Team of the Decade: Pittsburgh Penguins Edition

LastWordArmy

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Sep 11, 2011
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Last Word On Hockey brings our Team of the Decade series. We will dive into the best player at each position this decade for every organization. The biggest and best at each position, with the most memorable moments in franchise history. Here is the Pittsburgh Penguins decade lineup.

Left Wing: Chris Kunitz

This was easily the most difficult decision for the Pittsburgh Penguins decade list. However, Chris Kunitz was a Pittsburgh staple for so many years during this decade. He had his best seasons next to Sidney Crosby and you could always count on him to score in a big moment. This was evident in a monstrous way in game seven against the Ottawa Senators in the 2017 Eastern Conference Final. This goal is arguably one of the three biggest goals ever scored in Penguins history:

See the highlight and read more on Kunitz and the rest of the team here.

Pittsburgh Penguins Team of the Decade - Last Word on Hockey
 

ziggyjoe212

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Oct 2, 2017
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No arguments with this list. And solid justification for all.

A little bold to put MM over MAF but understandable and justifiable.
 

Peat

Registered User
Jun 14, 2016
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Yep. He (stupidly) has been made to play some wing in the past so it even has SOME justification.

I mean, my justification is that Geno with one arm would be my second choice for a Pens forward from the last decade, nevermind Geno out of position. The fact he's played the position a little is just gravy.

I guess if I wasn't doing that, I'd go with Jake and Horny as the wings. Only slightly for the sake of debate...
 

theicebox

#MonixWatch
Jan 8, 2010
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Pittsburgh
Guentzel - Crosby - Hornqvist
Kunitz - Malkin - Neal
Hagelin - Bonino - Kessel
Staal - Cullen - Rust
(Kovalev!)

Dumoulin - Letang
Maatta - Daley
Cole - Schultz
(Gonchar!)

Fleury
Murray
(Jarry!)
 

Khelandros

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Feb 12, 2019
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I think any 6 man team for the Pens over the last decade just shoehorns Geno onto one of the wings.
Considering Geno plays about 3:40 per game on defense, you could make the case for him being there as well.
 

HandshakeLine

A real jerk thing
Nov 9, 2005
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Speaking of terrible players on the Pens, I'd really like to see all-time Worst Penguins team. It'd be a lot more interesting.
 

HandshakeLine

A real jerk thing
Nov 9, 2005
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I actually think that would be a lot of fun... probably. Until someone's feelings got hurt.

Then it would be even MORE fun!

Right? There's only so many times we can talk about Crosby and Malkin and Lemieux. But I want the knives to come out for people like Wendell Young or Richard Lintner. :laugh:

We might have to make a limit on the X Generation team though, 'cause wooof, that was a f***ing shitshow. :laugh:
 
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BlindWillyMcHurt

ti kallisti
May 31, 2004
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The X Generation would just be too easy... it's like cheating. You basically just take any given roster from like a three year window and you automatically win the poll.

And lol... Richard Lnitner. Remember he scored like one pretty goal and the team promptly tried to make him a forward? IIRC he wasn't interested in coming back the following year. Wonder why?

Boy that Kovalev deal was such misery.
 
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Peat

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Jun 14, 2016
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Speaking of terrible players on the Pens, I'd really like to see all-time Worst Penguins team. It'd be a lot more interesting.

I always enjoy those because of the looseness of who's 'worst'. Do expectations come into it? Does the deeply mediocre guy with a 100 games beat out the absolute stinker from the AHL with only 3? I mean, of course I'd enjoy that sort of thing.

My complete lack of historical knowledge ass would probably present this as the worst team. I think all of them are worthy of consideration for inclusion in a full roster of the worst

Plotnikov-Brassard-Reaves
Pouliot-Hunwick
Niemi

You could also probably do a great "Most screwed by injuries" team too.
 

Peat

Registered User
Jun 14, 2016
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Hmm. What other teams can we do? Drafted by Penguins vs Acquired Elsewise by Penguins (very unfair given the Cs we've drafted)? Best team of players to have only played a season or less for the Pens? Best team of players to have never won a ring with us?
 

Al Smith

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Apr 28, 2012
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I always enjoy those because of the looseness of who's 'worst'. Do expectations come into it? Does the deeply mediocre guy with a 100 games beat out the absolute stinker from the AHL with only 3? I mean, of course I'd enjoy that sort of thing.

My complete lack of historical knowledge ass would probably present this as the worst team. I think all of them are worthy of consideration for inclusion in a full roster of the worst

Plotnikov-Brassard-Reaves
Pouliot-Hunwick
Niemi

You could also probably do a great "Most screwed by injuries" team too.

A simple approach would be to take an amalgam of the worst on the 83-84 and 03-04 teams and then try to find guys who were worse than the worst of the worst. I’d exclude cup of coffee AHL types.
 

HandshakeLine

A real jerk thing
Nov 9, 2005
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Praha, CZ
A simple approach would be to take an amalgam of the worst on the 83-84 and 03-04 teams and then try to find guys who were worse than the worst of the worst. I’d exclude cup of coffee AHL types.

I feel like that's cheating. :laugh: Those were two of the most historically horrid teams to ever see the ice.
 

BlindWillyMcHurt

ti kallisti
May 31, 2004
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And that team didn't even have Shane Endicott.

Well it's no wonder they were so hopeless!

But seriously... that guy was a second round pick, somehow. He managed 2 points in 41 games in the "Palffy year." I guess they needed the center depth considering they started out the year with Lasse Pirjeta penciled into the lineup as their #2.

Isn't Endicott their only buyout? I feel like I'm missing someone.
 

Big McLargehuge

Fragile Traveler
May 9, 2002
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Well it's no wonder they were so hopeless!

But seriously... that guy was a second round pick, somehow. He managed 2 points in 41 games in the "Palffy year." I guess they needed the center depth considering they started out the year with Lasse Pirjeta penciled into the lineup as their #2.

Isn't Endicott their only buyout? I feel like I'm missing someone.

Couldn't skate, couldn't pass, couldn't shoot, didn't hit, couldn't play defense...but man, could he ever be 6'4"...and wear puka shells necklaces.

Probably the worst non-goon I've ever seen play more than 10 games at the NHL level. He was Steve McKenna without any of McKenna's redeemable qualities.

I'm pretty sure Caron was also bought out at the same time.
 
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Mr. T

Registered User
Feb 15, 2003
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And that team didn't even have Shane Endicott.

Well it's no wonder they were so hopeless!

But seriously... that guy was a second round pick, somehow. He managed 2 points in 41 games in the "Palffy year." I guess they needed the center depth considering they started out the year with Lasse Pirjeta penciled into the lineup as their #2.

Isn't Endicott their only buyout? I feel like I'm missing someone.

Don't shit on Shane. Like Tom Waits, my man was big in Japan.
 
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