History of Pittsburgh Penguins in Timeline

The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, competing in the NHL's Eastern Conference, Metropolitan Division. Since 2010, their home games have been played at PPG Paints Arena, following a long tenure at the Civic Arena (nicknamed "the Igloo"). They maintain affiliations with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the AHL and the Wheeling Nailers in the ECHL.

1925: Pittsburgh Pirates

From 1925 to 1930, Pittsburgh was the home of the NHL's Pittsburgh Pirates.

1928: First NHL Playoff berth

In 1969 the Pittsburgh Penguins made it to their first NHL Playoff berth since 1928 as the Pittsburgh Pirates.

1930: Pittsburgh Pirates

From 1925 to 1930, Pittsburgh was the home of the NHL's Pittsburgh Pirates.

1936: Pittsburgh Hornets

From 1936 to 1967 (with a short break from 1956 to 1961) Pittsburgh was the home of the American Hockey League's Pittsburgh Hornets franchise.

1956: Pittsburgh Hornets

From 1936 to 1967 (with a short break from 1956 to 1961) Pittsburgh was the home of the American Hockey League's Pittsburgh Hornets franchise.

1961: Pittsburgh Hornets

From 1936 to 1967 (with a short break from 1956 to 1961) Pittsburgh was the home of the American Hockey League's Pittsburgh Hornets franchise.

1965: Efforts to bring an NHL franchise back to Pittsburgh

In the spring of 1965, Jack McGregor began lobbying to bring an NHL franchise back to Pittsburgh.

February 8, 1966: NHL awarded expansion team to Pittsburgh

On February 8, 1966, the National Hockey League awarded an expansion team to Pittsburgh for the 1967–68 season.

September 13, 1967: First pre-season camp

On September 13, 1967, the Penguins' first general manager, Jack Riley, opened the first pre-season camp for the franchise in Brantford, Ontario.

September 23, 1967: First exhibition match

On September 23, 1967, the Pittsburgh Penguins played the franchise's first exhibition match in Brantford against the Philadelphia Flyers.

October 11, 1967: Penguins' opening home game

On October 11, 1967, the Penguins played their opening home game against the Montreal Canadiens.

October 21, 1967: First expansion team to defeat an Original Six team

On October 21, 1967, the Penguins became the first team from the expansion class to defeat an Original Six team, beating the Chicago Black Hawks 4–2.

1967: Pittsburgh Hornets

From 1936 to 1967 (with a short break from 1956 to 1961) Pittsburgh was the home of the American Hockey League's Pittsburgh Hornets franchise.

1967: WTAE-TV broadcast Penguins

In 1967, local ABC affiliate WTAE-TV broadcast the Pittsburgh Penguins games, with Ed Conway as the play-by-play announcer.

1967: Teams introduced in NHL expansion

In 1967, the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins were introduced to the NHL as part of the "Next Six" expansion wave, marking the beginning of their rivalry.

1967: Founded during the 1967 expansion

In 1967, the Pittsburgh Penguins were founded during the league expansion.

1968: Ed Conway continued as play-by-play broadcaster

During the 1968 season, Ed Conway continued as the play-by-play broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Penguins on WTAE-TV.

1969: Michel Briere's debut

In 1969, Michel Briere joined the team and finished as the second-place rookie scorer in the NHL.

1969: End of Ed Conway's tenure

The 1969 season marked the completion of Ed Conway's tenure as the lone play-by-play broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

May 15, 1970: Michel Briere car crash

On May 15, 1970, Michel Briere was in a car crash in Quebec, suffering brain trauma and slipping into a coma.

1970: Joe Tucker took over for Ed Conway

During the 1970 season, Joe Tucker took over for Ed Conway as play-by-play announcer for the Penguins, with WPGH-TV and WTAE-TV splitting the broadcasts.

1970: 1970–71 season

In the 1970-71 NHL season, the Pittsburgh Penguins finished five games out of the playoffs with a 21–37–20 record, the fourth-worst record in the league.

1972: Terry Schiffauer became color commentator

In 1972, Terry Schiffauer, previously the Penguins' director of public relations, became the color commentator for Sam Nover.

1972: Playoff berth

In 1972, the Pittsburgh Penguins achieved a playoff berth, only to be swept by the Chicago Black Hawks in the first round.

1974: Mike Lange joined the Penguins' broadcast team

In 1974, Mike Lange joined the Pittsburgh Penguins' broadcast team as a play-by-play announcer on the radio side.

1974: Riley fired as general manager

In 1974, Riley was fired as general manager and replaced by Jack Button.

1975: Playoff Ouster

In 1975, the Pittsburgh Penguins were ousted from the playoffs by the New York Islanders.

1976: Relocation rumors

Around 1975, rumors began circulating that the Penguins and the California Golden Seals were to be relocated to Seattle and Denver respectively, the two cities that were to have been the sites of an expansion for the 1976–77 season.

1977: Playoff miss

In the 1977–78 NHL season, the Pittsburgh Penguins missed the playoffs.

1979: Mike Lange became the TV play-by-play broadcaster

At the start of the 1979 season, Mike Lange transitioned to become the play-by-play broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Penguins on television.

1979: Playoff appearance

The decade closed with a playoff appearance in 1979 and a rousing opening series win over the Buffalo Sabres before a second-round sweep at the hands of the Boston Bruins.

January 1980: Team colors change

In January 1980, the Pittsburgh Penguins switched from wearing blue and white to black and gold to honor Pittsburgh's other sports teams.

January 30, 1980: Debut of black and gold uniform

On January 30, 1980, the Pittsburgh Penguins officially debuted the black and gold uniform in a game against the St. Louis Blues at the Civic Arena.

1980: Playoff series against the Bruins

In 1980, the 13th-seeded Pittsburgh Penguins took the Bruins to the limit in their first-round playoff series.

1982: Playoff series against the Islanders

In the 1982 playoffs, the Penguins held a 3–1 lead late in the fifth and final game of their playoff series against the reigning champions, the New York Islanders, but lost in overtime.

1984: Paul Steigerwald replaced Terry Schiffauer

In 1984, Paul Steigerwald replaced Terry Schiffauer as color commentator in the Pittsburgh Penguins' broadcast booth.

1985: Mike Lange and Paul Steigerwald became a broadcast team

Starting in 1985, Mike Lange and Paul Steigerwald became a broadcast team for the Pittsburgh Penguins and remained so until 1999.

1989: Flyers won division finals against Penguins

In 1989, the Philadelphia Flyers won the division finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a score of 4–3.

1989: Last Playoff appearance until 1989

The 1982 loss to the Islanders would be the Pittsburgh Penguins' final playoff appearance until 1989.

1991: Jeff Jimerson became team's anthem singer

In 1991, Jeff Jimerson became the official anthem singer for the Pittsburgh Penguins and also served in the Jean-Claude Van Damme movie Sudden Death.

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1991: Stanley Cup victory

In 1991, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup.

1992: Stanley Cup victory

In 1992, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup.

1992: Game 7 in the playoffs

In the 1992 playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins played a decisive game 7.

1994: Penguins series loss in playoffs

In the 1994 playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins experienced one of their two series losses against the Capitals.

1995: Game 7 in the playoffs

In the 1995 playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins played a decisive game 7.

1997: Flyers won conference quarterfinals against Penguins

In 1997, the Philadelphia Flyers won the conference quarterfinals against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a score of 4–1.

1999: Mario Lemieux purchased the Penguins

In 1999, Mario Lemieux purchased the Pittsburgh Penguins and brought the club out of bankruptcy.

1999: Peter Taglianetti shared broadcast booth with Mike Lange

With Paul Steigerwald's departure in 1999, Mike Lange shared the broadcast booth with former Penguins' defenseman Peter Taglianetti.

2000: Eddie Olczyk became Lange's broadcast partner

In 2000, Eddie Olczyk replaced Peter Taglianetti and became Mike Lange's broadcast partner for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

2000: Flyers won conference semifinals against Penguins

In 2000, the Philadelphia Flyers won the conference semifinals against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a score of 4–2.

2001: Jersey Retired

Michel Briere's number 21 jersey was formally retired in 2001.

2002: Rick Kehoe fired as head coach

Following the 2002-03 season, Rick Kehoe was fired as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

2003: Bob Errey hired as new color commentator

In 2003, after Eddie Olczyk left to become the head coach, the Pittsburgh Penguins hired Bob Errey as their new color commentator, partnering with Mike Lange.

2005: Mike Lange replaced by Paul Steigerwald

After 26 seasons in the television broadcast booth, FSN Pittsburgh replaced Mike Lange with Paul Steigerwald in 2005.

October 18, 2006: Evgeni Malkin's NHL Debut

On October 18, 2006, Evgeni Malkin made his NHL debut and set the modern NHL record with a goal in each of his first six games.

2006: Draft Pick and New General Manager

In 2006, the Penguins received the second overall draft pick and selected Jordan Staal. Also in 2006, the team announced they would not renew the contract for general manager Craig Patrick.

March 13, 2007: Agreement Reached to Build New Arena

On March 13, 2007, an agreement was reached among Pennsylvania's governor, Allegheny County chief executive, Pittsburgh's mayor, and Mario Lemieux to build the Consol Energy Center, guaranteeing the Penguins would remain in Pittsburgh.

June 8, 2007: $325 Million Bond Issued

On June 8, 2007, a $325 million bond was issued for the new arena.

2007: Injuries to Key Players

After a mediocre start to the 2007-08 season, Sidney Crosby and Marc-Andre Fleury were both injured long-term due to high right ankle sprains.

2007: Playoff Loss and Calder Memorial Trophy

In 2007, the Penguins finished fifth in the Eastern Conference and were defeated by the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the playoffs. Also in 2007, Evgeni Malkin won the Calder Memorial Trophy.

April 2, 2008: Penguins Clinch Atlantic Division Title

On April 2, 2008, the Penguins clinched the Atlantic Division title, their first division title in 10 years, with a 4–2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers.

2008: Penguins eliminated Flyers from playoffs

In 2008, the Pittsburgh Penguins eliminated the Philadelphia Flyers from the playoffs, strengthening the rivalry between the two teams.

2008: Penguins won conference finals against Flyers

In 2008, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the conference finals against the Philadelphia Flyers with a score of 4–1.

2008: Malkin Wins Art Ross

In the 2008–09 season, Evgeni Malkin won the Art Ross.

2009: Crosby Wins Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy

During the 2009–10 season, Sidney Crosby won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL season's leading goalscorer.

2009: Ryan Mill became Penguins' public address announcer

In 2009, Ryan Mill became the Pittsburgh Penguins' public address announcer, succeeding John Barbero.

2009: Penguins eliminated Flyers from playoffs

In 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins once again eliminated the Philadelphia Flyers from the playoffs, adding further fuel to their rivalry.

2009: Stanley Cup victory

In 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup.

2009: Penguins won conference quarterfinals against Flyers

In 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the conference quarterfinals against the Philadelphia Flyers with a score of 4–2.

2009: Game 7 in the playoffs

In the 2009 playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins played a decisive game 7.

2010: Home games at PPG Paints Arena

In 2010, the Pittsburgh Penguins started playing their home games at PPG Paints Arena.

2010: First Game in Consol Energy Center

In the 2010-11 season, the Penguins played their first game in Consol Energy Center.

January 1, 2011: NHL's fourth Winter Classic

On January 1, 2011, Heinz Field in Pittsburgh hosted the NHL's fourth Winter Classic, where the Capitals won the game 3–1.

February 11, 2011: Penguins-Islanders Brawl

On February 11, 2011, the Pittsburgh Penguins–New York Islanders brawl took place.

2012: Malkin Wins Hart Memorial Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award

Following the Penguins' disappointing playoff exit, Malkin was later awarded the Hart Memorial Trophy and Lester B. Pearson award in 2012.

2012: Flyers eliminated Penguins from playoffs

In 2012, the Philadelphia Flyers eliminated the Pittsburgh Penguins from the playoffs, intensifying the rivalry between the two teams.

2012: Flyers won conference quarterfinals against Penguins

In 2012, the Philadelphia Flyers won the conference quarterfinals against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a score of 4–2.

June 13, 2013: Malkin Signs Contract Extension

On June 13, 2013, Evgeni Malkin signed an eight-year contract extension worth an annual average of $9.5 million.

2013: Penguins swept by Bruins

During the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, at the end of the regular season, the Penguins finished atop the Eastern Conference, matching up against the New York Islanders in round one and then dispatched the Ottawa Senators in five games before being swept in the conference finals by the Boston Bruins, scoring just two goals in the entire four-game sweep in 2013.

2014: Shero Fired, Rutherford Hired

In the 2013–14 season, after losing to the New York Rangers in seven games Penguins ownership fired general manager Ray Shero in 2014, replacing him with Jim Rutherford.

December 12, 2015: Mike Johnston Fired, Mike Sullivan Hired

On December 12, 2015, the Penguins fired head coach Mike Johnston, and replaced him with Mike Sullivan.

June 12, 2016: Penguins Win Stanley Cup

On June 12, 2016, the Penguins defeated the Sharks in a 4–2 series to win their fourth Stanley Cup title. Sidney Crosby was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy.

October 13, 2016: 50th Anniversary Season Opener

The Penguins opened their 50th anniversary season in the NHL as defending Stanley Cup champions on October 13, 2016, raising their commemorative banner in a shootout victory over Washington.

2016: Paul Steigerwald moved back to front office

Following the 2016–17 season, Paul Steigerwald moved back to the Penguins front office.

2016: Stanley Cup victory

In 2016, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup.

2017: Stanley Cup victory

In 2017, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup.

2017: Game 7 in the playoffs

In the 2017 playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins played a decisive game 7.

2017: Steve Mears hired as new TV play-by-play announcer

Starting with the 2017 season, Steve Mears was hired as the new television play-by-play announcer for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

2018: Penguins won first round against Flyers

In 2018, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the first round against the Philadelphia Flyers with a score of 4–2.

2018: Penguins series loss in playoffs

In the 2018 playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins experienced one of their two series losses against the Capitals.

February 9, 2021: Hextall Named General Manager

On February 9, 2021, the Penguins named Ron Hextall as their new general manager.

November 29, 2021: Fenway Sports Group Announces Intent to Purchase Penguins

On November 29, 2021, Fenway Sports Group announced its intent to purchase a controlling stake in the Penguins.

2021: Mike Lange retired

Mike Lange retired in the 2021 off-season and Josh Getzoff was named as his replacement.

December 31, 2021: Fenway Sports Group Takes Over as Majority Owners

On December 31, 2021, Fenway Sports Group officially took over as majority owners of the Penguins.

November 23, 2022: Malkin Plays 1,000th NHL Game

On November 23, 2022, Evgeni Malkin played his 1,000th NHL game, becoming the second player in franchise history to play his 1,000th game in a Penguins uniform.