Pittsburgh Penguins Ice Hockey on TV & Live Stream

The Pittsburgh Penguins joined the NHL in 1967 as part of the expansion that doubled the league from six teams to 12.

Pittsburgh had previously been home to an NHL franchise called the Pirates, who played in the city from 1925 until 1930 before relocating to Philadelphia. Major-league hockey returned to Pittsburgh with the arrival of the Penguins for the 1967-68 season.

The Penguins struggled to establish themselves among the NHL's elite during their first two decades. That changed dramatically after the arrival of Mario Lemieux in the 1980s, beginning an era that eventually produced five Stanley Cup championships.

Division History

When the Penguins entered the NHL in 1967, they were placed in the newly created West Division alongside the league's other five expansion franchises.

League realignment in 1974 moved Pittsburgh into the Norris Division. Another reorganization in 1981 placed the Penguins in the Patrick Division of the Wales Conference.

When the NHL introduced geographic conference and division names in 1993, Pittsburgh became a member of the Northeast Division in the Eastern Conference.

Another league realignment in 1998 moved the Penguins into the Atlantic Division.

The NHL reorganized again in 2013, placing Pittsburgh in the newly created Metropolitan Division, where the Penguins remain today.

The exception was the shortened 2020-21 season, when the NHL temporarily reorganized its divisions and Pittsburgh competed in the East Division.

Championship History

The Penguins reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 1970 and advanced to the NHL semifinals before losing to the St. Louis Blues.

Despite occasional playoff appearances, Pittsburgh did not win its first division championship until the 1990-91 season. That team, led by Mario Lemieux and a talented roster that included players such as Jaromir Jagr, Ron Francis, Paul Coffey and Tom Barrasso, went on to capture the first Stanley Cup in franchise history.

The Penguins successfully defended their championship in 1992, defeating the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Final to win consecutive titles.

Pittsburgh became one of the NHL's leading teams again during the Sidney Crosby era.

The Penguins reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2008 but lost to the Detroit Red Wings. The two teams met again the following season, with Pittsburgh winning Game 7 in Detroit to capture its third Stanley Cup.

Another championship run began in 2016. Pittsburgh defeated the San Jose Sharks in six games to win the Stanley Cup, with Crosby receiving the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

The Penguins successfully defended their title in 2017 by defeating the Nashville Predators in six games. Pittsburgh became the first NHL team in nearly two decades to win consecutive Stanley Cups, while Crosby won the Conn Smythe Trophy for the second straight year.

The Penguins have won five Stanley Cups and six conference championships. They have also won eight division championships and captured the Presidents' Trophy in 1992-93.

Pittsburgh qualified for the playoffs in 16 consecutive seasons from 2007 through 2022.

After missing the postseason for three straight seasons, the Penguins returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2026. Pittsburgh finished second in the Metropolitan Division before losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in six games in the opening round.

Penguins Home

The Penguins play their home games at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

The franchise spent its first 43 seasons at Pittsburgh Civic Arena, a distinctive building known for its retractable roof. The venue was later renamed Mellon Arena and remained the Penguins' home through the 2009-10 season.

Pittsburgh moved into a new arena for the beginning of the 2010-11 season. The building originally opened as CONSOL Energy Center before becoming PPG Paints Arena in 2016.

Both of the Penguins' most recent Stanley Cup championships, in 2016 and 2017, came during the team's time at its current arena.

Notable Penguins

Sidney Crosby has become the leading scorer in Penguins history.

Pittsburgh selected Crosby with the first overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft, and he quickly became the centerpiece of one of the most successful eras in franchise history.

Crosby helped lead the Penguins to Stanley Cup championships in 2009, 2016 and 2017 and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in each of the latter two championship runs.

He has also won multiple Hart Trophies as NHL MVP, Art Ross Trophies as the league's leading scorer and Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies as the NHL's leading goal scorer.

In December 2025, Crosby passed Mario Lemieux to become the Penguins' all-time leader in regular-season points. He also holds the franchise records for assists and games played.

Mario Lemieux remains one of the most important figures in Penguins history.

Pittsburgh selected Lemieux with the first overall pick in the 1984 NHL Draft, and he transformed a struggling franchise into a championship team.

Lemieux recorded 690 goals, 1,033 assists and 1,723 points in only 915 regular-season games. He remains the franchise's all-time leader in goals and ranks second behind Crosby in points.

He won six Art Ross Trophies, three Hart Trophies and two Conn Smythe Trophies during his playing career. Lemieux captained the Penguins to Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992.

His No. 66 was retired by Pittsburgh, and he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997.

Jaromir Jagr became another central figure in Pittsburgh's rise to prominence after the Penguins selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 1990 NHL Draft.

Jagr helped Pittsburgh win Stanley Cups during each of his first two NHL seasons. He later developed into one of the league's dominant offensive players, winning five Art Ross Trophies as the NHL's leading scorer and the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 1999.

He recorded 1,079 regular-season points during his 11 seasons with Pittsburgh.

The Penguins retired Jagr's No. 68 in 2024.

Evgeni Malkin became another cornerstone of the Penguins' modern championship era.

Pittsburgh selected Malkin with the second overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft. He won the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year and developed into one of the league's premier offensive players.

Malkin played on Pittsburgh's Stanley Cup-winning teams in 2009, 2016 and 2017. He received the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP during the 2009 championship run and later won both the Hart Trophy and Art Ross Trophy during the 2011-12 season.

He has become one of the three highest-scoring players in franchise history alongside Crosby and Lemieux.

Kris Letang became the defining defenseman of Pittsburgh's modern championship teams.

Letang has spent his entire NHL career with the Penguins and played on all three Stanley Cup-winning teams of the Crosby era. He has established franchise records for defensemen in several major offensive categories and scored the championship-winning goal in Game 6 of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final.

Other prominent players in Penguins history include Jean Pronovost, Rick Kehoe, Tom Barrasso, Ron Francis, Kevin Stevens, Larry Murphy and Marc-Andre Fleury.