Pittsburgh Penguins Records Against Original Six Franchises

The Pittsburgh Penguins joined the NHL in 1967, the year the Original Six Era ended, and the league expanded from six to 12 teams.

Because those franchises had a head start by a few decades, those Original Six teams are the winningest franchises in NHL history.

Considering the aurora surrounding those clubs, how have the Penguins fared when facing their legendary rivals? Well, without spoiling the party, the results have been pretty mixed.

Here’s the breakdown.

Boston Bruins (227 games) 79-119-21-8

The Penguins and Boston Bruins were not real rivals until 1979, when Pittsburgh opted to align their sweater colors with the Steelers and Pirates, switching from blue and white to black and gold.

Well, the Bruins organization didn’t like the move, and they have continued to dominate the Penguins during the regular season, with a .524 win percentage.

The trend continues into the Stanley Cup playoffs, where Boston is up 3-2 in overall matchups. However, Pittsburgh beat their rivals in 1991 and 1992 en route to their first championships.

Chicago Blackhawks (144 games) 48-73-17-6

Because the Chicago Blackhawks play in the conference opposite the Penguins, these two haven’t had many meetings. Out of all the Original Six teams, Pittsburgh and Chicago have met the fewest times.

However, like several other clubs on this list, those franchises have gotten the better of the Penguins over the decades. But Pittsburgh won their second-ever Stanley Cup title in 1992, completing a four-game sweep over the Blackhawks in their only playoff matchup.

Detroit Red Wings (169 games) 79-69-16-5

Since 1967, the Detroit Red Wings have played in both the Eastern and Western Conferences. Interestingly, the team from the Motor City has a losing record against the Penguins, one of only three Original Six clubs with that distinction.

In its history, Pittsburgh has played in the Stanley Cup Final six times, and three of those meetings came against Original Six franchises, the Blackhawks and Red Wings (twice).

Sidney Crosby won his first championship in 2009 after defeating Detroit in Game 7, a year after losing to the Red Wings in the previous Final. As of 2024, these two clubs are the last to meet consecutive years in the Stanley Cup Final.

Montreal Canadiens (225 games) 75-116-23-11

The Montreal Canadiens have had no problem defeating the Penguins in the regular season or the playoffs. With 116 wins, the Canadiens rank second behind the Bruins in victories over Pittsburgh.

The statistics are in Montreal’s favor in the postseason, too. The team remains a perfect 3-0 in matchups and has an 11-6 advantage in the win column.

New York Rangers (299 games) 137-106-22-14

On opening night in October, the Penguins will face the New York Rangers for the 300th time. Interestingly, Pittsburgh’s second-most victories have come against its rivals on Broadway, behind the Philadelphia Flyers.

However, the wins don’t stop there. These two clubs have met eight times in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the second-most matchups the Penguins have had against any team.

Overall, Pittsburgh maintains a 5-3 advantage in playoff meetings while holding a 27-17 lead in postseason victories against the Original Six club.

Toronto Maple Leafs (197 games) 91-81-17-8

The Penguins have a winning record against the Red Wings, Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. At the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, the two franchises will have met over 200 times, with Pittsburgh holding a slim lead in the overall matchup by 10 wins.

Like the other Canadian club on the list, the Canadiens, the Penguins have never defeated the Maple Leafs in the postseason. They lost all three meetings and trail 8-4 in wins.

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