Vote For the Trib Total Media Penguins All-Time Team On-Line…

Voting is now open for the Trib Total Media Pittsburgh Penguins All-Time Team. Originally, I didn’t think that there was a way to vote online, but upon further research I have found out that you can. It does require registration, but no purchase is necessary. The only drawback is that you cannot be included in the sweepstakes, but your vote will be counted in selecting the team.

Vote for your All-Time Team Here…

Trib Total Media selected 25 players, but only 15 can be named to the All-Time Team. Here is the list of players and the Trib’s capsule on each for your review…

Centers:

Syl Apps

Member of the “Century Line” with Jean Pronovost and Lowell MacDonald. Led team in scoring for three straight seasons from 1971-74. Scored career-high 99 points in 1975-76 (32-67-99). Named MVP of 1975 NHL All-Star Game.

Mike Bullard

Led team with 51 goals in 1983-84 season, becoming one of just seven players in club history to reach the 50-goal mark. Scored at least 30 goals four times. Ranks sixth on all-time team list in goals (185).

Ron Francis

Outstanding two-way center helped Penguins to back-to-back Cups. Ranks third on all-time team list in assists (449) and fourth in points (613). Scored at least 90 points in a season four times and at least 100 points twice.

Pierre Larouche

“Lucky Pierre” became first player in Penguins history to record 100 points in a season March 24, 1976 vs. Boston. Set team records at the time with 53 goals, 111 points in 1975-76.

Mario Lemieux

Where do we start? Won six NHL scoring titles, three league MVP awards, two Conn Smythe Trophies as playoff MVP and captained two Stanley Cup champions as a player. All-time team leader in goals (690), assists (1,033), points (1,723).

Greg Malone

Led team in scoring in 1978-79 season with 35 goals, 65 points. Ranks 14th on all-time Penguins scoring list with 364 points. Shares club record with six assists in one game, Nov. 28, 1979 vs. Quebec.

Ron Schock

Served as captain from 1973-77, second-longest tenure in team history behind Mario Lemieux. Ranks sixth all-time in games played (619), 10th in assists (280), 11th in points (404). Set team record for consecutive games played (313).

Right Wing:

Rob Brown

Had remarkable season in 1988-89, scoring 49 goals and 115 points in just 68 games. Also recorded 24 power play goals that season. Ranks 6th on team’s all-time list in power play goals (68) and 13th in goals (150).

Jaromir Jagr

Won five NHL scoring titles and one league MVP award as a member of the Penguins. Was named First-Team NHL All-Star six times. Ranks second on all-time Penguins lists in goals (439), assists (640), points (1,079).

Rick Kehoe

Ranks third on all-time team list in points (636), fourth in goals (312) and games played (722). His 55 goals in 1980-81 set new team record at the time and stood until Mario Lemieux broke it in 1987-88.

Joe Mullen

Won two Stanley Cups as a Penguin and ranked third in scoring on 1992 Cup team with 42 goals, 87 points. Amazing feat: Scored four goals in back-to-back games in 1991-92. Recorded 33 goals in 1992-93, 38 in 1993-94.

Jean Provonost

Patrolled right side of “Century Line” with Syl Apps and Lowell MacDonald. Third on all-time Penguins list in goals (316) and games played (753), fifth all-time in points (603). Became first Penguin to score 50 goals in a season.

Ken Schinkel

Original Penguin who was club’s first representative in NHL All-Star Game. Led team in scoring in 1968-69 with 18 goals, 34 assists, 52 points. Career totals of 371 games played, 93 goals, 143 assist, 236 points.

Rick Tocchet

Power forward acquired during 1991-92 season helped team to its second Cup. Had 15 goals, 37 points in 32 playoff games over two seasons. Rang up 48 goals, 61 assists, 109 points in 1992-93.

Left Wing:

Lowell MacDonald

Member of “Century Line” with Syl Apps and Jean Pronovost. Had career-high 43 goals, 82 points in 1973-74. Topped 30-goal mark three times. Scored 134 goals in four seasons from 1972-76.

Kevin Stevens

Dominating power forward topped 40 goals four times and 50 goals twice. Ranks fifth all-time in goals (260), sixth in points (555) and eighth in assists (295). Key member of back-to-back Cup champs and set team record with 17 playoff goals.

Martin Straka

Ranks eighth on all-time team list in goals (165), ninth in points (442), ninth in games played (560). Set career highs with 35 goals in 1998-99 and 68 assists, 95 points in 2000-01.

Defense:

Dave Burrows

One of the most dependable defensive defenseman in club history and a mainstay of the 1970’s Penguins. Second all-time in games played among Penguins defensemen (573). Represented Penguins in the 1974 and 1976 NHL All-Star Games.

Randy Carlyle

Won Norris Trophy as NHL’s top defenseman in 1980-81 and remains the only Penguin ever to win the Norris. Had 16 goals, 67 assists for 83 points in trophy-winning season.

Paul Coffey

Blazing skater who set single-season club records for defensemen with 30 goals, 83 assists and 113 points in 1988-89. Only defenseman in team history to score 100 points, and did it twice.

Larry Murphy

Cerebral defenseman played key role on back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. Rang up 22 goals, 85 points during dominating 1992-93 season, when he was named NHL Second-Team All Star.

Ulf Samuelsson

Nasty defenseman who anchored blue line for back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. Had legendary playoff battles with Boston’s Cam Neely. Impact can’t be determined by statistics, but he contributed 11 goals, 83 assists, 94 points in 277 games.

Ron Stackhouse

Underrated and sometimes underappreciated defenseman. Scored career-high 71 points with 11 goals, 60 assists in 1975-76. Set a team record for defenseman with 15 goals in 1974-75 (since broken).

Goaltender:

Tom Barrasso

Backstopped Penguins to Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992. All-time team leader in wins (226), shutouts (22) and games played (460). Recorded 8-0 shutout over Minnesota in clinching game of 1991 Cup Final.

Les Binkley

Original Penguin. Posted 20 wins and 2.88 GAA in team’s first season, 1967-68. Also recorded six shutouts, a single-season record that stood for 30 years until Tom Barrasso broke it in 1997-98.

I have wavered a bit on my selections, but here are my 15 for the Penguins All-Time Team…

1. Mario Lemieux

No one has done more for this franchise on or off of the ice. Plus, anyone who reads this blog knows that I would be hard pressed to selected anyone but the big guy as my number one all-time Penguins’ player.

2. Jean Pronovost

I never saw Pronovost play a game, as I wasn’t on the earth until 1975, however it is hard to deny the fact that he was a bona fide superstar. He was the first Penguins player to notch 50 goals in a season.

3. Rick Kehoe

Kehoe was a threat every time he stepped on the ice. He held the Penguins record for goals in a season with 55 until Mario Lemieux broke it in 87-88.

4. Jaromir Jagr

Double J Triple Excitement, is arguably the Penguins second best player. He may end up being surpassed by Sidney Crosby and or Evgeni Malkin, but there is no denying that Jagr is one of the best Europeans to ever play in the NHL and he was amazing during his Penguins career.

5. Kevin Stevens

Big Artie will forever be an icon in Pittsburgh. Not only was he a bull in front of the net who could put up huge numbers, but his ability to prognosticate will never be surpassed!

6. Randy Carlyle

Carlyle is the only Penguins’ defenseman to come away with the Norris Trophy as the league’s best defenseman. He put up some huge numbers during his years in the ‘Burgh and gave everyone a glimpse of what it would be like to see future Pens like Paul Coffey in action.

7. Paul Coffey

Paul Coffey might not have been the best defenseman, but he could fly like the wind and score with reckless abandon. I have never seen a defenseman do what he was able to do on the offensive side of the puck.

8. Tom Barrasso

Unfortunately Tom Barrasso isn’t so popular anymore, but his acquisition was the first step towards Lord Stanley. He was the finest backstop that I have ever watched in a Penguins uniform. He may someday be surpassed by Marc Andre Fleury, but as of today, he is the best Penguins goaltender of all-time.

9. Pierre Larouche

Pierre was probably the first Penguin that made the ladies swoon… He had flashy good looks and was even better on the ice and was the first Pittsburgh Penguins to notch 100 points in a season.

10. Larry Murphy

Murph was an integral part of the back to back Cup winners in the early nineties. He was money on the power play and could out think most forwards, which made up for his lack of speed.

11. Ron Francis

Francis was a two-way force for the team and was an important piece to both Stanley Cup Championships in the early nineties. Ranks third on all-time team list in assists (449) and fourth in points (613).

12. Ron Stackhouse

One of the finest defensemen to ever skate for the Penguins…the funny thing is that he was so good at his job almost no appreciates his contributions.

13. Lowell MacDonald

Another member of the “Century Line.” He was a great goalscorer who topped the 30-goal mark three times. Scored 134 goals in four seasons from 1972-76.

14. Mike Bullard

Bullard makes my list because I got to watch him play. He wasn’t the most graceful player, he wasn’t the most skilled, but he was a big body who knew how to score goals, notching 51 in 1983-84.

15. Ulf Samuelsson

Samuelsson was the original bad boy on the blue line. He took liberties with opponents, but always played hard and was a vital part of two Stanley Cup teams.