Each staff has them. Gamers they took in a draft however went on to have success in different cities. Possibly the unique staff didn’t assume the participant was adequate, or they figured they might get a greater return in a commerce. Or possibly, they simply let the rookie contract run out, and one other staff swooped in. Both approach, these gamers are castoffs who went on to have stellar NHL careers with different groups.
The Pittsburgh Penguins aren’t any stranger to this dilemma. Through the years, the group has had loads of proficient gamers who simply couldn’t discover their groove in Pittsburgh. In different cities with totally different groups, these gamers would flourish into one thing particular.
Calen Addison (2018)
Let’s begin with the newest choices and work backwards in staff historical past. First off is Calen Addison. A participant who has made an NHL affect over the previous two seasons, he’s patrolling the blue line for the San Jose Sharks following a midseason commerce from the Minnesota Wild. He helped the Canadian World Junior staff win gold in 2020 whereas selecting up probably the most assists by a defenseman in your complete event.
A second-round (53rd general) choose in 2018, Addison has all types of room to develop with the Wild. The Penguins traded Addison away together with a first-round choose in Feb. 2020 for Jason Zucker. On the time, 19-year-old Addison was a high prospect within the Penguins group.
Filip Gustavsson (2016)
Very similar to Addison, Fillip Gustavsson is one other participant who simply obtained his ft moist within the NHL this previous season and has a brilliant future forward. A second-round (55th general) choose within the 2016 Draft, Gustavsson performed in 19 profession NHL video games and may very well be within the combat for the way forward for Ottawa Senators goaltending, paradoxically, with Matt Murray.
After being drafted by the Penguins in 2016, Gustavsson helped backstop the Swedish World Junior staff to a silver medal in 2018. In the course of the event, he posted a 1.81 goals-against common (GAA) and .924 save share (SV%). Since graduating to the NHL in the course of the 2020-21 season, his numbers have been fairly related.
With the Senators, Gustavsson began his profession with a 27-10-13 report with a 3.12 GAA and a .905 SV%. Ottawa shipped him to the Wild over the 2022 offseason the place his numbers additional improved to the tune of a 42-27-11 report, a .914 SV%, and a 2.60 GAA throughout 84 video games.
Jake Muzzin (2007)
Jake Muzzin’s story to the NHL is an attention-grabbing one. A protracted story that noticed two NHL Drafts however would finally result in a pair of Stanley Cup victories in Los Angeles.
In 2007, after solely enjoying 50 video games within the OHL with the Sault St. Marie Greyhounds, the Penguins picked Muzzin within the fifth spherical, 141st general. The Penguins determined to not signal him, and in 2009, he re-entered for the Draft. Nobody referred to as his identify, and he went undrafted, returning to the OHL for an overage 12 months.
In 2010, Muzzin lastly obtained his shot on the NHL, signing a contract with the Los Angeles Kings. He bounced forwards and backwards between the Kings and their AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, for a pair of seasons. He was referred to as up, however wholesome scratched, for the Kings 2012 Stanley Cup run. The next 12 months, he was a daily within the lineup and have become a key defender of their journey to successful the Cup in 2014.
The Penguins could have drafted Muzzin, however they didn’t give him the look he deserved. Two rings and 683 video games performed later, he retired in Oct. 2023 to turn into a professional scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Matt Moulson (2003)
Hear me out, Matt Moulson could not have had an elite profession, however he collected three straight 30-goal seasons with the New York Islanders. That’s greater than he did within the Penguins group. To be frank, Moulson did about as a lot within the Penguins’ group as Muzzin did.
The Penguins took a flyer on Moulson within the ninth spherical (263rd general) of the 2003 NHL Draft however went unsigned as he returned to play school hockey with Cornell. He graduated in 2006 earlier than, like Muzzin, signing with the Kings previous to the beginning of the 2006-07 season.
In the course of the 2009 offseason, Moulson signed a contract with the Islanders, the place he went on to have the three greatest seasons of his profession. From 2009 to 2012 on Lengthy Island, he scored 30, 31, and 36 objectives, respectively. He later performed for the Wild and Buffalo Sabres enjoying in 650 profession NHL video games with 369 factors. He retired following the 2021-22 season.
Patrick Lalime (1993)
Enjoyable reality: Of all goaltenders drafted by the Penguins, Patrick Lalime ranks third in profession wins. Solely 21 of them got here in a Pittsburgh sweater. Drafted within the sixth spherical (156th general) within the 1993 Draft, the Penguins figured a single season was sufficient of Lalime.
Throughout his rookie season with Pittsburgh in 1996-97, Lalime performed in 39 video games accruing a report of 21-12-2 with a .913 SV%. Adequate to be named to the NHL All-Rookie Group and end fifth in Rookie of the 12 months voting. In March of 1998, the Penguins traded Lalime to the Mighty Geese of Anaheim for Chris Pronger’s brother, Sean. A one-for-one deal. Sean performed seven video games with the Penguins. Woof.
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Lalime, in the meantime, finally labored his solution to Ottawa, the place he started a strong five-year run in internet. With the Sens, he reached a report of 146-100-30 with a .908 SV%. He was traded to the St. Louis Blues previous to the 2004-05 lockout, and that was the start of the top. From 2005 to 2011, he solely gained 33 video games with 62 losses and 16 additional time losses.
Certain, Lalime’s profession ended with a whimper, however in his prime, he fought to be within the argument because the Senators’ high franchise goalie.
Markus Naslund (1991)
Right here it’s, the massive one. Each good Pens fan will know the whole mishandling of Markus Naslund in Pittsburgh. Taken within the first spherical (16th general) of the 1991 Draft, the Penguins had a participant who would flip right into a captain and top-5 franchise participant. It simply didn’t occur in Pittsburgh.
Possibly Naslund’s profession obtained off to a gradual begin; His rookie season, he noticed 71 video games however may solely muster 4 objectives and 7 assists. His sophomore season held 14 video games with a pair of objectives and assists for 4 factors. His third 12 months, nonetheless, is when issues began to show round.Â
In 66 video games to start out the 1995-96 season, Naslund scored 19 objectives and 33 assists for 52 factors. That might be it for him in Pittsburgh, as in March of 1996, the Penguins traded him to the Vancouver Canucks for Alek Stojanov. One other one-for-one. Stojanov performed 42 video games and had six factors in Pittsburgh. Naslund went on be a three-time All-Star, submit a number of 40-goal seasons, and play over 1,100 video games within the NHL. He ranks second in all-time Canucks objectives and third in factors.
In lots of hockey circles, the deal that despatched Naslund to Vancouver is checked out as one in all the worst, most lopsided trades in NHL historical past. It’s a good evaluation given the paths Naslund and Stojanov would take following the deal.
Honorable Mentions
Michal Rozsival: Fourth spherical, 105th general, 1996
PIT stats: 237 video games, 18 objectives, 47 assists
Profession totals: 963 video games, 68 objectives, 241 assists, two Stanley Cups with Chicago Blackhawks
Craig Simpson: First spherical, 2nd general, 1985
PIT stats: 169 video games, 50 objectives, 55 assists
Profession stats: 634 video games, 247 objectives, 250 assists, two Stanley Cups with Edmonton Oilers
Gord Lane: Ninth spherical, 134th general, 1973
PIT stats: 0 video games, 0 objectives, 0 assists
Profession stats: 539 video games, 19 objectives, 94 assists, 4 Stanley Cups with New York Islanders
Do any of those gamers make a distinction within the grand scheme of Penguins’ historical past? It’s laborious to say given the group’s points with chapter and nice gamers not staying lengthy. May they’ve helped the staff win? Actually, however the Penguins have discovered methods to win and herald different proficient gamers all through the years.
