PITTSBURGH (93.7 the Fan) A pair of short term Pittsburgh Penguins have received their rings to be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
These players weren’t long time stays in the Penguins lineup, hence the usage of “short term.”
Between these two players, they played a total of 25 regular season games in Pittsburgh.
They both, despite not winning a cup in black and gold, did have successful playoff runs.
The players in question are Jarome Iginla and Marian Hossa, who are part of the 2020-2021 Hockey Hall of Fame class.
Hossa first arrived in Pittsburgh ahead of the 2008 playoff push, which saw the Penguins fall to the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final.
In 12 regular season games with the Penguins, Hossa posted three goals and seven assists for 10 points.
That postseason, however, Hossa had arguably the best playoffs of his career; In 20 games he recorded career postseason highs of 12 goals, 14 assists, 26 points.
Given the massive postseason success (minus a Cup) one could argue that Hossa should have re-signed with the Penguins.
But he wanted his chance to win a Cup, so he went to Detroit for the 2008-09 season; Where he would lose to the Penguins in the Cup Final.
Hossa did go on to win three Stanley Cups with the Chicago Blackhawks.
As for Iginla, he never won a Cup; He and the Calgary Flames lost in Game 7 in 2004 to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Iginla’s short tenure in Pittsburgh may have been his second best opportunity to get his name etched on the trophy.
The Penguins stacked their lineup and were the odds on favorite to win it all in 2013.
After 12 regular season games, where Iginla put up five goals and six assists for 11 points, the Penguins went in to the playoffs firing on all cylinders.
The veteran winger was fourth on the team in playoff points with 12 (4-8), and the Penguins would ultimately lose in disappointing fashion to the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Final.
They may not have been a Penguin for long, but Hossa and Iginla’s brief tenures in Pittsburgh are worth looking back on and a small part of their, official, Hall of Fame careers.