Every year, players strive for a chance to hoist the Stanley Cup in the spring. Along the way, some of those skaters reach personal milestones and, with spectacular seasons, win NHL awards.
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The Pittsburgh Penguins are no strangers to winning awards and the Stanley Cup. Once Mario Lemieux joined the organization in 1984, he helped orchestrate a turnaround for the club, which would dominate the 1990s and early 2010s.
Outside of Kris Letang winning the Bill Masterton Trophy in 2023, it’s been a few seasons since someone from Pittsburgh took home some NHL hardware.
Here’s a look at the Penguins’ history with each award, except for the Vezina Trophy, William M. Jennings Trophy, King Clancy Trophy, and Jack Adam Award, which no one has received.
Bill Masterton Trophy – Kris Letang (2023)
During the 2022-23 season, Letang overcame the second stroke of his career, a broken foot, and his father’s death to play 64 games and score 41 points.
Stanley Cup – 2017
The Penguins captured their fifth Stanley Cup title in June 2017, capping off a successful title defense from the previous season. After a 50-21-11 regular season, the club went 16-9 in the playoffs.
Conn Smythe – 2017
Sidney Crosby joined Lemieux as the only player in Pittsburgh history to win back-to-back Conn Smythe Trophies as playoff MVP. In 24 games, the Penguins captain had a league-leading 19 points.
Prince of Wales Trophy – 2017
In 2017, the Penguins won their sixth Prince of Wales Trophy, advancing to the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive campaign and the fourth time in the salary cap era.
Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy – Sidney Crosby (2017)
Seven years after reaching 50 goals for the first time, Crosby tallied 44 in 2016-17 to lead the NHL in lamplighters. As of 2024, that season’s total remains the second-best of his career. Considering the NHL created this award in 1998, Crosby remains the franchise’s only winner.
Related: 7 Fascinating Statistics About Sidney Crosby’s Career
Art Ross Trophy – Sidney Crosby (2014)
Thanks to a league-leading 68 assists, Crosby collected 104 points in 80 games to win his second Art Ross Trophy in 2013-14. He was the only skater to surpass 100 points, beating out Ryan Getzlaf, who finished second in scoring with 87 points.
Hart Trophy – Sidney Crosby (2014)
The last Penguins player to be named NHL MVP was Crosby, who led the league in assists (68) and points (104) during the 2013-14 season.
Ted Lindsay Trophy – Sidney Crosby (2014)
Every year, the NHL awards the Hart Trophy to the league’s MVP, while the NHLPA presents the Ted Lindsay Award to the MVP as voted by the players. Crosby became the third Pittsburgh player to win the prestigious award in 2014, thanks to a league-leading 104 points.
Mark Messier Leadership Award – Sidney Crosby (2010)
Crosby’s streak of being the last Penguins player to win an award continues as the club’s only Mark Messier Leadership Award winner. In 2009-10, a then-22-year-old Crosby tied for the league lead in goals (51) and finished second in scoring with 109 points in 81 games.
Calder Trophy – Evgeni Malkin (2007)
Despite employing some of the game’s greatest players, only two Pittsburgh players have won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year: Lemieux (1984) and Evgeni Malkin (2007). As a 20-year-old, Malkin scored 33 goals and 85 points in 78 games to finish 18th in league scoring.
Related: Does Mario Lemieux Still Own the Penguins?
Lady Byng Trophy – Ron Francis (1998)
Ron Francis is a Hall of Famer who played eight seasons with the Penguins and tallied 613 points in 533 games while collecting 295 penalty minutes. In 1997-98, he scored 87 points in 82 games with just 12 penalty minutes to win his second consecutive Lady Byng Trophy.
Frank J. Selke Trophy – Ron Francis (1995)
Only one Penguins player has won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward: Francis from the 1994-95 season. That year, he led the NHL with 48 assists in 44 games while finishing with a plus-30 rating, also tops in the league.
Presidents’ Trophy – 1993
After winning back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 1991 and 1992, the Penguins set the NHL record for consecutive wins with 17 straight. Thanks to a streak that started on March 9, 1993, and lasted until April. 10, 1993, Pittsburgh finished with the league’s best record, 56-21-7, and 119 points.
Norris Trophy – Randy Carlyle (1980)
Randy Carlyle remains the only Penguins defenseman to win the Norris Trophy in 1980. That year, he had 16 goals and 83 points in 76 games to rank first amongst defenders and 27th overall.
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