1967–68 Pittsburgh Penguins season
1967–68 Pittsburgh Penguins | |
---|---|
Division | 5th West |
1967–68 record | 27–34–13 |
Home record | 15–12–10 |
Road record | 12–22–3 |
Goals for | 195 |
Goals against | 216 |
Team information | |
General Manager | Jack Riley |
Coach | Red Sullivan |
Captain | Ab McDonald |
Alternate captains | Leo Boivin Earl Ingarfield Al MacNeil |
Arena | Pittsburgh Civic Arena |
Average attendance | 7,405 (59.2%) (36 games)[1] |
Team leaders | |
Goals | Ab McDonald (22) |
Assists | Andy Bathgate (39) |
Points | Andy Bathgate (59) |
Penalties in minutes | Leo Boivin (74) |
Wins | Les Binkley (20) |
Goals against average | Hank Bassen (2.86) |
1968–69> |
The 1967–68 Pittsburgh Penguins season was their first in the NHL. Pittsburgh was one of six cities awarded an expansion team during the 1967 NHL expansion.
After deciding on the "Penguin" nickname (which was inspired by the fact that the team was going to play in an "Igloo",[2] the nickname of the Pittsburgh Civic Center), a logo was chosen, that had a penguin in front of a triangle, which is thought to be in tribute to the "Golden Triangle".[3]
Contents
Offseason
On February 8, 1966 the NHL awarded a franchise to the Hockey Club of Pittsburgh, Incorporated: a partnership of several investors headed by Pennsylvania State Senator Jack McGregor and his friend and business associate Peter Block. McGregor became the public face of the ownership, as President and Chief Executive Officer, and representing the club at Board of Governors meetings.
Later that year McGregor and Block began assembling their new hockey team. American Hockey League executive Jack Riley was named the club's general manager, and began immediately acquiring the services of players. He signed minor-leaguers Les Binkley, Ted Lanyon, Dick Mattiussi and Bill Speer to contracts before the club had ever taken to the ice.
The name of the new team was chosen by a contest in a local newspaper: on February 10, 1967 the new team became known as the Penguins.
In the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft Riley chose experienced players, particularly former New York Rangers players. Coincidentally Penguins head coach Red Sullivan was a former Ranger player and head coach. Earl Ingarfield, Ken Schinkel, Val Fonteyne, Mel Pearson, Al MacNeil, Noel Price, Billy Dea and Art Stratton had each spent time in their careers with the Rangers, but the Penguins' most prized acquisition was former Rangers star Andy Bathgate. Bathgate, then 34 years old, was near the end of his career and deemed expendable by the Red Wings, who had previously acquired his rights.
The rest of the roster was filled with minor-leaguers, particularly members of the Pittsburgh Hornets, the American Hockey League club which had served the Pittsburgh market since the late 1930s.
Expansion Draft
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The Pittsburgh Penguins made 20 selections in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft held in Montreal from June 5–7.[4]
Round # | Player | Position | Drafted from |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Joe Daley | Goaltender | Detroit Red Wings |
2 | Roy Edwards | Goaltender | Chicago Black Hawks |
3 | Earl Ingarfield | Center | New York Rangers |
4 | Al MacNeil | Defense | New York Rangers |
5 | Larry Jeffrey | Left Wing | Toronto Maple Leafs |
6 | Ab McDonald | Left Wing | Detroit Red Wings |
7 | Leo Boivin | Defense | Detroit Red Wings |
8 | Noel Price | Defense | Montreal Canadiens |
9 | Keith McCreary | Right Wing | Montreal Canadiens |
10 | Ken Schinkel | Right Wing | New York Rangers |
11 | Bob Dillabough | Center | Boston Bruins |
12 | Art Stratton | Center | Chicago Black Hawks |
13 | Val Fonteyne | Left Wing | Detroit Red Wings |
14 | Jeannot Gilbert | Center | Boston Bruins |
15 | Tom McCarthy | Left Wing | Montreal Canadiens |
16 | Billy Dea | Left Wing | Chicago Black Hawks |
17 | Bob Rivard | Center | Montreal Canadiens |
18 | Mel Pearson | Left Wing | Chicago Black Hawks |
19 | Andy Bathgate | Right Wing | Detroit Red Wings |
20 | Les Hunt | Defense | New York Rangers |
Regular season
The Penguins' first general manager was Jack Riley. His team (along with the other expansion teams) was hampered by restrictive rules that kept most major talent with the "Original Six." Beyond aging sniper Andy Bathgate and tough defenceman Leo Boivin, the first Penguins team was manned by a cast of former minor-leaguers. The club missed the playoffs, but were a mere six points out of 1st place in the close-fought West Division.
- October 11, 1967 – Andy Bathgate of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores a goal in a 2–1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. It was the first goal ever scored by a player for an expansion team.
Final standings
GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Philadelphia Flyers | 74 | 31 | 32 | 11 | 173 | 179 | −6 | 73 |
2 | Los Angeles Kings | 74 | 31 | 33 | 10 | 200 | 224 | −24 | 72 |
3 | St. Louis Blues | 74 | 27 | 31 | 16 | 177 | 191 | −14 | 70 |
4 | Minnesota North Stars | 74 | 27 | 32 | 15 | 191 | 226 | −35 | 69 |
5 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 74 | 27 | 34 | 13 | 195 | 216 | −21 | 67 |
6 | Oakland Seals | 74 | 15 | 42 | 17 | 153 | 219 | −66 | 47 |
Schedule and results
1967–1968 Schedule | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
October: 3–6–1 (Home: 2–3–1; Road: 1–3–0) 7 points
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November: 6–3–2 (Home: 3–1–1; Road: 3–2–1) 14 pints
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December: 4–8–2 (Home: 2–3–2; Road: 2–5–0) 10 points
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January: 4–7–2 (Home: 3–2–1; Road: 1–5–1) 10 points
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February: 4–5–3 (Home: 2–3–3; Road: 2–2–0) 11 points
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March: 6–5–3 (Home: 3–0–2; Road: 3–5–1) 15 points
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Legend: = Win = Loss = Tie |
Playoffs
The Penguins did not qualify for the 1968 Stanley Cup playoffs.
Player statistics
- Skaters[6]
|
- Goaltenders[6]
Player | GP | TOI | W | L | T | GA | GAA | SO | G | A | PIM |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Les Binkley | 54 | 3141 | 20 | 24 | 10 | 151 | 2.88 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hank Bassen | 25 | 1299 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 62 | 2.86 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
Totals | 4440 | 27 | 34 | 13 | 213 | 2.88 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Team only.
Awards and records
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Transactions
The Penguins were involved in the following transactions during the 1967–68 season:
Trades
June 6, 1967 | To Pittsburgh Penguins
Paul Andrea George Konik Dunc McCallum Frank Francis |
To New York Rangers
Larry Jeffrey |
September 7, 1967 | To Pittsburgh Penguins
Hank Bassen |
To Detroit Red Wings
Roy Edwards |
October, 1967 | To Pittsburgh Penguins
Gene Ubriaco |
To Hershey Bears (AHL)
Jeannot Gilbert |
February 27, 1968 | To Pittsburgh Penguins
Wayne Hicks cash |
To Philadelphia Flyers
Art Stratton |
Additions and subtractions
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Roster
- Source[7]
# | Nat | Player | Pos | Hght | Wght | S/G | Age | Birthplace |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
22 | Paul Andrea | RW | 5' 10" | 174 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | North Sydney, Nova Scotia | |
1 | Hank Bassen | G | 5' 10" | 180 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Calgary, Alberta | |
9 | Andy Bathgate | RW | 6' 0" | 180 | R | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Winnipeg, Manitoba | |
30 | Les Binkley | G | 6' 0" | 175 | R | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Owen Sound, Ontario | |
2 | Leo Boivin (A) | D | 5' 8" | 183 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Prescott, Ontario | |
14 | Billy Dea | LW | 5' 8" | 175 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Edmonton, Alberta | |
15 | Bob Dillabough | C | 5' 10" | 180 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Belleville, Ontario | |
8 | Val Fonteyne | LW | 5' 10" | 160 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Wetaskiwin, Alberta | |
16 | Wayne Hicks | RW | 5' 11" | 185 | R | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Aberdeen, Washington | |
10 | Earl Ingarfield (A) | C | 5' 11" | 185 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Lethbridge, Alberta | |
18 | George Konik | D/LW | 5' 11" | 190 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Flin Flon, Manitoba | |
5 | Ted Lanyon | D | 5' 11" | 175 | R | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Winnipeg, Manitoba | |
3 | Al MacNeil (A) | D | 5' 10" | 183 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Sydney, Nova Scotia | |
5 | Dick Mattiussi | D/LW | 5' 10" | 185 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario | |
6 | Dunc McCallum | D | 6' 1" | 193 | R | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Flin Flon, Manitoba | |
21 | Keith McCreary | RW | 5' 10" | 180 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Sundridge, Ontario | |
20 | Ab McDonald (C) | LW | 6' 3" | 192 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Winnipeg, Manitoba | |
23 | Mel Pearson | LW | 5' 10" | 175 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Flin Flon, Manitoba | |
4 | Noel Price | D | 6' 0" | 190 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Brockville, Ontario | |
19 | Bobby Rivard | C/LW | 5' 8" | 155 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Sherbrooke, Quebec | |
12 | Ken Schinkel | RW | 5' 10" | 172 | R | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Jansen, Saskatchewan | |
17 | Bill Speer | D | 5' 11" | 205 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Lindsay, Ontario | |
7 | Art Stratton | C/LW | 5' 11" | 170 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Winnipeg, Manitoba | |
11 | Gene Ubriaco | LW/C | 5' 8" | 157 | L | Script error: The function "age_generic" does not exist. | Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario |
Draft picks
Amateur Draft
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Pittsburgh Penguins' picks at the 1967 NHL Amateur Draft.[8]
Round | # | Player | Pos | Nationality | College/Junior/Club Team |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | Steve Rexe | Goaltender | Canada | Belleville Seniors |
1 | 11 | Bob Smith | Center | Canada | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds |
References
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