Making a Champion: The Pittsburgh Penguins
Jul 22, 2022 16:17:01 GMT
bathman123 and NYI - Scott like this
Post by Penguins on Jul 22, 2022 16:17:01 GMT
Years of building put the Pittsburgh Penguins in this position - from season 1 trades to acquire the likes of Scott Young and Steve Yzerman, to the latest decision to pull the trigger on Gord Murphy at the deadline. Here are...
The Moves that Made It Happen
The One that Started It All
To Detroit:
Mario Lemieux 86/24
To Pittsburgh:
Steve Yzerman 84/24
DET 1st 1991
Yzerman is a personal favourite and a hell of a player. While he hasn't quite kept pace (Lemieux has 514 career points vs. Yzerman's 479), he's been the anchor of the team and the player I most wanted to be on my team when I won it all.
Steve Yzerman: 12g, 7a, +4 in 19 games
Beneficial to Both Teams
To Montreal:
Paul Coffey 84/28
Bobby Holik 71A/18
PIT 2nd 1992
To Pittsburgh:
John LeClair 74A/20
Patrice Brisebois 71A18
MTL 1st 1990
MTL 3rd 1991
Today, this looks like a classic 'both sides win' trade. Coffey was terrific in Montreal's season 1 Cup victory and helped them return to the Finals in season 3.
This year, John LeClair was an exemplary part of the Pens' run, and Brisebois was instrumental in landing Gord Murphy. This deal was an integral part of two teams' victories.
John LeClair: 5g, 9a, +17 in 19 games
Emptying the Cupboard
A lot of moves were made to acquire picks in the early-going, but here is where it manifested into some real material gain.
To Quebec:
NYR 1st 1993 - Chris Pronger 74A/18/Two-Way D
WPG 1st 1993 - Miroslav Satan 71A/18/Sniper
PIT 1st 1996 - TBD
To Pittsburgh:
Peter Bondra 79/23
NYR turned out to be 1st overall, but Pronger is only 76ov at the moment with plenty of growth in his future. With Bondra now 85ov, this is a deal I'm happy to make again.
Peter Bondra: 8g, 11a, +7 in 19 games
The Great One Comes and Goes
To New Jersey:
Wayne Gretzky 90/30
To Pittsburgh:
Craig Janney 84/24
BUF 1st 1992
NJD 1st 1994
VAN 2nd 1992
MIN 2nd 1992
There's no question that the greatest player who ever lived could have taken the Penguins to the promised land. But it was Craig Janney who lead the way in Pittsburgh, leading the team in post-season points.
Craig Janney: 9g, 13a, +18 in 19 games
#1 Dman
To Edmonton:
Bryan Marchment 79/24
Bryan McCabe 70/18
PIT 1st 1994
To Pittsburgh:
Mark Tinordi 84/27
The infamous trade where I offered NJD 1st 1994, but Jessie preferred mine. I showed him! Adding a real top line D was a challenge, and the opportunity to get Tinordi could not be missed.
Mark Tinordi: 3g, 12a +7 in 19 games
The Final Piece of the Puzzle
To Philadelphia:
Patrice Brisebois 75/20
Mariusz Czerkawski
NJD 1st 1994
PIT 2nd 1996
To Pittsburgh
Gord Murphy 84/25
Murphy and Tinordi were the 1-2 punch I needed on D, and he did not disappoint. While they were initially split up on the 1st and 2nd line, they were quickly paired together as the playoffs progressed. Sadly, Murphy would miss the Cup winning game with an injury.
Gord Murphy: 5g, 9a, +10 in 18 games played.
Key Signings
Kevin Lowe
We're not done without mentioning this guy - Lowe is just a meat-and-potatoes no nonsense Dman who played all 82 regular season games with 6 goals and 22 assists, +26 while leading the team in hits and penalty minutes. His high endurance, durability, and defense make him the quintessential 2nd line pairing. He lead the team in +/- in the playoffs.
Kevin Lowe: 3g, 10a, +21 in 18 games.
The Home Grown Talent
Such is the nature of sim leagues that fully developed home talent is rare. One such specimen is Mark Recchi, the diminutive forward known as the 'Recching Ball'.
Mark Recchi: 5g, 14a, +10 in 18 games.
The Mystery Man
I don't know when or how I picked up Dino, but he had career highs in points and +/- in the regular season and pitched in in the post-season as well.
Dino Ciccarelli: 5g, 9a, +10 in 19 games
Honourable Mention
Danhausen: Cursed Everybody. Especially the Bruins, but especially the Jets!
The Moves that Made It Happen
The One that Started It All
To Detroit:
Mario Lemieux 86/24
To Pittsburgh:
Steve Yzerman 84/24
DET 1st 1991
Yzerman is a personal favourite and a hell of a player. While he hasn't quite kept pace (Lemieux has 514 career points vs. Yzerman's 479), he's been the anchor of the team and the player I most wanted to be on my team when I won it all.
Steve Yzerman: 12g, 7a, +4 in 19 games
Beneficial to Both Teams
To Montreal:
Paul Coffey 84/28
Bobby Holik 71A/18
PIT 2nd 1992
To Pittsburgh:
John LeClair 74A/20
Patrice Brisebois 71A18
MTL 1st 1990
MTL 3rd 1991
Today, this looks like a classic 'both sides win' trade. Coffey was terrific in Montreal's season 1 Cup victory and helped them return to the Finals in season 3.
This year, John LeClair was an exemplary part of the Pens' run, and Brisebois was instrumental in landing Gord Murphy. This deal was an integral part of two teams' victories.
John LeClair: 5g, 9a, +17 in 19 games
Emptying the Cupboard
A lot of moves were made to acquire picks in the early-going, but here is where it manifested into some real material gain.
To Quebec:
NYR 1st 1993 - Chris Pronger 74A/18/Two-Way D
WPG 1st 1993 - Miroslav Satan 71A/18/Sniper
PIT 1st 1996 - TBD
To Pittsburgh:
Peter Bondra 79/23
NYR turned out to be 1st overall, but Pronger is only 76ov at the moment with plenty of growth in his future. With Bondra now 85ov, this is a deal I'm happy to make again.
Peter Bondra: 8g, 11a, +7 in 19 games
The Great One Comes and Goes
To New Jersey:
Wayne Gretzky 90/30
To Pittsburgh:
Craig Janney 84/24
BUF 1st 1992
NJD 1st 1994
VAN 2nd 1992
MIN 2nd 1992
There's no question that the greatest player who ever lived could have taken the Penguins to the promised land. But it was Craig Janney who lead the way in Pittsburgh, leading the team in post-season points.
Craig Janney: 9g, 13a, +18 in 19 games
#1 Dman
To Edmonton:
Bryan Marchment 79/24
Bryan McCabe 70/18
PIT 1st 1994
To Pittsburgh:
Mark Tinordi 84/27
The infamous trade where I offered NJD 1st 1994, but Jessie preferred mine. I showed him! Adding a real top line D was a challenge, and the opportunity to get Tinordi could not be missed.
Mark Tinordi: 3g, 12a +7 in 19 games
The Final Piece of the Puzzle
To Philadelphia:
Patrice Brisebois 75/20
Mariusz Czerkawski
NJD 1st 1994
PIT 2nd 1996
To Pittsburgh
Gord Murphy 84/25
Murphy and Tinordi were the 1-2 punch I needed on D, and he did not disappoint. While they were initially split up on the 1st and 2nd line, they were quickly paired together as the playoffs progressed. Sadly, Murphy would miss the Cup winning game with an injury.
Gord Murphy: 5g, 9a, +10 in 18 games played.
Key Signings
Kevin Lowe
We're not done without mentioning this guy - Lowe is just a meat-and-potatoes no nonsense Dman who played all 82 regular season games with 6 goals and 22 assists, +26 while leading the team in hits and penalty minutes. His high endurance, durability, and defense make him the quintessential 2nd line pairing. He lead the team in +/- in the playoffs.
Kevin Lowe: 3g, 10a, +21 in 18 games.
The Home Grown Talent
Such is the nature of sim leagues that fully developed home talent is rare. One such specimen is Mark Recchi, the diminutive forward known as the 'Recching Ball'.
Mark Recchi: 5g, 14a, +10 in 18 games.
The Mystery Man
I don't know when or how I picked up Dino, but he had career highs in points and +/- in the regular season and pitched in in the post-season as well.
Dino Ciccarelli: 5g, 9a, +10 in 19 games
Honourable Mention
Danhausen: Cursed Everybody. Especially the Bruins, but especially the Jets!
