Former Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2018 Winter Olympics

You might recognize some former Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2018 Winter games in PyeongChang.

Men’s Ice Hockey games are set for Wednesday, February 14^th with a matchup between the Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) vs Slovakia and Team USA vs. Slovenia. It’s obviously bittersweet for NHL fans who will not get to see the best players in the world represent their countries. Instead, players from around the world, who are affiliated with an NHL franchise, will take the ice for the opportunity to win gold. These players come from all over and some of them have ties to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Slovakia

Tomas Surovy, Slovakia

Surovy was with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2003 through 2006, playing in 126 games while putting up 59 points with the franchise during the “dark years.” Leaving the Penguins after the 2005-2006 season, Surovy bounced around the Swedish Elite League (SEL) before landing in the KHL and then moving onto the Slovak Extraliga.

Canada

Andrew Ebbett, Canada

Ebbett played a total of 33 games with the Penguins between 2014 and 2015, scoring 1 goal and 6 assists in his Penguins career. Furthermore, he also spent some time with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins during his time with the organization.  After his NHL career ended, Ebbett moved on to the Swiss National League A. He is an alternative captain for Team Canada.

Rob Klinkhammer, Canada

Klinkhammer’s illustrious Penguin’s career lasted a whole 10 games before the Penguins traded him and a conditional fifth round pick to Edmonton for David Perron. After playing for another year with the Oilers, Klinkhammer left the NHL to sign with a KHL club.

Maxim Lapierre, Canada

Lapierre’s career as a Penguin consists of 35 games played in 2015, with zero goals and two assists and a plus/minus of -13. After arriving from St. Louis in a trade for Marcel Goc (more on that later), Lapierre would finish the season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. After the season, he moved on to the Swedish Hockey League and then the Swiss National League A.

USA

Noah Welch, USA

Playing from 2006 to 2007 with the Penguins and appearing in 27 games on defense, Welch’s most important (and memorable) contribution to the Penguins was undoubtedly the return that came to the Penguins when they traded him to the Florida Panthers for Gary Roberts. Welch spent time with the Panthers, Lightning, and Thrashers, before moving on to the Swedish Elite League.

Chris Bourque, USA

Claimed off waivers from the Washington Capitals in 2010, Bourque appeared in 20 games with the Penguins. In those 20 games, Bourque did not score any goals and put up 3 assists, resulting in the Penguins waiving him only and the Capitals reclaiming him. Bourque spent the next few years bouncing around the AHL, NHL, KHL, and NLA before finding himself back on the Hershey Bears these past years.

Mark Arcobello, USA

Arcobello is another short-lived former Penguin forward on this list. Arcobello appeared in 10 games for the Penguins after being claimed off waivers in 2015 from the Nashville Predators. Shortly after he was waived by the Penguins and claimed by the Arizona Coyotes. After splitting time between the NHL and AHL, Arcobello has been playing in the Swiss National League A.

Chad Kolarik, USA

While never playing for a game with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Kolarik spent 35 games with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins in the 2012-2013 season. He scored 33 points in those games. After the AHL, Kolarik left to play in the Swedish Elite League, the Kontintental Hockey League, the Swiss National League A, and the German Ice Hockey League (DEL).

Germany

Christian Ehrhoff, Germany

Ehrhoff signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins in July 2014, and appeared in 49 games and pick up 14 points. After injuries shortened his season, Ehrhoff signed the next year with the Los Angeles Kings. He was then traded to the Blackhawks (in exchange for Rob Scuderi). Then he signed a Professional Try Out with the Bruins. Ehrhoff then opted to return to Germany instead, where he’s been continuing his career since with Kolner Hale of the DEL.

Marcel Goc, Germany

Between 2014-2015, Goc appeared in 55 games with the Penguins and was traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Maxim Lapierre. After finishing that season with the Blues, Goc signed with Adler Mannheim of the DEL.

Coaches (and other)

Jim Paek, South Korea

The first player of Korean descent to play hockey in the NHL, Paek spent the better part of four seasons in Pittsburgh. During his time in Pittsburgh, he won two Stanley Cup Championships along the way. After playing with many different teams and in different leagues, Paek retired from playing professional hockey in 2003. Paek is the director of hockey for the Korea Ice Hockey Association and head coach of the South Korean national team.

Richard Park, South Korea

South Korea’s assistant coach, Richard Park appeared in over 100 games with the Penguins, in two different stints, between 1995 and 2012. Park was known for penalty killing, including scoring a 3-on-5 shorthanded goal against the Penguins with the Islanders. Park retired from playing professional hockey in 2014 at the end of his two year contract in the Swiss National League A.

Peter Popovic, Sweden

Popovic appeared in 54 games on defense for the Penguins in 2000. After playing for the Penguins, he spent a season with the Bruins before going onto play in Sweden. In 2011, he became an assistant coach for Team Sweden.

Tony Granato, USA

Tony Granato is the head coach of the US Olympic squad.  Granato joined the Penguins coaching staff as their special teams coach in 2009, shortly after they won the Stanley Cup.  He stayed with the team until the Penguins got rid of their entire coaching staff in June 2014.

Scott Young, USA

Scott Young played in 43 games for the Penguins in 1991, winning the Stanley Cup that year. He stayed in the NHL until the 2005-2006 season, playing with the Nordiques, Avalanche, Mighty Ducks, Blues, and Stars. Young is an assistant coach for Team USA.