11 Best Pittsburgh Penguins Players of All Time

The Pittsburgh Penguins have seen it all since joining the NHL in 1967. There have been some tremendous highs, including five Stanley Cups, but the Pens have also seen their fair share of lows. 

Throughout all of it, the Penguins have been led by some of the biggest stars the NHL has ever seen.

From Super Mario to Sid the Kid, join me as I count down the 11 best Penguins players of all time. 

11 Best Pittsburgh Penguins Players of All Time

11 Greatest Pittsburgh Penguins of All Time

1. Mario Lemieux

The term “franchise saviour” is thrown around quite a bit in sports, but it is true in Mario Lemieux’s case. 

In fact, he saved the Penguins twice.

The Penguins joined the NHL in 1967 and filed for bankruptcy in 1975. The team wasn’t succeeding on the ice, which led to attendance issues and financial strain.

That all changed after they drafted Lemieux in 1984.

With Lemieux dazzling the league, attendance picked up, and the Penguins returned to solid footing. 

Lemieux led the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992, capturing the Conn Smythe in both seasons.

“Super Mario” continued to put up ridiculous numbers in the next few seasons, but he retired in 1997 due to health concerns. 

With Lemieux off the ice, the financial issues came back, and the Penguins were forced into bankruptcy again in 1998. Lemieux would come to the rescue once again, using the $32 million in deferred salary he was owed to buy the team. 

2. Sidney Crosby

Projected to be the best prospect since Wayne Gretzky, Crosby was dubbed “The Next One” by the hockey media and was counted on to help drag the NHL out of the dark days after the 2004-2005 lockout.

“Sid the Kid” put up at least 100 points in four of his first five seasons – the other one was cut short due to injury – and won the Hart Trophy as a 19-year-old.

Not long after, the Penguins were listed at the top of the NHL odds to win the Stanley Cup regularly.

Crosby led the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Final in 2008, but the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pens.

A year later, Crosby’s Penguins would get revenge on the Wings in a thrilling seven-game series.

Crosby would add two more Stanley Cups to his mantel in 2016 and 2017, winning the Conn Smythe both years.

Crosby holds the franchise record for most games played, assists, and is second in goals behind Lemieux.

3. Evgeni Malkin

Although he was not drafted with the same fanfare as Crosby, Evgeni Malkin was considered one of the best prospects in the NHL after he was drafted second overall in 2004. 

The Russian dynamo earned the Calder Trophy in 2006-2007 thanks to an 85-point campaign. It was clear then that the Penguins had an elite 1-2 punch with Malkin and Crosby.

Malkin topped 100 points in his second and third seasons in the league and won the Conn Smythe Trophy when Pittsburgh lifted the Stanley Cup in 2009. He posted 36 points in 24 playoff games that year. 

Malkin’s best individual season came in 2011-2012 when he won the Art Ross and Hart Trophy thanks to a 50-goal and 109-point campaign.

Only Lemieux and Crosby have played more games and recorded more points as a member of the Penguins than Malkin.

4. Jaromir Jagr

If Malkin is the Robin to Crosby’s Batman, then Jagr is the same for Lemieux.

One of the greatest players in NHL history in his own right, Jagr was sensational as a member of the Penguins. 

The Czech winger won two Stanley Cups, three Art Ross Trophies, and topped 100 points four times during his tenure in Pittsburgh. 

Jagr’s 1,079 points are the fourth-most in franchise history. 

5. Kris Letang

Kris Letang’s impact on the Penguins is easy to overlook. He was a massive part of Pittsburgh’s three most recent Stanley Cup teams, but he played third fiddle behind Crosby and Malkin. 

Throw in star goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and other supporting players like Marian Hossa, Phil Kessel, and Jake Guentzel, and it’s easy to lose track of what Letang brings to the table.

A three-time Stanley Cup champion who holds the club records for games played, goals, and points by a defenceman, Letang deserves his spot on this list.

6. Ron Francis

Considered one of the best playmakers in the history of the NHL, Ron Francis came to the Penguins via trade in 1991. Three months later, he was a Stanley Cup champion.

Playing as the No. 2 centre behind Lemieux, Francis averaged 1.15 points a game in his Penguins career and won the Selke Trophy in 1995.

7. Jean Pronovost

The first star in franchise history, Jean Pronovost monopolized the Penguins’ record book until Lemieux came along.

Pronovost became the first Penguin to score 50 goals and 100 points in a season, and his 316 career goals are fifth-most in franchise history.

8. Marc-Andre Fleury

Marc-Andre Fleury became the third goaltender to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick when the Penguins selected him at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

It turned out to be a great decision.

Fleury backstopped the Penguins to a Stanley Cup in 2009 and won two more as Matt Murray’s deputy in 2016 and 2017. 

The man known as “Flower” holds almost every franchise record for goaltenders, including wins, shutouts, and games played.

With Fleury playing behind Crosby, Malkin, and Letang, the Penguins regularly boasted the best hockey odds to win the Stanley Cup.

9. Rick Kehoe

It’s easy to lose sight of Rick Kehoe’s impact on the Penguins because of the players that came after him.

Kehoe would retire as the Penguins all-time leading scorer and currently sits sixth in franchise history in goals and points.

And while the team didn’t achieve the ultimate goal with Kehoe on the roster, he did get his name on the Stanley Cup as an assistant coach in 1991 and 1992.

10. Kevin Stevens

The Penguins of the early 1990s had enough starpower, so Kevin Stevens filled a different role.

One of the best power forwards of his era, Stevens caused a ruckus and got under his opponents’ skin. He could play, too.

Stevens averaged over one point – and two penalty minutes – per game during his 522-game stint in Pittsburgh.

11. Tom Barrasso

One of the great “money goaltenders” in the 1990s, Tom Barrasso played his best hockey when the lights were the brightest.

The fiery netminder won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Penguins in 1991 and 1992. He played in 101 playoff games for the Penguins and went 56-42 with a .907 save percentage.