Pittsburgh fans have been given two big reasons to celebrate this day over the years. And, on June 12, two of the greatest players in NHL history were honored. Let’s step inside the THW time machine, take a trip back through the years and remember all the best memories.
Banner day in Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh Penguins have won five Stanley Cups in their franchise history, with two of those victories coming on this day. On June 12, 2009, they defeated the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final to win their first championship since 1992. They got revenge on the Red Wings, who they beat in the 2008 Finals.
Max Talbot scored both goals for the Penguins in the second half. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury made 23 saves, but none bigger than the one he made against Nicklas Lidstrom just before the game expired.
The Penguins lost the first two games of both the Eastern Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Final before winning each series in seven games. They were the first in league history to do so. Sidney Crosby, 21, became the youngest captain ever to receive the trophy in the middle ice.
Evgeni Malkin was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy for being the most valuable player in the postseason. Scored 14 goals and 36 points in 24 games in the 2009 Playoffs.
Exactly seven years later, on June 12, 2016, Crosby met NHL commissioner Gary Bettman at center ice again to receive the Stanley Cup. The Penguins won their fourth championship in franchise history by beating the San Jose Sharks 3-1 in Game 6 of the Finals. Defender Kris Letang’s goal in the second half was the winner. Pittsburgh allowed just 19 shots on goal, including just two in the third period.
Crosby, who had two assists on the night, won the Conn Smythe Trophy for scoring six goals and 19 points in the playoffs. Some felt that Phil Kessel should have won this award after leading the Penguins with 10 goals and 22 points. Mike Sullivan became the sixth coach to win the Stanley Cup after taking over the team in the middle of the season.
A Great Tribute to Two Legends
Gordie Howe was named captain of the Red Wings on June 12, 1958, taking over from Red Kelly. He wore the “C” on his jersey for the next four seasons. He gave it to Alex Delvecchio when he was named an assistant coach before the 1961-62 season.
On June 12, 1979, Boston Bruins defenseman Bobby Orr became the youngest player ever to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. The mandatory three-year waiting period was waived for the 31-year-old, who retired in November 1978. Henri Richard and Harry Howell were also part of the Hall of Fame class of 1979.
Before a knee injury limited him to just 36 games over the final three seasons of his career, Orr was arguably the greatest defenseman in NHL history. He is the only blueliner to ever lead the league in scoring, a feat he did twice, and won every Norris Trophy for being voted the best defenseman in the game between 1968 and 1975.
The Training Shuffle Continues
Edmonton Oilers general manager Glen Sather resigned as head coach on June 12, 1989, and replaced him with John Muckler. Muckler won a Stanley Cup with the Oilers in his first of two seasons as a head coach. He left the organization following the 1990-91 season to become the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres.
Muckler also became the general manager of the Ottawa Senators, the sixth in franchise history, on this day in 2002. He oversaw the most successful season in team history, taking them to the Stanley Cup Final in 2007. However, despite the success, he was fired a few days after the finals and was replaced by Bryan Murray.
The penguins made some coaching changes on this day. On June 12, 1990, Bob Johnson was hired as head coach, replacing Craig Patrick, and Scotty Bowman was named Director of Player Development and Recruiting. The Penguins won the Stanley Cup in Johnson’s first season with the team. Unfortunately, that was his only full season in Pittsburgh. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in August 1991 and was replaced by Bowman. Johnson died at age 60 the following November.
On June 12, 1997, the Penguins hired Kevin Constantine as their new head coach. He also replaced Patrick, who was general manager at the time and came in after firing Eddie Johnston late in the 1996-97 season. Constantine held the job until 25 games into the 1999-00 season, when he was fired and replaced by Herb Brooks.
Collects Hardware
The NHL announced the winners of its postseason awards on June 12, 1978. Mike Bossy was named the winner of the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top player for the 1977-78 season. He became the third member of the New York Islanders in five years to win the Calder Trophy, joining Denis Potvin (1974) and Bryan Trottier (1976).
Other award winners in the 1977-78 season included the Guy Lafleur and Hart (league most valuable player) and Art Ross (leading scorer) Trophies, Potvin’s Norris Trophy with the Jack Adams Award (best coach) going to -Bobby Kromm of the group. Red Wings. Ken Dryden and Michel Larocque of the Montreal Canadiens were awarded the Vezina Trophy. At this time, the Vezina was given to goalkeepers in the team with a good record and not that the goalkeeper was voted the best in the league as is the case now.
The 1985 NHL Awards were also released on this day. Penguins star Mario Lemieux won the Calder Trophy after scoring 43 goals and 100 points in his first season. Wayne Gretzky won both the Hart and Art Ross Awards and the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the most outstanding player as voted on by the players. Paul Coffey won the Norris, the Vezina went to Pelle Lindbergh and his coach with the Philadelphia Flyers, Mike Keenan, went with Jack Adams.
Odds & Ends
On June 12, 1968, St. Louis Blues acquired veteran goaltender Jacques Plante from the New York Rangers in the NHL Intra-League Draft. Plante played in 69 games for the Blues over the next two seasons, helping them reach the Stanley Cup Finals in both seasons at age 40 and 41.
One year later, the 1969 NHL Amateur Draft was held in Montreal. The Canadiens had the first two picks, and selected Rejean Houle and Marc Tardif. The two combined for 239 goals and 565 points in 879 games with the Canadiens. Other notable names from this section of the draft include Ivan Boldirev (11th, Bruins), Bobby Clarke (17th, Flyers), Gilles Gilbert (25th, Minnesota North Stars), and Butch Goring (51).StLos Angeles Kings).
The Bruins traded Derek Sanderson to the Rangers on June 12, 1974, in exchange for Walt McKechnie. Sanderson had a great debut season in New York with 25 goals and 50 points. He played eight games for the Blues in the 1975-76 season. McKechnie had three goals and six points in 53 games for Boston. He was traded to the Red Wings before the end of his only season with the Bruins.
On June 12, 1989, the Red Wings signed veteran defenseman Borje Salming. He played only 49 games in his one season with Detroit, the finals in the NHL after 16 with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Dallas Stars beat the Sabers 2-1 on June 12, 1999, in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Joe Nieuwendyk scored both goals for the Stars, tying Joe Sakic’s record for most goals in a single playoff game with six. Stu Barns opened the scoring for Buffalo in the second half before Nieuwendyk scored twice. He and Sakic shared the record until Brad Richards scored seven game-winning goals for the Tampa Bay Lightning during the 2004 Playoffs.
Andrew Shaw’s shin pad ended the fifth longest Stanley Cup final in history on June 12, 2013, as the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Bruins 4-3, in the series opener. At 12:08 of the third overtime period, Michal Rozsival’s shot hit Dave Bolland’s stick and Shaw’s leg as it went past goalkeeper Tuukka Rask.
Bruins forward Jaromir Jagr made NHL history tonight. This was his first finals appearance since 1992, and against the Blackhawks as a member of the Penguins, the longest gap between two trips for any player. He also became the first player ever to play in the finals as a teenager and at the age of 40.
happy Birthday to you
There are 16 players who skated in at least one NHL game born on June 12. The most notable of the group are Doug Brown (60), Mathieu Schneider (55), Wade Redden (47), Ryan Kuffner (28), Gustav. Forsling (28), and the late Hall of Famer Bill Cowley.
*Originally created by Greg Boysen
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