The Pittsburgh Penguins were established in 1967 as one of the six expansion teams that doubled the size of the National Hockey League to twelve franchises 1)
The team’s nickname was chosen in a fan contest and inspired by the Civic Arena's distinctive domed roof, which was widely known as “The Igloo” 2)
The Penguins' original home, the Civic Arena, was the first major indoor sports stadium in the world to feature a fully retractable roof 3)
Hockey Hall of Famer Andy Bathgate scored the very first goal in Penguins history on October 11, 1967, against the Montreal Canadiens 4)
The Penguins recorded their first win in franchise history on October 13, 1967, defeating the St. Louis Blues 3-1 during a road game 5)
The franchise's fortune changed in 1984 when they selected Mario Lemieux with the first overall pick, a player who would become the team's greatest icon 6)
In his NHL debut against Boston in 1984, Mario Lemieux famously scored a goal on his very first shift and with his first ever shot on goal 7)
The Penguins won their first Stanley Cup in 1991 by defeating the Minnesota North Stars, clinching the series with a dominant 8-0 victory in Game 6 8)
The team successfully defended their championship in 1992, sweeping the Chicago Blackhawks to become the first team of the 1990s to win consecutive titles 9)
The Penguins hold the NHL record for the longest winning streak in league history, winning 17 consecutive games during the 1992-93 season 10)
During the 1988-89 season, Mario Lemieux recorded 199 points, which remains the highest single-season point total for any player not named Wayne Gretzky 11)
On New Year's Eve in 1988, Mario Lemieux became the only player to score an even-strength, power-play, shorthanded, penalty shot, and empty-net goal in one game 12)
In 1999, Mario Lemieux became the first person in modern professional sports to serve as a player and the primary owner of his team simultaneously 13)
Following the 2004-05 lockout, the Penguins won the “Crosby Sweepstakes” draft lottery, allowing them to select generational talent Sidney Crosby first overall 14)
In 2009, Sidney Crosby became the youngest captain in NHL history to hoist the Stanley Cup at just 21 years of age 15)
The Penguins secured their third championship in 2009 by defeating the Detroit Red Wings in a seven-game rematch of the previous year's finals 16)
The Penguins became the first team in the NHL salary cap era to win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, doing so in 2016 and 2017 17)
With five Stanley Cup titles, the Penguins are tied with the Edmonton Oilers for the most championships by a non-Original Six franchise 18)
The team’s current home was the first gold-certified LEED NHL arena in North America, highlighting its focus on environmental sustainability 19)
The Penguins retired Michel Briere’s number 21 to honor the promising rookie who tragically died following a car accident after the 1969-70 season 20)
Mario Lemieux was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997 immediately after his first retirement, waiving the traditional three-year waiting period 21)
The organization officially retired Jaromir Jagr’s iconic number 68 on February 18, 2024, celebrating his massive impact on the team's early titles 22)
Evgeni Malkin was selected second overall in 2004, and he remains one of the highest-scoring European players in the history of the league 23)
Sidney Crosby scored the game-winning shootout goal in the NHL’s inaugural Winter Classic in 2008, played outdoors in the snow in Buffalo 24)
In 2024, Sidney Crosby tied Wayne Gretzky for the most consecutive seasons averaging at least one point per game with 19 straight campaigns 25)
The Penguins officially switched their team colors from blue to black and gold in 1980 to unify with Pittsburgh's other major professional teams 26)
Goaltender Tom Barrasso is one of the few players to ever win the Calder Trophy and the Vezina Trophy in the same season 27)
Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang hold the record for the most seasons played together by a trio in North American professional sports 28)
Pittsburgh hosted the 1990 NHL All-Star Game, where Mario Lemieux delighted the home crowd by scoring four goals and winning the MVP award 29)
Defenseman Paul Coffey set a franchise record for blueliners by recording 113 points in a single season during the 1988-89 campaign 30)
The Penguins selected Marc-Andre Fleury with the first overall pick in 2003, making him only the third goalie in NHL history to be drafted first 31)
In 1993, Mario Lemieux flew to Philadelphia to play in a game on the same day he received his final radiation treatment for Hodgkin's disease 32)
The Penguins scored 10 goals in a single playoff game against the Philadelphia Flyers in 2012, setting a modern franchise postseason record 33)
The Penguins' mascot, Iceburgh, gained Hollywood fame by appearing as a villain in the 1995 action movie “Sudden Death” starring Jean-Claude Van Damme 34)
Sidney Crosby is a member of the elite “Triple Gold Club,” having won an Olympic gold medal, a World Championship gold, and the Stanley Cup 35)
Former Penguins goaltender Ken Wregget holds the team record for the most saves in a single game, stopping 61 shots against Hartford in 1991 36)
The team’s championship coach, Bob “Badger Bob” Johnson, is famously remembered for his signature phrase: “It’s a great day for hockey!” 37)
The Penguins have participated in more than five NHL outdoor games, including appearances in the Winter Classic and the Stadium Series 38)
In 2009, Evgeni Malkin became the first Russian-born player in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs 39)
Mike Sullivan is the only head coach in Penguins history to lead the franchise to two Stanley Cup championships 40)
A massive bronze statue titled “Le Magnifique” stands outside the Penguins' arena, depicting Mario Lemieux splitting two defensemen to score 41)
The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation has distributed over $20 million to regional charities and youth programs since its inception in 2010 42)
In early 2026, Sidney Crosby was officially named the captain of Team Canada for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina 43)
Before joining the NHL, Mario Lemieux set a QMJHL record by scoring 282 points in just 70 games during his final season of junior hockey 44)
On February 15, 2022, Sidney Crosby became the 46th player in NHL history to reach the 500-goal milestone during a game against Philadelphia 45)