The 2007–08 Pittsburgh Penguins season was the franchise's 41st season in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

(NHL). Their regular season began on October 5, 2007, against the

Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...

and concluded on April 6, 2008, against the rival

Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Wells ...

. The Penguins looked to improve upon their progress in the 2006–07 season after being eliminated in the first round of the Eastern Conference

playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...

by the

Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...

. During the season, the Penguins wore gold patches with "250" on them, honoring the city of

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

's 250th anniversary in 2008. Evgeni Malkin scored 106 points in the regular season, helping to offset the gap left while Sidney Crosby was injured. Goaltender

Ty Conklin Ty Curtis Conklin (born March 30, 1976) is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender. Throughout his National Hockey League (NHL) career, he played for the Edmonton Oilers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, S ...

replaced Marc-Andre Fleury, who was also injured, to win 18 games. The team surpassed their record for total attendance, selling out all 41 home games for the first time in franchise history. The Penguins also participated in the

AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic The 2008 NHL Winter Classic (known via corporate sponsorship as the AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic) was an NHL outdoor games, outdoor ice hockey game played in the National Hockey League (NHL) on January 1, 2008, at Ralph Wilson Stadium near Bu ...

, which set the NHL single-game attendance record. During the regular season, the Penguins finished second in the Eastern Conference, behind the

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...

. With a 12–2 record in the Eastern Conference playoffs, the team eliminated the Senators, the

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...

and the Flyers, on their way to the

2008 Stanley Cup Finals The 2008 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2007–08 season, and the culmination of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings ...

, the franchise's first in 16 years. The team was defeated in the Stanley Cup Final by the

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

in six games.

Regular season

The Penguins' offseason activities began in May 2007, with the team naming Sidney Crosby its

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

. At just 19 years old, Crosby became the youngest captain in NHL history. Crosby was named the first Penguins captain since the retirement of

Mario Lemieux Mario Lemieux (; ; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played parts of 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 1984 and 2006, and he assumed ownership of the f ...

in January 2006; Crosby,

Mark Recchi Mark Louis Recchi (; born February 1, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former assistant coach. Recchi played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, ...

Sergei Gonchar Sergei Viktorovich Gonchar ( rus, Серге́й Ви́кторович Гонча́р, p=sʲɪrˈɡʲej ˈvʲiktərəvʲɪdʑ ɡɐnʲˈtɕar; born 13 April 1974) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player and a former assistant coach f ...

and

John LeClair John Clark LeClair (born July 5, 1969) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, Philadelphia Flyers, and Pittsburgh Penguins. With the Flyers, LeCl ...

served as alternate captains after Lemieux's retirement. Veteran Gary Roberts was named as an alternate captain for the new season, joining Recchi and Gonchar. The Penguins also extended head coach

Michel Therrien Michel Therrien (born November 4, 1963) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach. (NHL). Therrien formerly coached the Montreal Canadiens, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers. Prior to his coaching career, Therrien played pr ...

's contract through the 2008–09 season. On September 17, the NHL announced that on January 1, 2008, the Penguins would travel to

Orchard Park, New York Orchard Park is a town in Erie County, New York. It is an outer ring suburb southeast of Buffalo. As of the 2010 census, the population was 29,054, representing an increase of 5.13% from the 2000 census figure. The town contains a village als ...

to play the

Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...

outdoors at

Ralph Wilson Stadium Highmark Stadium is a stadium in Orchard Park, New York, in the Southtowns of the Buffalo metropolitan area. The stadium opened in 1973 as Rich Stadium and is the home venue of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). It was kn ...

in the

. The event marked the first time a regular-season contest was played outdoors in the United States. The Penguins began the regular season on October 5 visiting the

. The team played their home-opener against the

Anaheim Ducks The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division, and play their home games at Honda Center. ...

on October 6 in front of a standing-room-only crowd of 17,132, the first of 41 sellouts over the course of the season. Through November 21, the Penguins acquired a record of 8–11–2, going 2–6–1 against Atlantic Division teams in November including a four-game losing streak, their longest of the season. Following a Thanksgiving Day shootout victory against the

, the Penguins won seven of the next eight games, including the franchise's first sweep of a Western Canada road trip. Beginning on December 23, the Penguins compiled a point streak of ten games, including eight consecutive victories, the longest winning streak for the Penguins in nearly ten years. In January and February, the team was 16–6–5, climbing the conference standings with the help of

goaltender In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as the goalie) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays in or near t ...

and center Evgeni Malkin. During the final full month, in March, the team was 10–4–1, and 7–0–0 at home in Mellon Arena. The team concluded the regular season with a home-and-home series against the

, with each team winning a game. The Penguins suffered from several injuries during the season. Many of the injuries were long-term. By the end of the season, the team had missed a combined total of over 280 man games due to injury. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury sustained a high-ankle sprain against the

Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...

on December 6. Following the injury, Fleury was ruled out for six to eight weeks. The Penguins recalled

from the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...

to serve as a back-up to Dany Sabourin on an emergency basis. Conklin started for the first time on December 20, winning the game 5–4 in a shootout. After winning his first nine starts and supplanting Sabourin as the starting goaltender, Conklin lost his first game, a shootout, on January 12 against the

Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...

. Before Fleury's eventual return as a starter on March 2, Conklin recorded a mark of 17–6–5, while Sabourin went 4–6–0. Crosby also sustained a high ankle sprain on January 18 against the

Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...

and was ruled out for six to eight weeks. Crosby returned on March 4, playing in three games before being removed from the lineup again on March 12. After missing the next seven games, Crosby returned against the

New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...

on March 27, after missing 28 games. The injury forced Crosby to miss the All-Star Game, where he was the leading vote-getter for the second year in a row. Teammate Evgeni Malkin was selected to play for the Eastern Conference team in place of the injured Crosby. Following the release of Recchi in early December and injuries to Crosby and Roberts (Recchi's replacement), Sergei Gonchar remained the Penguins' only active captain. The team assigned two new alternate captains, with

Ryan Malone Ryan Gregory Malone (born December 1, 1979) nicknamed "Bugsy", is an American former professional ice hockey forward. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers. In 2003, ...

and

Darryl Sydor Darryl Marion Sydor (born May 13, 1972) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey defenceman. He won two Stanley Cups during his career: with the Dallas Stars in 1999, and with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2004. He also reached the Sta ...

serving during the injuries. After the injury to Crosby on January 18, a makeshift line composed of Malkin, Malone and Petr Sykora, dubbed the "Steel City Line", helped sustain the Penguins' standing. Malkin scored 46 points during Crosby's absence.

Winter Classic

With an attendance of 71,417, the Winter Classic, held on January 1, 2008, at Ralph Wilson Stadium, surpassed the NHL single-game attendance record set on November 22, 2003, when the

Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...

hosted the

at Commonwealth Stadium in

Edmonton Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...

before 57,167 fans in the

2003 Heritage Classic The Heritage Classic was an outdoor ice hockey game played on November 22, 2003, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens. It was the first National Hockey League (NHL) game to be played outdoors as a pa ...

. The New Year's Day game between the Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres was broadcast nationwide on NBC in the United States, CBC in Canada, all Westwood One affiliates in the US and Canada and on

XM satellite radio XM Satellite Radio (XM) was one of the three satellite radio (SDARS) and online radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Holdings. It provided pay-for-service radio, analogous to subscription cable television. Its s ...

. The Penguins defeated the Sabres, 2–1, with a shootout goal from Crosby.

Fan support

On December 21, 2007, at a game against the New York Islanders, the Penguins tied a franchise record with 30 straight regular-season sellouts, dating to the second half of the 2006–07 season. The record was surpassed at the next home game against the

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

on December 23, with the 31st consecutive sellout of the regular season. On March 12, against the Buffalo Sabres, with a standing-room-only crowd of 17,132, the Penguins set a franchise record after selling out all 35 games to date, surpassing the record set during the 1988–89 and 1989–90 seasons when the Penguins sold out 34 of 40 home games. For the first time in the franchise's 41-year history, the team sold out all 41 home games, concluding with their Atlantic Division-clinching victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on April 2. At 17,089, the average attendance for a home game was greater than Mellon Arena's seating capacity of 16,940, causing the team's season attendance to exceed 100% capacity. The 67 consecutive sellouts attracted 888,653 total fans, a record for home attendance for the franchise. The March 27 game against the Islanders received a television rating of 10.7, the second-highest rating all-time for a Penguins game. The only game to draw a higher rating, at 15.9, was the comeback of

against the

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...

on December 27, 2000. The

flagship station In broadcasting, a flagship (also known as a flagship station or key station) is the broadcast station which originates a television network, or a particular radio or television program that plays a key role in the branding of and consumer loyalt ...

for Penguins television broadcasts,

FSN Pittsburgh AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh is an American regional sports network owned by Warner Bros. Discovery through its sports unit as part of the AT&T SportsNet brand of networks and is an affiliate of Bally Sports. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, the chan ...

, had the highest-rated NHL broadcasts of any of the Fox Sports Net regional affiliates for the second year in a row. A&LColbyTalbot

Strong support from fans continued into the playoffs, as the Penguins sold out their first two home games in 11 minutes. The team erected a 12 by 16 foot LED screen on the lawn directly outside Mellon Arena, allowing fans to watch all playoff games outside of the stadium, free of charge. A rally scheduled by

Allegheny County Allegheny County () is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in Southwestern Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,250,578, making it the state's seco ...

executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dire ...

Dan Onorato Daniel Onorato (born February 5, 1961) is an American Democratic politician from the state of Pennsylvania. He served as the chief executive of Allegheny County from 2004 to 2012, and in 2010, he was the Democratic nominee for governor. He lost ...

and

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Luke Ravenstahl Luke Robert Ravenstahl (born February 6, 1980) is an American politician who served as the 59th Mayor of Pittsburgh from 2006 until 2014. A Democrat, he became the youngest mayor in Pittsburgh's history in September 2006 at the age of 26. He was ...

took place in front of the Allegheny County Courthouse prior to Game 2 of the team's first-round series on April 11. The Penguins' third game of the playoffs attracted the third-highest regional viewing audience all-time for a Penguins game. The 4,200 tickets offered for the team's first two home games of Round Two sold out within 10 minutes. As the playoffs advanced into the later rounds, the team had growing support from players and coaches of other teams in Pittsburgh, including the

Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

and

Pirates Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

, and many of the players attended games. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin watched Game 6 of the Finals outside Mellon Arena, along with 3,000 other fans. Prior to the Stanley Cup Final, Mayor Ravenstahl led a rally in the city's Market Square, which featured chanting by the several hundred people in attendance; cooked octopus was also served by 's Fish Market, in reference to the Detroit tradition of throwing octopi onto the ice. The team also opened up Mellon Arena for fans to watch away games on the JumboTron during the Stanley Cup Final; over 13,500 people attended Game 1. Fans who watched the three games played in Detroit raised over $85,000 for the Mario Lemieux Foundation for cancer research. The Penguins also ranked first in the league in merchandise sales. In an annual survey of over 80,000 fans conducted by '' ESPN The Magazine'' titled "Ultimate Standings: Fan Satisfaction Rankings," the Penguins ranked as the best National Hockey League team in terms of fan relations. The team also ranked third in that category, out of all 122 major sports franchises of the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

and the NHL. In the overall standings, the Penguins ranked seventh in the NHL, and 24th of the 122 teams in all four leagues. During the 2006–07 season, the team ranked 11th in the NHL, and 35th overall.

Plans for the future

During the All-Star break, the league announced that the Penguins would open the 2008–09 season with games on October 4 and 5 against the Ottawa Senators at the

Globe Arena Avicii Arena, originally known as Stockholm Globe Arena and previously as Ericsson Globe, but commonly referred to in Swedish simply as Globen (; "the Globe"), is an indoor arena located in Stockholm Globe City, Johanneshov district of Stockho ...

in Stockholm, Sweden. Also, the

would open against the Tampa Bay Lightning in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

, Czech Republic. Later, on March 12, the league and the NHL Players Association announced that the Penguins would play an

exhibition game An exhibition game (also known as a friendly, a scrimmage, a demonstration, a preseason game, a warmup match, or a preparation match, depending at least in part on the sport) is a sporting event whose prize money and impact on the player's or ...

against

Jokerit Helsingin Jokerit (English: Jokers or Jesters) are a professional ice hockey team based in Helsinki, Finland. The team won six league championships as a member of the Finnish SM-liiga (1973, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1997, and 2002). Jokerit plays its ...

of the

SM-liiga The SM-liiga (marketed as just Liiga from 2013 on), (Finnish for ''League'') colloquially called the Finnish Elite League in English or FM-ligan in Swedish, is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. It is one of the six founding leagu ...

, the top professional league in

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

, on October 2, at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki. Progress was made towards the team's new arena on March 22, when the former St. Francis Hospital, across the street from Mellon Arena, was imploded. Following debris removal and site preparation, groundbreaking for construction began in the summer.

Season results

The Penguins clinched their second consecutive playoff berth on March 25 in a 2–0 victory against the

New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

and earned the second-seed in the Eastern Conference. Two years removed from their last-place Eastern Conference finish in 2006, the Penguins clinched the Atlantic Division for the first time ever, when they defeated the Philadelphia Flyers, 4–2. The division championship was the first for the Penguins since winning the Northeast Division in 1998. It was the best finish by the team since finishing second in the 1997–98 season. The 102 points the Penguins gained during the season was the team's fifth 100-point season. The Penguins raised banners for their top finish in the Atlantic Division and subsequent Eastern Conference playoff championship prior to the first Mellon Arena home game of the 2008–09 season. This was the first time since the

won the

1994 Stanley Cup The 1994 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1993–94 season, and the culmination of the 1994 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Eastern Conference champion New York Rangers and ...

that the Atlantic Division title was not won by either the New Jersey Devils or the Philadelphia Flyers.

Game log

, - style="background:#fcf;" , 1 , , 5 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 1–4 , ,

, ,

PNC Arena PNC Arena (originally Raleigh Entertainment & Sports Arena and formerly the RBC Center) is an indoor arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The arena seats 18,680 for ice hockey and 19,722 for basketball, including 61 suites, 13 loge boxes an ...

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, , 4–5 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 1–1–0 , , 2 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 3 , , 10 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 3–2 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,006) , , 1–2–0 , , 2 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 4 , , 13 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 6–4 , ,

, ,

Air Canada Centre Scotiabank Arena ( French: ''Aréna Scotiabank)'', formerly known as Air Canada Centre (ACC), is a multi-purposed arena located on Bay Street in the South Core district of Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the home of the Toronto Rap ...

(19,479) , , 2–2–0 , , 4 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 5 , , 17 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 5–4 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (16,990) , , 2–3–0 , , 4 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 6 , , 19 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 3–4 SO , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 3–3–0 , , 6 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 7 , , 20 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–1 , ,

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...

, ,

Verizon Center Verizon Center may refer to: * Verizon Center (Mankato, Minnesota), now Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, a multi-purpose arena in Mankato, Minnesota * Verizon Center (Washington, D.C.), now Capital One Arena See also *Verizon Arena, now Sim ...

(18,277) , , 4–3–0 , , 8 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 8 , , 23 , , 7:00 PM , ,

, , 0–1 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,012) , , 5–3–0 , , 10 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 9 , , 25 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 5–2 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,051) , , 5–4–0 , , 10 , - style="background:#ffc;" , 10 , , 27 , , 7:00 PM , ,

, , 4–3 SO , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,085) , , 5–4–1 , , 11 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 11 , , 30 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 4–2 , ,

Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...

, ,

Xcel Energy Center Xcel Energy Center (also known as "The X") is a multipurpose arena in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. Completed in 2000, it is named for its locally based corporate sponsor Xcel Energy. With an official capacity of 17,954, the arena has four ...

(18,568) , , 6–4–1 , , 13 , - , - style="background:#fcf;" , 12 , , 1 , , 9:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–3 , ,

Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...

, ,

Pepsi Center Ball Arena (formerly known as Pepsi Center) is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Denver, Colorado. It is situated at Speer Boulevard, a main thoroughfare in downtown Denver, and is served by two nearby exits off Interstate 25. A light r ...

(18,007) , , 6–5–1 , , 13 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 13 , , 3 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–3 , ,

, ,

Nassau Coliseum Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (or simply the Nassau Coliseum) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Uniondale, New York, east of New York City. The Long Island venue is approximately east of the eastern limits of the New York City Borough of ...

(16,234) , , 6–6–1 , , 13 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 14 , , 5 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 5–0 , ,

, , Prudential Center (14,032) , , 7–6–1 , , 15 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 15 , , 7 , , 7:00 PM , ,

, , 3–1 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 7–7–1 , , 15 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 16 , , 8 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–4 , ,

, , Madison Square Garden (IV) (18,200) , , 7–8–1 , , 15 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 17 , , 10 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–5 , ,

, ,

Wells Fargo Center Wells Fargo Center may refer to: *Wells Fargo Center (Los Angeles), California *Wells Fargo Center (Sacramento), California * Wells Fargo Center (San Francisco), California * Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa, California * Wells Fargo Cen ...

(19,859) , , 7–9–1 , , 15 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 18 , , 12 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 3–2 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,096) , , 7–10–1 , , 15 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 19 , , 15 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 2–3 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (16,972) , , 8–10–1 , , 17 , - style="background:#ffc;" , 20 , , 17 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 4–3 OT , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,125) , , 8–10–2 , , 18 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 21 , , 21 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 2–1 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 8–11–2 , , 18 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 22 , , 22 , , 7:30 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 6–5 SO , ,

, ,

Canadian Tire Centre Canadian Tire Centre (french: links=no, Centre Canadian Tire) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, located in the western suburb of Stittsville. It opened in January 1996 as the Palladium and was also known as Corel Cen ...

(20,061) , , 9–11–2 , , 20 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 23 , , 24 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 0–5 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 10–11–2 , , 22 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 24 , , 30 , , 7:30 PM , , Dallas Stars , , 1–4 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 11–11–2 , , 24 , - , - style="background:#fcf;" , 25 , , 1 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–4 , ,

, ,

(19,534) , , 11–12–2 , , 24 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 26 , , 3 , , 7:30 PM , ,

Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...

, , 1–3 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (16,979) , , 12–12–2 , , 26 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 27 , , 5 , , 9:30 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 4–2 , ,

, , Rexall Place (16,839) , , 13–12–2 , , 28 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 28 , , 6 , , 9:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 3–2 SO , ,

, ,

Scotiabank Saddledome Scotiabank Saddledome is a multi-use indoor arena in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Located in Stampede Park in the southeast end of downtown Calgary, the Saddledome was built in 1983 to replace the Stampede Corral as the home of the Calgary Flames ...

(19,289) , , 14–12–2 , , 30 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 29 , , 8 , , 10:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–1 SO , ,

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...

, ,

Rogers Arena Rogers Arena is a multi-purpose arena located at 800 Griffiths Way in the downtown area of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, the arena was known as General Motors Place (GM Place) from its opening until July 6, 2010, when Ge ...

(18,630) , , 15–12–2 , , 32 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 30 , , 11 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–8 , ,

, ,

(19,409) , , 15–13–2 , , 32 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 31 , , 13 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 4–1 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (16,982) , , 15–14–2 , , 32 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 32 , , 15 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 3–2 , ,

, ,

(15,269) , , 16–14–2 , , 34 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 33 , , 18 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 0–4 , ,

, , Madison Square Garden (IV) (18,200) , , 16–15–2 , , 34 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 34 , , 20 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 5–4 SO , ,

, ,

TD Garden TD Garden is a multi-purpose arena in Boston, Massachusetts. It is named after its sponsor, TD Bank, a subsidiary of the Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Ontario. It opened in 1995 as a replacement for the original Boston Garden and has been k ...

(15,304) , , 17–15–2 , , 36 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 35 , , 21 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 4–2 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,008) , , 17–16–2 , , 36 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 36 , , 23 , , 3:00 PM , ,

, , 2–4 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,060) , , 18–16–2 , , 38 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 37 , , 27 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 3–4 OT , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 19–16–2 , , 40 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 38 , , 29 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 0–2 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 20–16–2 , , 42 , - , - style="background:#cfc;" , 39 , , 1 , , 1:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–1 SO , ,

, ,

(71,217) , , 21–16–2 , , 44 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 40 , , 3 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 2–6 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,074) , , 22–16–2 , , 46 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 41 , , 5 , , 3:00 PM , ,

Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...

, , 0–3 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,090) , , 23–16–2 , , 48 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 42 , , 8 , , 7:30 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 3–1 , ,

, ,

BB&T Center 200 South College (formerly BB&T Center) is a high-rise in Charlotte, North Carolina. Completed in 1975, it consists of 22 floors, a 11-story parking garage, and on the second floor it is connected to neighboring buildings via skybridges, as ...

(17,086) , , 24–16–2 , , 50 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 43 , , 10 , , 7:30 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 4–1 , ,

, ,

Amalie Arena Amalie Arena (officially stylized as AMALIE Arena) is a multipurpose arena in Tampa, Florida, that has been used for ice hockey, basketball, arena football, concerts, and other events. It is mainly used as the home for the Tampa Bay Lightning ...

(20,426) , , 25–16–2 , , 52 , - style="background:#ffc;" , 44 , , 12 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–3 SO , ,

, ,

Philips Arena State Farm Arena (formerly Philips Arena) is a multi-purpose arena located in Atlanta, Georgia. The arena serves as the home venue for the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s Atlanta Hawks. It also served as home to the National Hockey Leag ...

(18,545) , , 25–16–3 , , 53 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 45 , , 14 , , 7:00 PM , ,

, , 1–4 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,000) , , 26–16–3 , , 55 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 46 , , 18 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 3–0 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 26–17–3 , , 55 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 47 , , 19 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–0 , ,

, ,

Bell Centre Bell Centre (), formerly known as Molson Centre (), is a multi-purpose arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Opened on March 16, 1996, it is the home arena of the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL), replacing the Montr ...

(21,273) , , 27–17–3 , , 57 , - style="background:#ffc;" , 48 , , 21 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 6–5 SO , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,050) , , 27–17–4 , , 58 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 49 , , 24 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 3–4 , ,

, ,

(19,807) , , 27–18–4 , , 58 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 50 , , 29 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 4–2 , ,

, , Prudential Center (13,595) , , 28–18–4 , , 60 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 51 , , 30 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 1–4 , ,

, ,

(14,070) , , 28–19–4 , , 60 , - , - style="background:#cfc;" , 52 , , 2 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 1–4 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,058) , , 29–19–4 , , 62 , - style="background:#ffc;" , 53 , , 4 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 3–4 OT , ,

, , Prudential Center (13,012) , , 29–19–5 , , 63 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 54 , , 7 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 3–4 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,075) , , 30–19–5 , , 65 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 55 , , 9 , , 1:00 PM , , Los Angeles Kings , , 2–4 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,034) , , 31–19–5 , , 67 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 56 , , 10 , , 1:00 PM , ,

, , 3–4 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 32–19–5 , , 69 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 57 , , 13 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 2–1 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (16,982) , , 32–20–5 , , 69 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 58 , , 14 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–4 , ,

, ,

(14,922) , , 32–21–5 , , 69 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 59 , , 17 , , 6:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 4–1 , ,

, , First Niagara Center (18,690) , , 33–21–5 , , 71 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 60 , , 19 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 2–3 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,075) , , 34–21–5 , , 73 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 61 , , 21 , , 7:30 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 5–4 , ,

, ,

(21,273) , , 35–21–5 , , 75 , - style="background:#ffc;" , 62 , , 23 , , 3:00 PM , ,

, , 4–3 OT , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 35–21–6 , , 76 , - style="background:#ffc;" , 63 , , 24 , , 3:00 PM , ,

San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are owned by San Jose Sports & Entertainm ...

, , 2–1 SO , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 35–21–7 , , 77 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 64 , , 26 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 4–2 , ,

, ,

(11,258) , , 36–21–7 , , 79 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 65 , , 28 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 1–5 , ,

, ,

(17,565) , , 36–22–7 , , 79 , - , - style="background:#fcf;" , 66 , , 1 , , 3:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 4–5 , ,

, ,

(20,153) , , 36–23–7 , , 79 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 67 , , 2 , , 3:00 PM , ,

, , 2–3 SO , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 37–23–7 , , 81 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 68 , , 4 , , 7:30 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–0 , ,

, ,

(19,206) , , 38–23–7 , , 83 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 69 , , 6 , , 7:30 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–5 , ,

, ,

(17,012) , , 38–24–7 , , 83 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 70 , , 9 , , 12:30 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 4–2 , ,

, ,

(18,277) , , 39–24–7 , , 85 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 71 , , 12 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 3–7 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 40–24–7 , , 87 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 72 , , 16 , , 12:00 PM , ,

, , 1–7 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 41–24–7 , , 89 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 73 , , 18 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–5 , ,

, , Madison Square Garden (IV) (18,200) , , 41–25–7 , , 89 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 74 , , 20 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 2–4 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,044) , , 42–25–7 , , 91 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 75 , , 22 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 1–7 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 43–25–7 , , 93 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 76 , , 24 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 1–4 , ,

, ,

(16,234) , , 43–26–7 , , 93 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 77 , , 25 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 2–0 , ,

, , Prudential Center (16,292) , , 44–26–7 , , 95 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 78 , , 27 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 1–3 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,025) , , 45–26–7 , , 97 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 79 , , 30 , , 12:30 PM , ,

, , 1–3 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,020) , , 46–26–7 , , 99 , - style="background:#ffc;" , 80 , , 31 , , 7:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 1–2 OT , ,

, , Madison Square Garden (IV) (18,200) , , 46–26–8 , , 100 , - , - style="background:#cfc;" , 81 , , 2 , , 7:30 PM , ,

, , 2–4 , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , Civic Arena (17,132) , , 47–26–8 , , 102 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 82 , , 6 , , 3:00 PM , , Pittsburgh Penguins , , 0–2 , ,

, ,

(19,767) , , 47–27–8 , , 102 , - , - style="text-align:center;" , ''Legend: = Win = Loss = OT/SO Loss''

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Detailed records

Final

Playoffs

Eastern Conference Quarterfinal

The Penguins opened the playoffs against the seventh-seeded

, in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal, a rematch of the previous season's first round matchup that saw Ottawa win in five games. In the opening game on April 9 in Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena, the Penguins defeated the Senators 4–0. In the game, Evgeni Malkin scored his first career playoff goal, Marc-Andre Fleury recorded his first career playoff shutout, Petr Sykora added a goal and Gary Roberts scored twice. In Game 2, the Penguins took a lead of 3–0 following a goal from

and two from Sykora. The Senators came back to tie the game in the third period, before Ryan Malone scored twice to give the Penguins their second victory in the series. The Pens scored four unanswered goals from Maxime Talbot, Sidney Crosby,

Jordan Staal Jordan Staal (born September 10, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is regarded as a premier penalty-killer, both for his strong defensive skills and ...

and

Marian Hossa Marian may refer to: People * Mari people, a Finno-Ugric ethnic group in Russia * Marian (given name), a list of people with the given name * Marian (surname), a list of people so named Places *Marian, Iran (disambiguation) * Marian, Queensland ...

to defeat the Senators 4–1 in Game 3, the first game in Ottawa's

Scotiabank Place Canadian Tire Centre (french: links=no, Centre Canadian Tire) is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, located in the western suburb of Stittsville. It opened in January 1996 as the Palladium and was also known as Corel Cen ...

. Two days later, the Penguins managed to eliminate the Senators in four games, the only team to do so in the first round. The team got goals from Malkin, Crosby and the series-winner from

Jarkko Ruutu Jarkko is a given name. Notable people with the given name include: *Jarkko Ahola (born 1977), Finnish performing artist, composer and singer * Jarkko Ala-Huikku (born 1980), Finnish Greco-Roman wrestler * Jarkko Hattunen (born 1987), Finnish ice h ...

in the second period to defeat the Senators, 3–1. The Penguins were the first team to advance from the opening round. The series win was the team's first since the 2001 playoffs, and the first sweep of a playoff series in 16 years.

Eastern Conference Semifinals

The Penguins began the Eastern Conference Semi-final against their Atlantic Division rival

on April 25. The team overcame a 3–0 deficit to defeat the Rangers 5–4 in Game 1. Hossa tied the game 4:40 into the third period, and Sykora took the lead twenty seconds later. After Scott Gomez tied the game at four, Malkin scored the game-winning goal, deflecting a shot by Crosby with 1:41 left. In Game 2, Staal scored a powerplay goal to take a 1–0 lead. In the last minute,

Adam Hall Adam John Hall (born August 14, 1980) is an American former professional ice hockey player. A second round selection of the Nashville Predators in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Hall played in the National Hockey League for the Nashville Predators, ...

shot the puck down ice, and it drifted into the empty net. Marc-Andre Fleury saved all 26 shots, and the Penguins took a 2–0 lead in the series. The Penguins entered Game 3 at

Madison Square Gardens Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylvan ...

after going 0–3–1 in the building during the regular season. They led 3–1 after the first period, before Jaromir Jagr tied the game. Malkin scored on the powerplay with 2:07 left in the second period to take the lead, and Malone added a goal in the third to give the Pens a 5–3 win, and a 3–0 series lead. The Penguins lost their first game of the post-season in Game 4 against the Rangers. Jagr scored in the second period, Brandon Dubinsky in the third and Jagr scored again on an empty net goal in the last minute to force Game 5. In Game 5, the Penguins took a 2–0 lead in the second period after goals from Malkin and Hossa before the Rangers tied in the third. The game entered overtime, the first of the playoffs for the Penguins, where Hossa scored his second goal of the game 7:10 in. With the goal, the Penguins advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Eastern Conference Final

The Eastern Conference Final began between the Penguins and the

on May 9. Malkin scored with 7 seconds left in the first period to take a 3–2 lead, and extended the advantage with a shorthanded goal in the second period, giving the Penguins a 1–0 advantage in the series after Game 1. In Game 2, Talbot scored to take the lead in the third period, and Staal added an empty-net goal to give the Penguins a 4–2 win and a 2–0 series lead. The win was the Penguins' seventh consecutive home playoff win, a franchise record, improving on a six-game streak in the 1992 playoffs. The Penguins also became only the fifth team to start the playoffs with a 10–1 record, and the first since the

1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...

. Game 3 saw the series move across the state to

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

; the Penguins struck quickly with goals from Ryan Whitney and Hossa within the first eight minutes. Hossa added his second goal on an empty net to seal the victory. With the win, the Penguins become the first team since the 1983 Edmonton Oilers to start the playoffs 11–1. The Penguins failed to close out the Eastern Conference Finals with a sweep of the Flyers in Game 4, losing 4–2. The Flyers jumped out to a 3–0 lead in the first period. The Penguins fought back getting two goals from Jordan Staal in the third period, but

Joffrey Lupul Joffrey Lupul (born September 23, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward. In his professional career, Lupul played in the NHL for the Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, Philadelphia Flyers and Toronto Maple Leafs. He was select ...

's second goal on an empty net sealed the win for the Flyers. The series returned to Pittsburgh for Game 5, where the Penguins won their eighth consecutive home game by a final score of 6–0, the

Prince of Wales Trophy The Prince of Wales Trophy, also known as the Wales Trophy, is a team award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL). Named for Prince Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII and then Duke of Windsor), it has been awarded for diffe ...

, and a trip to the Stanley Cup Final.

Stanley Cup Final

The Penguins faced the Western Conference

Champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, an ...

and Presidents' Trophy winning

for the

Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...

. The best-of-seven series began in Detroit on May 24, the first series the Penguins opened on the road. It was the third Stanley Cup Final appearance for the Penguins franchise, the first since consecutive victories during the

1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the Phil ...

and

1992 Stanley Cup Finals The 1992 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1991–92 season, and the culmination of the 1992 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested by the Prince of Wales Conference and defending Stanley Cup ...

. The Red Wings made their 23rd appearance, and first since

2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...

. The series ended on June 4 with the Red Wings winning in six games. In game one at Detroit's

Joe Louis Arena Joe Louis Arena was an arena in Downtown Detroit. Completed in 1979 at a cost of US$57 million as a replacement for Olympia Stadium, it sat adjacent to TCF Center, Cobo Center on the bank of the Detroit River and was accessible by the Joe Lou ...

, the Red Wings opened scoring in the second period with a goal from

Mikael Samuelsson Karl Mikael Samuelsson (born 23 December 1976) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey right winger. Samuelsson began his career in Sweden, starting with small town team IFK Mariefred, followed by Södertälje SK as a junior in 1994. He wen ...

before finishing with three goals in the third period from Samuelsson,

Dan Cleary Daniel Michael Cleary (born December 18, 1978) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Chicago Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes and Detroit Red Wings. He currently ser ...

and Henrik Zetterberg, shutting out the Penguins 4–0. In preparation for Game 2, Head Coach

revised Pittsburgh's lines; the changes included starting Gary Roberts, who did not play in Game 1. In Game 2, the Penguins were shut-out for a second time. Detroit's

Brad Stuart Bradley Stuart (born November 6, 1979) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman (ice hockey), defenceman who played in over 1,000 career games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the San Jose Sharks, Boston Bruins, Ca ...

and

Tomas Holmstrom Tomas may refer to: People * Tomás (given name), a Spanish, Portuguese, and Gaelic given name * Tomas (given name), a Swedish, Dutch, and Lithuanian given name * Tomáš, a Czech and Slovak given name * Tomas (surname), a French and Croatian surna ...

scored in the first period and

Valtteri Filppula Valtteri Filppula (born 20 March 1984) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward (ice hockey), forward for Genève-Servette HC of the National League (ice hockey), National League (NL). Filppula won the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings ...

added a third goal in the third period. Pittsburgh struggled, failing to direct a shot on goal for the first 12 minutes of the game. Pittsburgh shuffled their lineup again prior to Game 3, replacing defenseman

Kris Letang Kristopher Joseph Pierre Irwin Letang (born April 24, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and Captain (ice hockey)#Alternate captains, alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played ...

with

. Game 3 saw the Penguins score their first goal of the Final when Crosby netted a wrist shot 17:25 into the opening period. Crosby added his second goal of the game early in the second period. In the third, Adam Hall added the game-winning goal in the final period with assists from Maxime Talbot and Roberts. The Penguins held off a late charge by the Red Wings to win their first game of the Stanley Cup Final by a score of 3–2. Entering Game 4, Sykora said the game was a must-win for the Penguins: "For us, basically, ame 4is a do-or-die game." Despite an early goal from Marian Hossa, the Penguins were unable to hold off the Red Wings, who got goals from

Nicklas Lidstrom Nicklas is a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include the following: Given name Sports Football *Nicklas Bärkroth (born 1992), Swedish footballer * Nicklas Bergh (born 1982), Swedish footballer * Nicklas Carlsson (born 1979), ...

and

Jiri Hudler Jiri ( ne, जिरी) is a municipality in Dolakha District in the Bagmati Province of central Nepal. At the time of the 2011 Nepal census it had a population of 13,638 people.. Jiri, which lies about 190 kilometers from Kathmandu, is the m ...

. The Penguins' inability to capitalize on a 5-on-3 man advantage in the 3rd period, which lasted for 1:26, sealed the third victory of the series for the Red Wings. In Game 5 of the series, Pittsburgh faced elimination in Detroit, where they had not yet won in the series. Down 3–2 with 35 seconds remaining in regulation, Talbot scored for the Penguins, who had removed goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to gain an extra skater. The goal tied the game at three, forcing it into sudden-death overtime. In the third overtime period, Sykora scored at the 109:57 mark of the game to give the Penguins the victory and force Game 6. Sykora's goal was assisted by Malkin, who had struggled in the series, and Gonchar, who was returning for his first shift in 50 minutes due to an injury. In the fifth-longest Stanley Cup game in history, goaltender Fleury stopped 55 shots, with 24 in overtime.

played in Game 6, despite being hit in the face with the puck in Game 5. Dave Molinari of the ''

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the first newspaper published west of the All ...

'' wrote that the team "seemed almost in awe of the way Malone reacted to a significant facial injury the way most people would a paper cut." In Game 6, Pittsburgh got goals from Malkin, his first in the Finals, and Hossa. Entering the final minute and trailing by one, Pittsburgh pulled Fleury for the second time that game, hoping to score with circumstances similar to Hossa's earlier goal. A tipped shot which passed in between Chris Osgood and the goal line as time expired did not enter the net, giving Detroit the victory. Pittsburgh's final defeat of the season was by a score of 3–2.

Playoff log

, - style="background:#cfc;" , 1 , , April 9 , ,

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

, , 0–4 , , Pittsburgh , , , , ''

Roberts Roberts may refer to: People * Roberts (given name), a Latvian masculine given name * Roberts (surname), a popular surname, especially among the Welsh Places * Roberts (crater), a lunar impact crater on the far side of the Moon ;United Stat ...

'' (2), Sykora,

Malkin Malkin as a surname may refer to: * Arthur Malkin (1803–1888), English writer, alpinist and cricketer * Barry Malkin (1938–2019), American film editor * Benjamin Heath Malkin (1769–1842), antiquary and author * Chris Malkin (born 1967), En ...

, , , , Fleury , , 17,132 , , 1–0 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2 , , April 11 , , Ottawa , , 3–5, , Pittsburgh , , , , Gonchar, Sykora (2), ''

Malone Malone is an Irish surname. From the Irish "''Mael Eóin''", the name means a servant or a disciple of Saint John. People * Gilla Críst Ua Máel Eóin (died 1127), historian and Abbot of Clonmacnoise, Ó Maoil Eoin * Adrian Malone (1937–2 ...

'' (2) , ,

Donovan Donovan Phillips Leitch (born 10 May 1946), known mononymously as Donovan, is a Scottish musician, songwriter, and record producer. He developed an eclectic and distinctive style that blended folk, jazz, pop, psychedelic rock and world mus ...

Stillman Stillman may refer to: *Stillman (surname) * Stillman, Michigan *Stillman College, Alabama *Stillman Valley, Illinois **Stillman's Run Battle Site *W. Paul Stillman School of Business The W. Paul Stillman School of Business is a post-secondary de ...

Bass Bass or Basses may refer to: Fish * Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species Music * Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range: ** Bass (instrument), including: ** Acoustic bass gui ...

, , Fleury , , 17,132 , , 2–0 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 3 , , April 14 , , Pittsburgh , , 4–1 , , Ottawa , , , ,

Talbot Talbot was an automobile marque introduced in 1902 by English-French company Clément-Talbot. The founders, Charles Chetwynd-Talbot, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury and Adolphe Clément-Bayard, reduced their financial interests in their Clément-Talbot ...

, '' Crosby'', Staal, Hossa , ,

Foligno Foligno (; Southern Umbrian: ''Fuligno'') is an ancient town of Italy in the province of Perugia in east central Umbria, on the Topino river where it leaves the Apennines and enters the wide plain of the Clitunno river system. It is located so ...

, , Fleury , , 19,961 , , 3–0 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 4 , , April 16 , , Pittsburgh , , 3–1 , , Ottawa , , , , Malkin, ''

Ruutu Ruutu is a Finnish surname. It means 'square', 'diamond', or 'box' ( wikt:ruutu). People with the surname Ruutu include: In sports: * Jarkko Ruutu (born 1975), Finnish professional ice hockey player, brother of Mikko and Tuomo * Mikko Ruutu (bor ...

'', Crosby , , Stillman , , Fleury , , 19,954 , , 4–0 , - , - style="background:#cfc;" , 1 , , April 25 , ,

NY Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Borough (New York City), New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...

, , 4–5 , , Pittsburgh , , , ,

, Dupuis, Hossa, Sykora, ''

'' , , Straka, Avery, Drury, Gomez , , Fleury , , 17,132 , , 1–0 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2 , , April 27 , , NY Rangers , , 0–2 , , Pittsburgh , , , , '' Staal'',

Hall In architecture, a hall is a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age and early Middle Ages in northern Europe, a mead hall was where a lord and his retainers ate and also slept. Later in the Middle Ages, the gr ...

, , , , Fleury , , 17,132 , , 2–0 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 3 , , April 29 , , Pittsburgh , , 5–3 , , NY Rangers , , , , Hossa, Laraque, ''Malkin'' (2),

, , Straka,

Callahan Callahan may refer to: *Callahan (surname) Fictional characters *Father Callahan, in Stephen King novels *Harry Callahan (character), in ''Dirty Harry'' movies * Jack Callahan (''Neighbours''), from the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours'' *Mik ...

, Jagr , , Fleury , , 18,200 , , 3–0 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 4 , , May 1 , , Pittsburgh , , 0–3 , , NY Rangers , , , , , , ''Jagr'' (2), Dubinsky , , Fleury , , 18,200 , , 3–1 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 5 , , May 4 , , NY Rangers , , 2–3 , , Pittsburgh , , 1 , , ''Hossa'' (2), Malkin , , Korpikoski,

Dawes Dawes may refer to: Places *Dawes (Parish), New South Wales, Australia *Dawes Point, New South Wales, Australia *Dawes Arboretum, in Newark, Ohio, U.S. *Dawes County, Nebraska, U.S. * Dawes Township, Thurston County, Nebraska, U.S. Other uses *Daw ...

, , Fleury , , 17,132 , , 4–1 , - , - style="background:#cfc;" , 1 , , May 9 , ,

, , 2–4 , , Pittsburgh , , , , Sykora, Crosby, ''

(2)'' , ,

Richards Richards may refer to: *Richards (surname) In places: * Richards, New South Wales, Australia * Richards, Missouri, United States * Richards, Texas, United States In other uses: * Richards (lunar crater) Richards is a small lunar impact crate ...

(2) , , Fleury , , 17,132 , , 1–0 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 2 , , May 11 , , Philadelphia, , 2–4 , , Pittsburgh , , , , Crosby, Hossa, ''

'', Staal , ,

Carter Carter(s), or Carter's, Tha Carter, or The Carter(s), may refer to: Geography United States * Carter, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Carter, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Carter, Montana, a census-designated place * Carter, ...

, Richards , , Fleury , , 17,132 , , 2–0 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 3 , , May 13 , , Pittsburgh , , 4–1 , , Philadelphia , , , , Whitney, ''Hossa (2)'',

, , Umberger , , Fleury , , 19,965 , , 3–0 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 4 , , May 15 , , Pittsburgh , , 2–4 , , Philadelphia , , , , Staal (2) , , Lupul (2), Briere, ''Carter'' , , Fleury , , 19,965 , , 3–1 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 5 , , May 18 , , Philadelphia , , 0–6 , , Pittsburgh , , , , ''Malone (2)'', Malkin, Hossa, Staal, Dupuis , , , , Fleury , , 17,132 , , 4–1 , - , - style="background:#fcf;" , 1 , , May 24 , , Pittsburgh , , 0–4 , ,

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

, , , , , , ''

Samuelsson Samuelsson is a Swedish patronymic surname meaning "son of Samuel". There are alternative spellings such as the English Samuelson and the Norwegian Samuelsen. It is uncommon as a given name. Samuelsson may refer to: * Bengt I. Samuelsson (born ...

'' (2), Cleary, Zetterberg , , Fleury , , 20,066 , , 0–1 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 2 , , May 26 , , Pittsburgh , , 0–3 , , Detroit , , , , , , ''

Stuart Stuart may refer to: Names * Stuart (name), a given name and surname (and list of people with the name) Automobile *Stuart (automobile) Places Australia Generally *Stuart Highway, connecting South Australia and the Northern Territory Northe ...

'', Holmstrom, Filppula , , Fleury , , 20,066 , , 0–2 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 3 , , May 28 , , Detroit , , 2–3 , , Pittsburgh , , , , Crosby (2), ''

'' , , Franzen, Samuelsson , , Fleury , , 17,132 , , 1–2 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 4 , , May 31 , , Detroit , , 2–1 , , Pittsburgh , , , , Hossa , , Lidstrom, '' Hudler'' , , Fleury , , 17,132 , , 1–3 , - style="background:#cfc;" , 5 , , June 2 , , Pittsburgh , , 4–3 , , Detroit , , 3 , , Hossa, Hall,

, '' Sykora'' , ,

Helm Helm may refer to: Common meanings * a ship's steering mechanism; see tiller and ship's wheel * another term for helmsman * an archaic term for a helmet, used as armor Arts and entertainment * Matt Helm, a character created by Donald Hamilton * ...

, Datsyuk, Rafalsiki , , Fleury , , 20,066 , , 2–3 , - style="background:#fcf;" , 6 , , June 4 , , Detroit , , 3–2 , , Pittsburgh , , , ,

, Hossa , , Rafalski, Filppula, ''Zetterberg'' , , Fleury , , 17,132 , , 2–4 , - , - style="text-align:center;" , ''Legend: = Win = Loss'' ''Player in italics scored winning goal.''

Player statistics

;Skaters ;Goaltenders ^†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Team. Stats reflect time with the Team only.
^‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Team only.

Awards and records

Tyler Kennedy Tyler Kennedy (born July 15, 1986) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey centre who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks, New York Islanders, and New Jersey Devils. ...

Jonathan Filewich Jonathan Filewich (born October 2, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player of Croatian ancestry Filewich was born in Kelowna, British Columbia. Playing career Filewich was drafted 70th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by ...

Chris Minard Christopher Minard (born November 18, 1981) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers before finishing his career in the Deutsche ...

and

Alex Goligoski Alexander Goligoski (born July 30, 1985) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). During his NHL career, he has also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the organization that d ...

played in their first NHL games. Kennedy, Minard and Connor James scored their first goals, while Goligoski,

Ryan Stone Ryan Adam Stone (born March 20, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who most recently played for Hamburg Freezers of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. Playing career Early career Stone was drafted 23rd overall in the 2000 Weste ...

and

recorded first points. Evgeni Malkin recorded his first

hat trick A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...

on January 3. In addition, Evgeni Malkin, Maxime Talbot and

scored their first playoff goals.

Rob Scuderi Robert John Scuderi (born December 30, 1978) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman, currently serving as an assistant coach for the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators. Known as a stay-at-home defenseman, he played i ...

and

recorded their first playoff points. Marc-Andre Fleury recorded his first playoff shutout.

Awards

Evgeni Malkin was added to the All-Star Game on January 22 as a replacement following an injury to Sidney Crosby. In the game, Malkin recorded two assists. On April 29, the NHL announced that Malkin, along with Alexander Ovechkin and

Jarome Iginla Jarome Arthur-Leigh Adekunle Tig Junior Elvis Iginla (; born July 1, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. He played over 1500 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, Boston Br ...

, was named as a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player most valuable to his team. With 106 points, Malkin was the Penguins' leader in scoring. He finished second in the NHL only to Ovechkin. At one point in the season, Malkin recorded a 15-game point streak, the longest by a Russian player in the NHL. In June, he was announced as the NHL's top center and honored on the First All-Star Team alongside Ovechkin and Iginla, defensemen

and Dion Phaneuf and goaltender Evgeni Nabokov. The Penguins benefited from the success of several players who were called up from the team's

(AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Forward

was first recalled on October 27. Defenseman

was recalled on November 13 and immediately contributed to the Penguins shootout, scoring on all of his first five attempts, including during the Winter Classic on January 1. Of his five shots, three won the game for the Penguins. Kennedy and Letang were selected to compete in the YoungStars competition for rookies during the All-Star break. On April 2, following the final home game against the

, the team announced its award winners for the season. Awards were given by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, the Penguins Booster Club, as well as voted amongst the team.

Transactions

Free agents

The free agency period began on July 1. The Penguins saw forward

Michel Ouellet Michel Ouellet (born March 5, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Ouellet was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 4th round (124th overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry ...

and goaltender

Jocelyn Thibault Joseph Régis Jocelyn Thibault (born January 12, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blac ...

leave as free agents to the

and

, respectively. To fill openings in the Penguins roster, the team signed goaltender Dany Sabourin, defenseman

and forwards Petr Sykora and

. The organization also signed forwards Nathan Smith,

and

Jeff Taffe Jeffrey Charles Taffe (born February 19, 1981) is an American former professional ice hockey center. Taffe was drafted in the first round, 30th overall, by the St. Louis Blues in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. Playing career After playing three seaso ...

, as well as goaltender

for their AHL minor league affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Trades

On December 5, following talk of the team's future with

, the team placed the veteran right wing on

waiver A waiver is the voluntary relinquishment or surrender of some known right or privilege. Regulatory agencies of state departments or the federal government may issue waivers to exempt companies from certain regulations. For example, a United St ...

s. After clearing without being claimed, Recchi was assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL the next day. The following day, before playing a game with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Recchi was placed on re-entry waivers, where he could again be claimed by another team. On Saturday, December 8, Recchi was claimed by the

, with whom he joined the following Tuesday. The Penguins and the Thrashers would split the remaining cost of his US$1.75 million contract. On February 26, just minutes before the

trade deadline In professional sports within the United States and Canada, a trade is a sports league transaction between sports clubs involving the exchange of player rights from one team to another. Though player rights are the primary trading assets, draft p ...

, the Penguins made a deal with the

to acquire right wings

and

Pascal Dupuis Pascal Dupuis (born April 7, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. Dupuis played 14 seasons in the NHL for the Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, Atlanta Thrashers, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Dupuis retired in December 20 ...

in exchange for winger

Colby Armstrong Colby Joseph Armstrong (born November 23, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Atlanta Thrashers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens in a 9-y ...

, center

Erik Christensen Erik Christensen (born December 17, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who last played for HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Playing career Christensen was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third round (69t ...

prospect Prospect may refer to: General * Prospect (marketing), a marketing term describing a potential customer * Prospect (sports), any player whose rights are owned by a professional team, but who has yet to play a game for the team * Prospect (mining ...

Angelo Esposito Angelo Esposito (born February 20, 1989) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who last played for České Budějovice Motor of the 1st Czech Republic Hockey League. Esposito was drafted in the first round (20th overall) by the Pi ...

and a first-round pick in the

2008 NHL Entry Draft The 2008 NHL Entry Draft was the 46th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Ottawa Senators at Scotiabank Place in the city of Ottawa, Ontario, on June 20–21, 2008. The Senators were originally awarded the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, but because of ...

. In another trade, the Pens brought in the 6-foot-7 defenseman

Hal Gill Harold Priestley Gill III (born April 6, 1975) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 16 NHL seasons with six different teams, winning the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009. He also played for the Bo ...

from the

in exchange for one second- and one fifth-round pick in the 2008 and

2009 NHL Entry Draft The 2009 NHL Entry Draft was the 47th Entry Draft. It was held on June 26–27, 2009, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The Draft was part of the Montreal Canadiens' centennial celebrations. National Hockey League teams took turns select ...

, respectively.

Draft picks

The

2007 NHL Entry Draft The 2007 NHL Entry Draft was the 45th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted at Nationwide Arena in the city of Columbus, Ohio, on June 22, 2007. The draft consisted of seven rounds with rounds two through seven taking place on June 23, 2007. The draft ...

took place on June 22 and 23 at Nationwide Arena in

Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...

. With the 20th overall pick, the Penguins selected

of the

Quebec Remparts There have been two junior ice hockey franchises known as the Quebec Remparts (french: Remparts de Québec) that played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The first edition played from 1969 to 1985; the current franchise has pla ...

in the first round. The Penguins selected eight players (five forwards and three defensemen) in six of the seven rounds. All of the players remained with their junior league teams in Canada. ;Draft notes * The

' third-round pick (from the

) went to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a result of a February 27, 2007 trade that sent

Chris Thorburn Chris Thorburn (born June 3, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey right winger. He played over 800 games in the National Hockey League (NHL). Thorburn was known for his physical play and capabilities as a fighter. Early life Thorbu ...

to the Thrashers in exchange for this pick. * The

's third-round pick went to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a result of a February 27, 2007 trade that sent

Dominic Moore Benjamin Dominic Moore (born August 3, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. He most recently played for the ZSC Lions of the National League (NL), and has played nearly 900 National Hockey League (NHL) games. Initially draft ...

to the Wild in exchange for this pick. * The Pittsburgh Penguins' third-round pick went to the

Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...

as the result of a July 19, 2006 trade that sent Libor Pivko and the rights to

to the Penguins in exchange for this pick. * The

' fourth-round pick went to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a result of a March 9, 2006 trade that sent Cory Cross to the Red Wings in exchange for this pick. * The Pittsburgh Penguins' seventh-round pick went to the

as the result of a February 27, 2007 trade that sent

Nolan Schaefer Nolan Schaefer (born January 15, 1980) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently an unrestricted free agent who was last under contract to HC Ambrì-Piotta of the Swiss National League A (NLA). Playing career Schaefer began a f ...

to the Penguins in exchange for this pick.

Farm teams

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins finished first in the AHL East Division during the 2007–08 season. In the

Calder Cup Playoffs Calder is a Scottish name and may refer to: People *Calder (surname) * Calder baronets, two baronetcies created for people with the surname Calder *Alexander Calder (1898-1976), the American sculptor known for his mobiles, son of Alexander Stirli ...

, the "Baby Penguins" advanced through the Eastern Conference bracket with a record of 12–5. In the Calder Cup Final, they lost to the

Chicago Wolves The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League and are the top minor-league affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the C ...

(

ATL ATL may refer to: Places * Atlanta, a city in the U.S. state of Georgia ** Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA airport code) ** Peachtree station (Amtrak station code) * Attleborough railway station, located in Norfolk, Engl ...

), four games to two. In the

ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The E ...

, the

Wheeling Nailers The Wheeling Nailers are a professional ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey Lea ...

, a joint affiliate with the

, finished last in the Northern Division, with a final record of 22–43–3–4.

References

External links

Pittsburgh Penguins official site

Regular season statistics

Playoff statistics

Season schedule and results
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pittsburgh Penguins Season, 2007-08 2007-08 2007–08 in American ice hockey by team 2007–08 NHL season by team 2007-2008 2008 Stanley Cup Pitts Pitts