Way OT: All time Penguin team

[Fk_Pitt]

It’s a slow time of the year so I thought I’d post something some might find interesting to discuss.

I heard someone discussing the all time Penguin Centers the other day, and it’s amazing how long the list is if you sit and think about it. But the top 4 for 1 squad are pretty easy:

Lemieux
Crosby
Malkin
Francis

Maybe someone has the order different? But on that team, Francis is certainly my 4th line Center.

On defense pairings, I think it’s fairly easy too and they are all HOFers, except 4 of the 6 are lefties so my 3rd pairing are both lefty shooters:

Coffey Murphy
Ulf Letang
Carlisle Gonchar

Anyone have anything different? Maybe you do, but more so on skill sets and better pairings as opposed to top 6 in Pens history.


By forward position, particularly left wing and right wing, there should be a lot of variances. The only obvious player is Jagr #1 at RW. So at RW, I have:

Jagr
Mullen
Tocchet
Recchi



Left Wing isn’t deep with HOF level players like the other positions, unless you move players from Center or RW to play on the left side:

Stevens
Guentzel
?
?

Goalkeeper is pretty easy too IMO because there is only room for 2 on a squad, so:

Barasso is my starter and Fleury is my backup.

Who you got?

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

It’s a slow time of the year so I thought I’d post something some might find interesting to discuss.

I heard someone discussing the all time Penguin Centers the other day, and it’s amazing how long the list is if you sit and think about it. But the top 4 for 1 squad are pretty easy:

Lemieux
Crosby
Malkin
Francis

Maybe someone has the order different? But on that team, Francis is certainly my 4th line Center.

On defense pairings, I think it’s fairly easy too and they are all HOFers, except 4 of the 6 are lefties so my 3rd pairing are both lefty shooters:

Coffey Murphy
Ulf Letang
Carlisle Gonchar

Anyone have anything different? Maybe you do, but more so on skill sets and better pairings as opposed to top 6 in Pens history.


By forward position, particularly left wing and right wing, there should be a lot of variances. The only obvious player is Jagr #1 at RW. So at RW, I have:

Jagr
Mullen
Tocchet
Recchi



Left Wing isn’t deep with HOF level players like the other positions, unless you move players from Center or RW to play on the left side:

Stevens
Guentzel
?
?

Goalkeeper is pretty easy too IMO because there is only room for 2 on a squad, so:

Barasso is my starter and Fleury is my backup.

Who you got?

Obviously can't argue with Center. I saw some internet site ranking Penguins Centers as one of the top 5 positions in all of sports.

RW, I might replace Mullen with Kehoe or Pronovost. Both were 50 goal scorers.

LW is tough. I guess you can cheat and put Luc Robitaille and Tomas Sandstrom on there because they both played here. Kovalev played some LW, but mostly RW.

Defense? Tough to argue, but may go old school with Dave Burrows who was a defensive defenseman.

Goal. Yeah those two are a slam dunk.

 

[goalieman]

It’s a slow time of the year so I thought I’d post something some might find interesting to discuss.

I heard someone discussing the all time Penguin Centers the other day, and it’s amazing how long the list is if you sit and think about it. But the top 4 for 1 squad are pretty easy:

Lemieux
Crosby
Malkin
Francis

Maybe someone has the order different? But on that team, Francis is certainly my 4th line Center.

On defense pairings, I think it’s fairly easy too and they are all HOFers, except 4 of the 6 are lefties so my 3rd pairing are both lefty shooters:

Coffey Murphy
Ulf Letang
Carlisle Gonchar

Anyone have anything different? Maybe you do, but more so on skill sets and better pairings as opposed to top 6 in Pens history.


By forward position, particularly left wing and right wing, there should be a lot of variances. The only obvious player is Jagr #1 at RW. So at RW, I have:

Jagr
Mullen
Tocchet
Recchi



Left Wing isn’t deep with HOF level players like the other positions, unless you move players from Center or RW to play on the left side:

Stevens
Guentzel
?
?

Goalkeeper is pretty easy too IMO because there is only room for 2 on a squad, so:

Barasso is my starter and Fleury is my backup.

Who you got?

- Agree with your 4 centers ...... what a group of all time greats ! ...... Honorable Mention to Syl Apps, Martin Straka, Pierre Larouche.

- All 4 of your RW's were outstanding players and great picks ..... consideration could also be given to Kovalev, Pronovost, and Kehoe.

- LW seems to be one position where there is the least depth ..... agree with Stevens and Guentzel ..... Luc Robitaille only played here one year, if he played several more seasons in Pittsburgh, he would be a "no brainer" for the list ...... maybe add to the list from players like Kunitz, Lowell MacDonald, James Neal, and maybe Ryan Malone (I'm probably missing some others as well).

- I like all your choices for defensemen ....... Honorable Mention to Burrows, Stackhouse, Kasparaitis ..... Sergei Zubov only played one year with the Pens so same comments as Luc Robitaille above ...... once the Pens get Erik Karlsson in a trade and he plays a couple/few years here, you can add him to your list (hehehehehe !!!!!!)

Agree with the goalies..... Barrasso is now a Hockey Hall of Famer and MAF will be in the future !

Apologies to any deserving players that I forgot and left out which there are probably several !!!!

- Coaches .... Scotty Bowman, Badger Bob Johnson, and Mike Sullivan.

- Announcer ...... Mike Lange.

- Organist ..... Vince Lascheid.

- National Anthem singer ..... Jeff Jimerson

 

[Fk_Pitt]

- Agree with your 4 centers ...... what a group of all time greats ! ...... Honorable Mention to Syl Apps, Martin Straka, Pierre Larouche.

- All 4 of your RW's were outstanding players and great picks ..... consideration could also be given to Kovalev, Pronovost, and Kehoe.

- LW seems to be one position where there is the least depth ..... agree with Stevens and Guentzel ..... Luc Robitaille only played here one year, if he played several more seasons in Pittsburgh, he would be a "no brainer" for the list ...... maybe add to the list from players like Kunitz, Lowell MacDonald, James Neal, and maybe Ryan Malone (I'm probably missing some others as well).

- I like all your choices for defensemen ....... Honorable Mention to Burrows, Stackhouse, Kasparaitis ..... Sergei Zubov only played one year with the Pens so same comments as Luc Robitaille above ...... once the Pens get Erik Karlsson in a trade and he plays a couple/few years here, you can add him to your list (hehehehehe !!!!!!)

Agree with the goalies..... Barrasso is now a Hockey Hall of Famer and MAF will be in the future !

Apologies to any deserving players that I forgot and left out which there are probably several !!!!

- Coaches .... Scotty Bowman, Badger Bob Johnson, and Mike Sullivan.

- Announcer ...... Mike Lange.

- Organist ..... Vince Lascheid.

- National Anthem singer ..... Jeff Jimerson

Excellent response. But since you went there….you gotta add John Barbero as PA announcer over the clown they have now. No offense if anyone is related to the guy, but he doesn’t compare. Not even close.

I stand corrected on Kehoe. Both you and Owt mentioned him, and don’t know why but I was thinking he was a center. He belongs for sure. Kovy may as well.

 

[goalieman]

Excellent response. But since you went there….you gotta add John Barbero as PA announcer over the clown they have now. No offense if anyone is related to the guy, but he doesn’t compare. Not even close.

I stand corrected on Kehoe. Both you and Owt mentioned him, and don’t know why but I was thinking he was a center. He belongs for sure. Kovy may as well.

When I said "Announcer", I really meant "TV/Radio play by play person" (I worded that so that it wasn't clear but Mike Lange is the man and John Barbero was great as the PA announcer so good add by you !)

 

[Fk_Pitt]

When I said "Announcer", I really meant "TV/Radio play by play person" (I worded that so that it wasn't clear but Mike Lange is the man and John Barbero was great as the PA announcer so good add by you !)

Yeah I understood. Lange is the goat as a play by play. Best ever in any sport if you ask me. But I don’t know the name of the current PA guy at PPG. I’m not a fan of his, or much of anything they do down there these days…including the goal horn, the goal song, and Iceburg’s air horn. Lol.

 

[mike 301]

Love this topic . Not gonna comment as too many greats in the past 35 - 40 years have come and gone ... We as a city were fortunate ..

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

Most all are really good. Might swap Gonchar for Ron Stackhouse, especially in that pairing with Carlisle

 

[rmf05]

Great list. Good job. I would put Craig Simpson ahead of Luc if we're allowing short-timers. He was on the way to a HoF career until the knee injury.

 

[Dan1911]

My favorite fighter: Derek Engelland
Hon mention “Battleship” Bob Kelly

 

[TheFormula]

Naslund would fill in nicely at LW if you count his VAN time instead of his output here. Gary Roberts, Nedved, or Straka even

 

[steelcurtain55.]

Who would be the enforcer/goon on this team?

 

[goalieman]

Naslund would fill in nicely at LW if you count his VAN time instead of his output here. Gary Roberts, Nedved, or Straka even

Naslund and Roberts were excellent players with their best years by far and overwhelming majority of time in the NHL with other teams than the Pens so I didn't really consider them ..... I did consider Straka and Nedved but most NHL sites have them listed as centers although both also played LW, so I didn't consider them pure LW's although I think you have convinced me that they should be in the running for the LW position in this poll ...... Nedved played only 2 years in Pittsburgh but they were 2 of his best years ...... Straka was really good for many years as a Pen ...... Chris Kunitz played many very good years in Pittsburgh, was a pure LW, didn't score as many goals as the others but scored some big ones especially in the playoffs, was a great forechecker and 200' player and won 4 Stanley Cups in his career 3 of which were with the Pens ....... Lowell MacDonald who played LW on a line with Syl Apps and Jean Pronovost in the 70's deserves consideration as a LW as well.

Taking the above into consideration, my 4 LW's are :

- Kevin Stevens

- Jake Guentzel

- Chris Kunitz

- Martin Straka

Honorable Mention - Lowell MacDonald, Petr Nedvid, Marcus Naslund, Gary Roberts (and I may be missing others).

 

[TheFormula]

Naslund and Roberts were excellent players with their best years by far and overwhelming majority of time in the NHL with other teams than the Pens so I didn't really consider them ..... I did consider Straka and Nedved but most NHL sites have them listed as centers although both also played LW, so I didn't consider them pure LW's although I think you have convinced me that they should be in the running for the LW position in this poll ...... Nedved played only 2 years in Pittsburgh but they were 2 of his best years ...... Straka was really good for many years as a Pen ...... Chris Kunitz played many very good years in Pittsburgh, was a pure LW, didn't score as many goals as the others but scored some big ones especially in the playoffs, was a great forechecker and 200' player and won 4 Stanley Cups in his career 3 of which were with the Pens ....... Lowell MacDonald who played LW on a line with Syl Apps and Jean Pronovost in the 70's deserves consideration as a LW as well.

Taking the above into consideration, my 4 LW's are :

- Kevin Stevens

- Jake Guentzel

- Chris Kunitz

- Martin Straka

Honorable Mention - Lowell MacDonald, Petr Nedvid, Marcus Naslund, Gary Roberts (and I may be missing others).

I didnt really consider Roberts really. Only because of his cult like status when he was here. Kunitz I thought about if I was putting a real roster together as opposed to a fantasy roster that this is kinda

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

Who would be the enforcer/goon on this team?

None. Even if there was one, he’d be instructed to try to score on the rush and ignore that his star teammates were being bludgeoned by the other team’s goon.

 

[Dan1911]

Who would be the enforcer/goon on this team?

Engelland. He could play a solid D, but could destroy goons whose only talent was fighting. Absolutely loved the guy. Honorable mention to Aaron Asham and Bob Kelly.

 

[Burgh15]

Yeah I understood. Lange is the goat as a play by play. Best ever in any sport if you ask me. But I don’t know the name of the current PA guy at PPG. I’m not a fan of his, or much of anything they do down there these days…including the goal horn, the goal song, and Iceburg’s air horn. Lol.

Ryan Mill. He's real bad. John Barbaro was an icon and the Penguins went generic and loud. I think part of the reason the crowds suck at the arena now are because the PA guy and Iceburgh tell the fans when to cheer, there's nothing organic anymore. I remember when Pens fans used to make fun of the Caps for needing that dumb airhorn during the game.


Stevens-Lemieux-Jagr
Guentzel-Crosby-Recchi
MacDonald-Malkin-Kehoe
Neal-Francis-Pronovost

Coffey-Murphy
Letang-Gonchar
Stackhouse-Carlyle
Shoutout to Zarley Zalapski for one of the great hockey names of all time.

Barrasso
Fleury

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Ryan Mill. He's real bad. John Barbaro was an icon and the Penguins went generic and loud. I think part of the reason the crowds suck at the arena now are because the PA guy and Iceburgh tell the fans when to cheer, there's nothing organic anymore. I remember when Pens fans used to make fun of the Caps for needing that dumb airhorn during the game.


Stevens-Lemieux-Jagr
Guentzel-Crosby-Recchi
MacDonald-Malkin-Kehoe
Neal-Francis-Pronovost

Coffey-Murphy
Letang-Gonchar
Stackhouse-Carlyle
Shoutout to Zarley Zalapski for one of the great hockey names of all time.

Barrasso
Fleury

Excellent stuff.

 

[Upg bobcat]

But I don’t know the name of the current PA guy at PPG. I’m not a fan of his, or much of anything they do down there these days…including the goal horn, the goal song, and Iceburg’s air horn. Lol.

Man I totally agree with this. I guess I'm just very nostalgic for missing the Igloo too much.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Man I totally agree with this. I guess I'm just very nostalgic for missing the Igloo too much.

I grew up with the igloo penguins. So I’m not ruling out that I’m a middle aged man yelling at clouds…but the current show they are putting on down there off the ice makes me cringe more than Kevin Constantine’s on the ice product.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Who would be the enforcer/goon on this team?

Honestly, with Stevens and Tocchet, you really don't need one. Those two were two of the baddest dudes in the league. Stevens never even had to fight much, because he was gigantic, a true LB.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Ryan Mill. He's real bad. John Barbaro was an icon and the Penguins went generic and loud. I think part of the reason the crowds suck at the arena now are because the PA guy and Iceburgh tell the fans when to cheer, there's nothing organic anymore. I remember when Pens fans used to make fun of the Caps for needing that dumb airhorn during the game.


Stevens-Lemieux-Jagr
Guentzel-Crosby-Recchi
MacDonald-Malkin-Kehoe
Neal-Francis-Pronovost

Coffey-Murphy
Letang-Gonchar
Stackhouse-Carlyle
Shoutout to Zarley Zalapski for one of the great hockey names of all time.

Barrasso
Fleury

The Penguins have been the anti Pirates throughout the last 40 years. First off, when they drafted #1 overall, they nailed 3 Hall of Famers, 66, MAF and 87. When they had high picks they nailed it with Malkin, Jagr, Staal, Simpson, etc...over the Pedros, Mark Merchant's, Brad Lincoln's and Paul Moskos's of the world.

The big difference is the Pens kept their stars, at least through their primes. AND....the Pens didn't fall in the trap of loving your prospects, they moved prospects for Barrasso, for Coffey, for Hossa, Kovalev, etc....etc...

Sure some of it is luck, but often believe entities make their own luck. Karma is involved. When all you care about is the P&L sheet vs the W&L record well it shows.

 

[rmf05]

I grew up with the igloo penguins. So I’m not ruling out that I’m a middle aged man yelling at clouds…but the current show they are putting on down there off the ice makes me cringe more than Kevin Constantine’s on the ice product.

I feel really bad for Constantine. He was an excellent coach who did a great job in a really awful organization during an awful period in NHL history. He did what management wanted him to do. He got royally screwed by Mario bankrupting the franchise with his huge deal and then retiring, not that he had a choice. Then Patrick was told to sell off everyone. The scouts tried to adapt but totally failed. Then Jagr started having his groin issues. Those teams were actually good when healthy. He constantly got the best out of his players. They were just not NHL-level players or not healthy often enough.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

The Penguins have been the anti Pirates throughout the last 40 years. First off, when they drafted #1 overall, they nailed 3 Hall of Famers, 66, MAF and 87. When they had high picks they nailed it with Malkin, Jagr, Staal, Simpson, etc...over the Pedros, Mark Merchant's, Brad Lincoln's and Paul Moskos's of the world.

The big difference is the Pens kept their stars, at least through their primes. AND....the Pens didn't fall in the trap of loving your prospects, they moved prospects for Barrasso, for Coffey, for Hossa, Kovalev, etc....etc...

Sure some of it is luck, but often believe entities make their own luck. Karma is involved. When all you care about is the P&L sheet vs the W&L record well it shows.

Well…that 93 team was the best team ever assembled for my money. And speaking of money spent, they fell short, and eventually threw the franchise into bankruptcy because the Hollywood owner treated the team like a fantasy team or a video game. So there are drawbacks to giving the fans what they want and living beyond your means. It’s safe to say the Pirate operation will never throw Nutting into bankruptcy. Lol.

Man that 93 team was something else. Kinda like the 76 Steelers that lost in the playoffs.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Shoutout to Zarley Zalapski for one of the great hockey names of all time.

I still have a Zarley Zalapski sweater buried somewhere in the back of my closet.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I still have a Zarley Zalapski sweater buried somewhere in the back of my closet.

One of my many hockey teams playing around Pittsburgh area, I wore 33 out of respect for ZZ.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Well…that 93 team was the best team ever assembled for my money. And speaking of money spent, they fell short, and eventually threw the franchise into bankruptcy because the Hollywood owner treated the team like a fantasy team or a video game. So there are drawbacks to giving the fans what they want and living beyond your means. It’s safe to say the Pirate operation will never throw Nutting into bankruptcy. Lol.

Man that 93 team was something else. Kinda like the 76 Steelers that lost in the playoffs.

It was. It still upsets me more than the Sid Bream slide, but that Islanders upset robbed the Pens of all time greatness and dynasty. Still, that first team, the 91 Pens had an amazing 9 players (when Jagr is officially retired) making the NHL Hall of Fame, and another Kevin Stevens who if not for injury, would likely have been enshrined also.
And of course the 1992 team...ripped through the Caps and Rangers who had the best and second best records in the NHL, then Boston to face the Blackhawks who won 11 straight playoff games going into the finals and the Pens swept them finishing with 11 straight wins of their own. I don't think those early 90's teams get the credit they deserve.

 

[pittguy81]

My favorite fighter: Derek Engelland
Hon mention “Battleship” Bob Kelly

Aaron Asham....hated him when he played for the Flyers but saw him destroy some combatants when he was a Penguin...

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

It still upsets me more than the Sid Bream slide

Sitting there in the arena watching live as opposed to watching it on television made it that much worse.