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The Pittsburgh Penguins were founded in 1967 during the league’s expansion from six to 12 teams by a group led by Pennsylvania state senator Jack McGregor. The team had moderate success in the early years before difficulty in the 1980s gave way to them drafting Mario Lemieux in 1984, Mark Recchi in 1988, and Jaromir Jagr in 1990. This trio, which would be joined by fellow NHL All-Stars, won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992. Financial struggles in the early 2000s nearly led to the team being relocated before Lemieux converted deferred salary into a majority ownership stake, which eventually led to the team selecting Marc-Andre Fleury, Evgeni Malkin, and Sidney Crosby in consecutive drafts. The result has been three Stanley Cups (2009, 2016, and 2017) and a 16-year playoff streak that ended in 2023.

Penguins’ Best and Worst Trades of the Decade

The Pittsburgh Penguins have spent the last decade with higher expectations than almost any other NHL squad. Stacked with high-end talent and depth to make deep playoff runs, the team has constantly been in win-now mode throughout Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin’s primes. Part of the reason the Penguins have been competitive for so long is the aggressiveness displayed by Ray Shero, Jim Rutherford, and Ron Hextall as the team’s general managers (GM) over the last decade. Neither GM has ever been shy about making a big splash on the trade market, even if it doesn’t always work out. What…

Today in Hockey History: April 24

If you had to choose two words to describe April 24 throughout the history of the National Hockey League, “overtime goal” would be the perfect pair to use. This date has provided some of the most memorable playoff goals ever scored, as well as some legends breaking records. The THW time machine is ready to take back through the years to relive all the best moments. More OT Goals Than You Can Shake a Stick At Jean Beliveau only scored one overtime playoff goal in his Hall of Fame career. It came early in the second overtime on April 24,…

Remembering What Made Mario Lemieux the Greatest

*This article was originally published in 2018 Equal parts exhilarating and devastating, sports are quite simply unpredictable. Ask the city of Pittsburgh. This week 25 years ago, Penguins fans experienced both emotions at the same time. Riding back-to-back Stanley Cup championships and looking like a team destined to three-peat, Mario Lemieux stepped to the podium at a sudden press conference to announce he had been diagnosed with a Nodular Lymphocytic form of Hodgkin’s disease. Yes, Lemieux, the best player in the world who had tenaciously battled debilitating back pain, missed 50 games in the 1990-91 season with a rare bone…

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Today in Hockey History: April 23

Some of the National Hockey League’s “Original Six” teams made postseason memories on this date. However, there are plenty of the league’s newer franchises that made their mark on Stanley Cup Playoff history on April 23, as well. Let’s begin our daily trip back in time to relive all the…

Projected Lineups for the Bruins vs. Penguins 4/13/24

The Pittsburgh Penguins (86 points) continue their quest to qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs by hosting the Atlantic Division-leading Boston Bruins (107 points) at PPG Paints Arena for a marquee Saturday night contest. Here are the projected/expected lineups sourced from NHL.com staff writers, independent correspondents, and others. BRUINS (46-18-15) at PENGUINS (37-30-12)…

 

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Penguins FAQ

What year were the Pittsburgh Penguins founded?

The Pittsburgh Penguins were founded in 1967 during the league’s expansion from six to 12 teams.

When did the Pittsburgh Penguins play their first game?

The Penguins’ first game was on Oct. 11, 1967, against the Montreal Canadiens. The Penguins lost 2-1.

Who is the current head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins?

Mike Sullivan is the current head coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins.