It goes without saying that some Christmas gifts are better than others. As a kid, socks are a bottom tier gift, but now at my ripe old age of 23, socks in the stocking is like winning a million bucks.
As long as you don't get Flyers tickets, Christmas shouldn't be completely ruined.
In the spirit of Christmas and the spirit of giving, let's look back at a few of the best gifts the Pittsburgh Penguins have received over the years. We're talking about unwrapping a Nintendo Wii on Christmas morning in 2006. Now THAT is an S-tier gift.
Winning the 2005 Draft Lottery
Pittsburgh came in at the greatest odds to win the 2005 Draft Lottery along with the Sabres, Rangers, and Blue Jackets at 6.3%. With three balls in the pot and the Anaheim Ducks being given the second overall pick, the Penguins were gifted the right to the first choice in the draft.
And who did they take? The modern day GOAT of course. Sid the Kid.
Over 1300 games, 600 goals, 1000 assists, and three Stanley Cups later, Pittsburgh got a franchise-altering gift on that day in 2005.
The Six-Game Losing Streak to End the 1983-84 Season
Hang on. I know what you're thinking.
A losing streak? Did you drink too much eggnog? Just hear me out.
The 1983-84 Penguins were awful. Their record: 16-58-6. That's a lot of L's. However, of those 58 losses, none were more important than the six straight to finish the season. Their skid to end the season allowed them to finish three points below the New Jersey Devils. Dead last in the NHL.
What started with a 13-4 loss at the hand of the Flyers on March 22, 1984 ended up in the first overall pick in the 1984 NHL Draft.
And who did the Penguins take? A certain Mario Lemieux.
The Penguins' all-time goals leader, assists leader (maybe not for long), and two time Stanley Cup champion was an incredible gift on that day in 1984. The world would not be recognizable if Lemieux went to the Devils. There's a large possibility we wouldn't be celebrating Christmas in the big 2024.
The 1991, 1992, 2009, 2016, and 2017 Washington Capitals
As much as the Penguins and Capitals don't get along, it was so nice of the '91, '92, '09, '16, and '17 Capitals to gift wrap us a nicely laid out runway to all five of our Stanley Cup victories.
It was always in the first or second round, but in each of our Cup runs, the Capitals were an integral part. Many of those series were also the setting for some of the greatest moments in Penguins history - often overtime winners that ended with pictures of Washington goalies prostate on the ice. What a lovely sight.
They might like to look at us in 2018 and say the same thing, but remember: If you don't let your little brother win occasionally, he'll quit playing.
Literally Philip Tomasino
The Nashville Predators gifted the Penguins Philip Tomasino on November 25, 2024 in return for highly coveted forward, "2027 4th Round Pick". The 2017 Stanley Cup champions are 8-3-1 since that moment.
It was incredibly nice of Nashville to host the most recent Penguins Stanley Cup victory, and it seems they've doubled down in hopes to allow those scenes to happen again. Tomasino will win the Conn Smythe. Bookmark this article.
From all of us at Pens Labyrinth, have a very Merry Christmas!