Today is Thursday, and that means we’re throwing it back!
Every Thursday, we will take a trip down memory lane and recall the careers of former Pittsburgh Penguins who helped lead the team to Stanley Cup Championships.
When scouring the Pittsburgh Penguins’ history books, there have been many clutch, turning-point moments. For a franchise that has seen as much success as Pittsburgh has within the last 35 years, that tends to happen.
Usually, one can point to a goal, a fight, or a coaching decision that helps turn the tides and swing momentum in a team’s favor. But there was one man – one Pittsburgh cult hero – who turned what started as a perfectly-timed fight into simple gesture that became one of the most iconic and momentum-shifting moments in Pittsburgh sports history.
That man? Maxime Talbot.
“The Shush” helped the Penguins overcome a three-goal deficit and score five unanswered goals in Game 6 of the 2009 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, which put away the rival Philadelphia Flyers for good and sent Pittsburgh to the second round.
They ultimately went on to the Stanley Cup Final, defeating the mighty Detroit Red Wings and exacting revenge on the same team who defeated them in the Final a year prior.
And Talbot, once again, was the hero. He scored both goals in Game 7 to seal the Penguins’ 2-1 victory and give them their first Cup in the Crosby era, their first since 1992, and their third in franchise history:
Talbot – certainly not known for his offense – scored eight goals and registered 13 points in Pittsburgh’s 2009 playoff run. Without Talbot, the Penguins probably don’t win the Cup that season, as his clutch goals, his work on the penalty kill, and his signature moments all proved crucial in the team’s winning efforts.
He was drafted by the Penguins in the eighth round of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, and he spent six seasons in Pittsburgh through the end of the 2010-11 season. Talbot went on to play for the Flyers, the Colorado Avalanche, and the Boston Bruins, and he retired in 2016 with 91 goals and 204 points in 704 career games.
Related: Throwback Thursday: Revisiting the Career of Penguins’ All-Time Great Defenseman
Related: Forgotten Penguins Players: Ron Tugnutt
Related: Best Penguins by Jersey Number: #12
