23
Mel Pearson, George Swarbrick, Jean Guy Legace, Bob Woytowich, Doug Barrie, Rick Kessell, John Stewart, Bob Leher, Eddie Shack, Larry Bignell, Nelson Debenedet, Ed Gilbert, Jim Hamilton, Rod Schutt, Andy Brickley, Wally Weir, Randy Hillier, Kjell Samuelsson, Paul Stanton, Chris Joseph, Domenic Pittis, Fredick Olausson, Victor Ignatjev, Steve Leach, Dan Trebil, Steve McKenna, John Jakopin, Shane Endicott, Eric Boguniecki, Chris Conner, Alexie Ponikarovsky, Ryan Craig, and Trevor Smith are the Penguins who have worn the number 23.
Alexie Ponikarovsky
Alexie Ponikarovsky was drafted 87th overall in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs. After spending several season in Toronto, he was traded to the Penguins on March 2nd, 2010 for Luca Caputi and Martin Skoula. Ponikarovsky played 16 games for the Penguins scoring two goals and registering 7 assists. He was a -7 overall, so you know he sucked. As for the playoffs, he played in 11 games, scoring 1 goal and 4 assists. Ponikarovsky's Penguins career came to an end when he signed with the LA Kings after the Penguins were eliminated from the playoffs by Montreal that season. Ponikarovsky was irrelevant as Penguin. I have been more relevant in a Penguins jersey sitting on my couch watching a game than Ponikarovsky was actually playing on the ice. Poinkarovsky also spent time in Carolina, two separate stints in New Jersey including during their run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2012, and Winnipeg. He played in the KHL during the lockout (Bettman sucks) and did return to the NHL for the shortened season. However he returned to the KHL for good the following off season after everyone in the NHL realized how much he sucked and no one wanted to sign him. He still playing there with quitter former NHLer Ilya Kovalchuck.
22
Paul Andrea, Greg Polis, Bob Kelly, Brian Spencer, Kim Davis, Mike Bullard, Neil Belland, Dwight Mathiasen, Jim McGeough, Chris Joseph, Wayne Van Dorp, Steve Sykstra, Paul Stanton, Rick Tocchet, Norm Maciver, Jason Woodley, Sven Butenschon, Dan LaCouture, Randy Robitaille, Matt Murley, Ric Jackman, Chris Thorburn, Jeff Taffe, Tim Wallace, Matt D'Agostini, and Lee Stempniak are the Penguins who have put on the number 22 Penguins sweater.
Rick Tocchet
Rick Tocchet was drafted by the Flilthadelphia Cryers Philadelphia Flyers in the 6th round (121st overall) in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. The Flyers suck, so I'm not going to say much about his time in Philly other than that he spent 8 seasons there.
Tocchet came to Pittsburgh when he was traded to the Penguins in 1992 with Kjell Samuelsson and Ken Wregget in exchange for Mark Recchi. Over 3 seasons, Tocchet played in 150 regular season games in Pittsburgh. He scored 76 goals and registered 103 assists. While in Pittsburgh Tocchet recorded the best season of his NHL career, playing 80 games, scoring 48 goals and 61 assists for 109 points. 252 PIMs that season too, My god.
As for the playoffs, Tocchet played in 32 games, scoring 15 goals and 22 assists. He scored 6 goals and 13 assists for 19 points during the 1992 Stanley Cup Playoffs as he helped the Penguins raise their 2nd consecutive Stanley Cup.
After his 3 season in Pittsburgh, Tocchet played for the Kings, Bruins, Crapitals Capitals, Coyotes, and again with the Flyers, as he returned their for the final 3 seasons of his NHL career.
Tocchet continued his career in hockey after hanging up the skates. He spent time both a coach and as an analyst. He was on Wayne Gretzky's coaching staff in Arizona Phoenix. He also was the associate coach under Barry Melrose in Tampa Bay. Since Barry Melrose is a joke, he was fired and Tocchet took over the head coaching responsibilities for the Lightning. Tocchet also spent time on the Flyers post game panel before ending up where he is today.
Unless you were living under a rock all summer, you know that Rick Tocchet once again returned to the Penguins as he was named the assistant coach under Mike Johnston. Under Bylsma, it was all flowers, sunshine, and coffee breaks for the Penguins. Fortunately, Tocchet hates flowers, sunshine, coffee (sorry Craig Adams). Tocchet is an all around bad ass who will bring the #grit #toughness and #character to the Penguins. For real though, Tocchet gives zero shits and after the Bylsma reign, Tocchet is exactly what the Penguin need to get back to where they were a few seasons ago.
All business
21
2 players have worn 21 for the Penguins. Keith McCreary and Michel Briere. One of those guys has their number in the rafters of Corporate Entitlement Center. So we are gonna go with him. Michel Briere.
Briere was drafted by the Penguins in the 3rd round, 26th overall in 1969. In Briere's only season in the NHL and with the Penguins Briere tallied 12 goals and 32 assists. He was a key component in helping the Pens go to the 2nd round of the playoffs that year. He scored 5 goals in the playoffs that season as the Pens were only 2 wins shy of making the Stanley Cup Final. He was also being labeled as the NHL's next big star. Briere's career was cut short in 1970. He had returned to his home of Quebec to marry his childhood sweetheart Michele Beaudoin, who he also had a son with. They were to be married on June 6th, 1970. On May 15th, Briere was involved in a single car crash. 2 of Briere's friends were in the car as well. Briere was ejected from the car in the crash. Briere didn't die immediately. He was hospitalized and had 4 brain surgeries to attempt to save his life. But, after 11 months in a coma Briere passed away.
20
A number of people have worn number 20 for the Pittsburgh Penguins. They are: Ab McDonald, Bob Woytowich, Dean Prentice, Steve Cardwell, John Stweart, Yvon Labre, Yves Bergeron, Pete Mahovlich, Jacques Cossette, Paul Marshall, Paul Gardiner, Jim Hamilton, Gary Rissling, Moe Mantha, Dave Hunter, Perry Ganchar, Jamie Leach, Jeff Daniels, Luc Robitalle, Bryan Smolinski, Roman Oksiuta, Robert Lang, Mathias Johansson, X Generation Superstar Mike Eastwood, Colby Armstrong and Janne Pesonen. While there are some great choices in there that we could highlight, only one of them has the most epic highlight reel song of all time. Janne Pesonen. Pesonen's carrer in Pittsburgh was easily forgettable mostly because Therrien hated euros and would't play him. Anyways like we stated earlier, Pesonen has the greatest highlight reel song of all tine. If you don't know what we are talking about...here you go.
19
Eighteen different players have worn the number 19 for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Those players include Bob Rivard, Jean Pronovost, Gregg Sheppard, Rick MacLeish, Grant Sasser, Arto Javanainen, Willy Lindstrom, Dave McIlwain, Randy Gilhen, Bryan Trottier, Vladimir Vujtek, Rico Fata, Ramzi Abid, Ryan Whitney, Colby Armstrong, Mike Comrie Duff, Jason Williams (not the basketball player), Beau Bennett.
Bryan Trottier has his name on the Stanley Cup 6 times (4 NYI and 2 PIT) so we could go with him but probably should go with Ryan Whitney.
The Whitney Play
There's only so much you can say about Ryan Whitney
Ryan Whitney was drafted by the Penguins 5th overall in 2002. He played 253 games as a Penguin scoring 34 goals and adding 116 assists. Since he was traded to the Ducks for Chris Kunitz and #BangBodies, Whitney has bounced around between the Oilers and he's with the Panthers currently (we think).
There's only so much you can say about Ryan Whitney
18
Twenty-four players have worn the number 18 for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Those players include George Konik, Wally Boyer, Lowell MacDonald, Ross Lonsberry, Kevin McClelland, Tom Roulston, Craig Simpson, Jimmy Mann, Richard Zemlak, Ken Priestlay, Jeff Daniels (seriously how many numbers did he wear?), Francois Leroux, Garry Valk (dick), Ryan Savoia, Patrick Lebeau, Josef Beranek, the great Shean Donovan, Steve Webb, Eric Boguniecki, Dominic Moore (insert joke where applicable), Marian Hossa (cry face), Chris Minard, vanilla midget Chris Conner, and model James Neal.
We could write about James Neal, but that probably leads us down a road of talking about stalkers that we probably shouldn't do. We are gonna talk about the only true winger Sidney Crosby has ever had, Marian Hossa.
Hossa was drafted by the Senators 12th overall in 1997. We really don't care what he did in Ottawa and Atlanta (yes there was an Atlanta NHL team), because those teams are irrelevant IMO. Hossa was probably the one really good trade that Ray Shero made. Shero got Hossa and Pascal Dupuis for ArmDog, Penalty Shot superstar Erik Christensen, Top Prospect (LULZ) Angelo Esposito, and 1st round pick (who was Daulton Leveille, currently in the ECHL). Hossa was acquired to play as Sidney Crosby's winger, but in his Penguins debut, he injured his MCL because #BostonStrong (seriously, screw them) and missed 6 games. He ended up playing 12 regular season games with the Penguins scoring 3 goals and adding 7 assists. Hossa played 20 playoff games that year scoring 12 goals and 14 assists.
Hossa ended up leaving the Penguins in 2009 and signed with the Red Wings, we all know how that turned out for him. He ended up finally getting his first Stanley Cup in 2010 with the Blackhawks and his second in 2013 again with the Hawks.
Well thats it for the longest post you may ever see on this blog. We promise* you that we'll post every one on the correct day during the rest of the countdown.
*Doubtful but we'll try.
Preseason starts tomorrow
Go Pens
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