(Insert years of turmoil and despair here).
But then the greatest player to ever strap on a pair of skates entered the proverbial picture and transformed a struggling franchise into one of the more excitable ones the NHL has ever seen.
He, of course, was Mario Lemieux.
Since the hockey god’s arrival in 1984-85, the Penguins have won two Stanley Cups, a host of division titles and more Art Ross and Hart trophies than an average mind can comprehend until he officially bid the game he loved so much adieu on January 24, 2006.
They’ve continued in their winning ways since then–stockpiling trophies and exciting fans with players like Brooks Orpik, Marc-Andre Fleury, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal all being drafted in recent years.
(They’ve also won a third Stanley Cup, in case you’ve forgotten).
On the surface one could conclude that since “66” arrived in Pittsburgh, the Penguins have cruised without faux, fault or failure, but, alliteration notwithstanding, that conclusion would be fairly false.
Fortunately and atypically, they’ve experienced success in long stretches, but each successful stretch was preceded by a failed one–proving that one really ought to hit rock-bottom before he is to reach a summit.
The Penguins have certainly proven that.
After reaching the playoffs for 11 consecutive seasons, they hit a lull for a few years. They had to part ways with Hall-of-Famer Ron Francis, future Hall-of-Famer Jaromir Jagr, Alexei Kovalev, Martin Straka, Robert Lang, and the list goes on. To add to the pain, they’ve finished in the bottom of the standings during the dry spell.
Would the Penguins become the Pittsburgh Pirates?
No.
Instead, they’ve clawed their way back into resurgence and prominence. But along the way their current young, dynamic and uber-talented core went through an intense and rigorous curriculum before finally completing their education in winning.
In 2006-07 Crosby’s feet were already wet with NHL experience. So, too, were Fleury’s, etc. Geno Machino had escaped from Mother Russia to join the franchise that told us to Experience the Evolution.
And just like that class was in session.
Pundits predicted the Penguins were a few years away from solidifying themselves as legitimate Stanley Cup contenders. They were also a few years away from making that leap into playoff hockey, many believed.
Wrong!
Penguins exceeded expectations and took the league by storm, as they made the playoffs after a breathtaking 105 point campaign.
Unfortunately, they ran into a wall–otherwise known as the Ottawa Senators–in the first round and were clobbered, losing the best-of-seven series, 4-1. Yet, while the Penguins might’ve only had one respectable shift in the whole series, there wasn’t a sense of panic permeating through the locker room from the players. Most of the players never tasted playoff hockey. Growing pains were inevitable.
They learned from the best, more importantly.
Ottawa was the team to beat in 2006-07. They had depth, mobility on the back-end, experience and a physical presence. “Note to self,” the Penguins conveyed to themselves. Lesson #1 learned.
The following year the Penguins were equally as poised to challenge for the playoffs, despite a shaky first half of the season. They surged in the second half, acquired Marian Hossa (blasphemy!) and became the Ottawa Senators of the previous year. All this after they returned the favor to the Senators in a four-game sweep in the first round. Would this be the year?!
Nope.
After running into a wall known as the Senators the previous year, the Penguins ran into a machine known as the Detroit Red Wings. They manhandled the Penguins in six games. They had skill all through the line-up, experience up to wazoo, an aggressive fore-check and most everything else, frankly. “Note to self,” the Penguins conveyed to themselves, this time with more of a mutter and perhaps an expletive thrown in somewhere. Lesson #2 learned.
What happened the following year won’t be forgotten by even those who weren’t alive to live through the thrill. The Penguins returned the favor to the Red Wings, beating them with their own medicine.
They’ve learned from the best in consecutive years and emerged as the best through the process.
They’ve mastered all the intricacies of playoff hockey and of winning.
The students have become the masters, yet their education is not entirely complete.
The Penguins have to continue to learn from the best to move on from masters to scholars.
They will do so by learning from themselves.