-old Mario Lemieux. No one knew it at the time, but Lemieux would lead the team over the next 21 years, setting numerous personal records along the way.

The Penguins finished the 1990-91 regular season at the top of their division going into the playoffs. They defeated the New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins in the first three rounds to reach the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in their history. The Penguins came out on top, defeating the Minnesota North Stars in six games for their first Stanley Cup Championship. Hot off of their victory, the Pens returned to the finals again in 1992 to sweep the Chicago Blackhawks and win back to back Championships.

Much like their 1984 draft of Lemieux, the Penguins took a chance on the 18 year-old Sidney Crosby, drafting him first overall in the 2005 Draft. Crosby immediately made a name for himself on the team, scoring in his first six NHL games to set a league record. In 2007, Crosby was named team captain. At age 19, he was the youngest player ever to be named full time captain of a NHL team.