I pulled out my edition of Total Penguins: the Definitive Encyclopedia for the Pittsburgh Penguins and started looking at some numbers. A lot of attention is given to the likes of Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury and Evgeni Malkin, and rightly so, they are the cornerstones of the new Pittsburgh Penguins. Enough is written about those guys, but what about the other guys? What about the guys that were key to the rebuild, becoming perennial contenders and ultimately Stanley Cup Champions in 2009? I wanted to look back over the guys not named Crosby, Malkin or Fleury and discuss their importance to this franchise.
So that is exactly what I did. What you are about to embark on are my top ten Penguins, not named Crosby, Malkin or Fleury, from the last decade. Each player in the top ten will have some numbers and blurbs written about them, and I will of course introduce the last decade and the players that I considered to start. So, without any further adieu, let’s look at the top ten Pittsburgh Penguins not named Crosby, Malkin or Fleury from the last decade.
The Last Ten Years
As I sit back here and reflect on the decade that has been the new era of Penguins hockey, I cannot help but be grateful for what we have all been lucky enough to see on a nightly basis. We saw one of the games Mt. Rushmore figures pass the torch to the new face of the game. We’ve seen the closing of the original home for the new digs across Center Ave. We witnessed crushing defeats in the post season, and the comebacks from serious injuries like concussions, ACL tears and strokes.
It hasn’t been the prettiest of decades. There are plenty of things we’d all like to change, like the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarters against Philly or Ray Shero trading all our picks away for Marcel Goc and Douglas Murray. And things we wouldn’t change for the world, like the trade that brought us Marian Hossa, but more importantly brought us Pascal Dupuis.
Hundreds of players have made the last decade what it was. It hasn’t been what it’s been simply because of the superstars like Crosby, Malkin and Fleury. It’s been the last decade because we had “the Piece” on the 3rd pair in 2009, a now folk hero in Gary Roberts in 2008 and an unlikely Game 7 hero in Max Talbot. It was the guys people forget, like Mike Zigomanis in ’09, Adam Hall in 2008 and Michel Ouellet in 2007. We had our share of goons and heavyweights in Matt Cooke, Jarkko Ruutu and Georges Laraque and quiet scorers like Miroslav Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko and Colby Armstrong.
It hasn’t always been pretty. It hasn’t always gone our way. It hasn’t been perfect, but neither is the game, nor life for that matter. But that’s ok; it has all played out how it was supposed to. Through it all, we have had a hell of a decade in the city of Pittsburgh and it has been because of the stars and the players discussed below.
The Players
What I have done here is name my top 10 players, with a few honorable mentions, from the last decade (not named Crosby, Malkin or Fleury). These players have been huge for this team and I think you will be surprised who is my top choice.
Among the names that didn’t make my list but deserve a note are as follows: Tyler Kennedy, Rob Scuderi, Miroslav Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko, Craig Adams, Colby Armstrong, Marian Hossa, Adam Hall and Matt Niskanen.
The Honorable Mentions
My first honorable mention is for the folk legend that is Gary Roberts. Roberts only played 57 games for the Penguins between the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons as his career was winding down, but he became such a fan favorite. He fought a lung infection and a broken leg that limited his games before coming back to be huge in the 2008 playoff run. Did I mention he was 42 years old at the time? Simply amazing and the fans always let him know he’s one of their favorites, often receiving standing ovations during games he attends.
Next, Matt Cooke. There were times when you wanted to wring his neck, but at the end of the day you loved Matt Cooke. He was the goon you hate when he plays for the opposition, but love on your team. Despite all the suspensions for dirty play, he was a key contributor to the Cup in 2009 and a staple on the penalty kill until leaving in the summer of 2012.
My next honorable mention is the “Real Deal,” James Neal. I had him higher, but decided to move him down after some consideration. There is no discounting the offensive talent that Neal was during his time here. His 2011-12 season alongside Evgeni Malkin and Chris Kunitz will go down as one of the best in team history. He was a power play machine, but he was notoriously taking stupid penalties. He was a fan favorite before the trade in the summer of 2014, and the best sniper the team had had since Petr Sykora.
The final honorable mention is still with the organization, though his playing days are long over. No, it’s not the owner, but he is part of the front office. Of course I mean Billy Guerin. Ray Shero’s trade for Guerin at the 2009 trade deadline still goes down as one of the best moves he made in his tenure, for it was key to the Cup winning team. Billy G only played 95 games for the Penguins, but like Gary Roberts, has become a legend to the fan base. It was hard to leave him out of the top ten, but he definitely deserves mention.
10. Defenseman, Paul Martin
Stats (5 yrs): 297 Games Played – 17 Goals – 109 points – 70 PP Points
This was one of the tougher selections, but where would the Pens of the last three seasons be without Paul Martin on the blue line? Though he missed time due to serious injuries, such as broken legs, wrists and hands, Martin was always a great performer when he was out there. After a rough first season with the Pens in 2010-11, he steadily progressed before becoming arguably the franchise’s top two defenseman in the last five years.
He played a key role on a blueline that was decimated by injury in 2014-15, playing close to 30 minutes a night the last half of the season. In his five years in Pittsburgh, he averaged 23:28 minutes a night. He was key on the power play as well, scoring 70 of his 109 points on the man advantage. His penalty killing skills were excellent as well and he made an excellent partner to both Kris Letang this year and Brooks Orpik in the two previous seasons.
9. Center, Max Talbot
Stats (6 yrs): 388 Games Played – 52 Goals – 108 Points – 12 Shorthanded Goals
Was there a more likeable guy on the team besides Fleury or Dupuis than “Mad Max” Talbot over the last decade? I have a hard time saying so. He lived the storybook, fairy tale life as a member of the Penguins. He was a 7th round pick in 2002. He played in the minors for years before getting a shot following the lockout. He played all three forward positions, was a key penalty killer and goon when necessary. He was the hero of Game 7 in 2009, scoring the two goals that gave the Penguins their third Stanley Cup in their history. And let us not forget the infamous “Shhhhh-ing” of the Philly faithful in the 2009 Eastern Conference Quarters after he fought Daniel Carcillo.
It was a heartbreaking day when Max left the Penguins for the Flyers in the summer of 2011. His career numbers are nothing compared to his contemporaries such as Crosby, Malkin or Staal, but there is no discounting how loved Max was by teammates and the fans.
8. Left Wing, Ryan Malone
Stats (4 yrs): 299 Games Played – 87 Goals – 169 Points – 16 pts in 25 Playoff Games
I flip-flopped over this pick for a while, but at the end of the day Ryan Malone was one of the few Penguins in the last decade to play for a Cup Finals team and an absolute dumpster fire. Son of former Penguins center Greg Malone, “Bugsy” as his teammates and fans called him was born and bred Pittsburgh. He was the blue collar, hard-working winger that is comparable to the current Penguin’s winger Patric Hornqvist. Like Horny, Malone had a nose for the net, providing that necessary net-front presence and bulldog attitude in front of opposing goalies.
Though Malone went on to a lackluster career in Tampa Bay before personal problems got in the way of the game, he was one of my personal favorites growing up. I remember during the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals when Malone took a puck to the face, missed two shifts (at most), and returned to the game with a broken nose and a few stitches. He wasn’t flashy, but he was Pittsburgh. I was sad to see him go in the summer of 2008.
7. Right Wing, Petr Sykora
Stats (2 yrs): 157 Games Played – 53 Goals – 109 Points – 28 PP Goals
Petr Sykora was the sniper of the Pens Stanley Cup teams in 2008 and 2009 and my goodness was he lethal. Though he only played two seasons with the Penguins, he scored 53 goals on 381 shots, a shooting percentage of 13.8%. Sykora and fellow Czech Marian Hossa combined for 18 goals during the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the triple-OT power play winner in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals to force Game 6. He struggled in the 2009 Playoffs, only playing in 7 games, but he was integral to the Penguins reaching the playoffs, the Cup Finals and lifting the Cup.
Call me crazy, but I still think the Penguins miss Petr Sykora. He and Malkin had excellent chemistry and besides James Neal’s stint, the Penguins haven’t provided Malkin with a sniping winger to play with. He isn’t always thought of when discussing the 2009 team, but he certainly should be.
6. Right Wing, Pascal Dupuis
Stats (8 yrs): 418 Games Played – 107 Goals – 242 Points – 224 Even Strength Points
You are simply lying to yourself if you say you do not like Pascal Dupuis. There is not a nicer man in professional sports and he is the absolute heart and soul of the Pittsburgh Penguins team. He was the “toss in” guy in the Marian Hossa deal in 2008 and he has since become one of the most underrated two-way forwards in the league. He was huge in the Pens success in both Stanley Cup runs and has since become a top-line star alongside Sidney Crosby.
His absence the last two seasons has not gone unnoticed either. Of his 242 career points for the Pens, 224 of them have come at even strength. He is perhaps one of the Pens best even strength performers of the last decade, and that only in about 7 full seasons. The last two teams struggled deeply without Dupuis. He is a leader on the ice and one of the most loved guys in the room. His youthful exuberance fuels this team. A clean bit of health for him next year will go a long way for this team.
5. Left Wing, Chris Kuntiz
Stats (7 yrs): 418 Games Played – 143 Goals – 319 Points – 49 PP Goals – 96 PP Points
After a disappointing 2014-15 season, it is really the first time that we have seen the more “human” side of Chris Kunitz’s game. He immediately found chemistry with both of Pittsburgh’s big stars upon being traded to the Pens in 2009. He has primarily flanked Sidney Crosby, including during the Pens Cup run in 2009. In 2011-12, he joined Evgeni Malkin and James Neal on one of the most productive line combos in Penguins history. In the three seasons prior to this past one, Kunitz really developed into a top-flight scorer, posting over sixty points each season.
All of that is pretty amazing from a guy who was an undrafted free agent. He won the Cup with the Ducks in 2007, but Kunitz became a household name with the Penguins. He has won another Cup, won gold for Team Canada at the Olympics and become a fan favorite in the Burgh. It will be interesting to see what the summer a hold for Kunitz, but there is no doubt the important role that he has played for this franchise over the last decade.
4. Defenseman, Brooks Orpik
Stats (11 yrs) – 703 Games Played – 13 Goals – 132 Points
For those of you who don’t know, Brooks Orpik is my all-time favorite player. As much as I would have loved to say he was the best Pens player over the last decade not named Crosby, Malkin and Fleury, I had to put biased aside and use my head. That being said, Orpik was absolutely crucial to the Penguins ascension from the basement to the pinnacle of the sport. The stay-at-home defenseman known for his booming hits is one of the longest tenured Penguins in franchise history. He holds the record for the most regular season games played by a Penguins defenseman with 703 and took a hometown discount to stay with the franchise after the 2008 season.
Orpik will always hold a special place in the hearts of fans for his role on the 2009 Stanley Cup team, but one of my favorite moments will always be “The Shift” in the 2008 Cup Finals. Youtube the video if you’ve never seen it. Orpik was a constant professional and the core of the blue line coming out of the dark days of the early 2000s. The two-time US Olympian could very well be a future hall of famer, and I think he is one of the few Penguins who warrants a retired number. But maybe I am just biased.
3. Center, Jordan Staal
Stats (6 yrs): 431 Games Played – 120 Goals – 248 Points – 13 Shorthanded Goals
The trade that sent Jordan Staal to the Hurricanes at the 2012 Draft was a tough one for any Penguins fan. It was the end of the “big three” as Ray Shero designed when he took Staal second overall at the 2006 Draft. Staal gave his heart and soul to the Penguins for his six years here, switching from wing to center to create the three-center model that led the Pens to back-to-back Finals appearances.
Staal centered one of the best third lines in hockey during the 2008-09 season with Matt Cooke and Tyler Kennedy on the flanks. He was the hero of Game 6 in 2009 that sent the series back to Detroit and ultimately led to the Pens winning their third Stanley Cup. He played every facet of the game, from power plays to the penalty kill, becoming one of the Pens most lethal scorers shorthanded with 13 goals in that situation. It was hard to see him leave, but he left for good reasons and I would gladly welcome him back if he returned to Pittsburgh.
2. Defenseman, Kris Letang
Stats (9 yrs): 491 Games Played – 66 Goals – 285 Points – 115 PP Points – 22:43 ATOI
I often sit here and wonder just how good Kris Letang would be if he hadn’t suffered so many injuries over the last few seasons. He has already produced several Norris Trophy caliber years, each of which he missed a portion of play due to injury. He was just 21 years old when the Pens raised the Cup in 2009 and played a big role in that team after sitting out the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals.
Letang has become the key to the Penguins offense, especially in the Mike Johnston system, but he has always been an elite offensive talent from the blue line. What has impressed me most over the past three seasons is how much Letang has grown as a defender. His speed and tenacity are huge benefits, but he has honed his skills and become a very good defender; something he wasn’t when the Pens raised the Cup in ’09.
If Letang can return from another concussion in 2015, I think Letang will go down as the franchise’s best defenseman, overtake Orpik’s 703 games played number and become the second Penguin to win the Norris Trophy.
1. Defenseman, Sergei Gonchar
Stats (5 yrs): 322 Games Played – 54 Goals – 259 Points – 175 PP Points – 25:26 ATOI
I bet a lot of you are surprised that Gonchar tops my list, but as far as I am concerned, he is the one piece that they never found a replacement for. Letang is a great player, but no one ran the Penguins power play better than “Sarge,” and I think it is the reason it hasn’t had the same potency since he left in 2010. Gonchar scored 175 of his 259 points on the man advantage, and he provided the perfect set-up passes for Evgeni Malkin to rip from the point.
Not only was he good on the power play, but he was also a great player in his own zone. Gonchar made a great partner for Brooks Orpik, to this day my favorite pair of the last decade. The two complimented each other so well, but both were great in their own end.
Most importantly, Sergei Gonchar was the perfect mentor for Evgeni Malkin. Though Geno had an unbelievable year in 2011-12, he has missed having his fellow Russian feed him perfect passes on the power play and take him under his wing. It is the reason I always call for the Pens to get a Russian winger for Geno, because he plays so much better with other Russians.
That is why I have Gonchar as the best player not named Crosby, Malkin or Fleury in the last decade. Unlike others, he is the only guy the organization has never been able to replace.