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⁾