Our NHL Saturday examination of the best players in each current franchise’s history continues today with another one of the Expansion Six organizations: the Pittsburgh Penguins. They’ve won 5 Stanley Cups, although it took them more than 20 seasons after their inception to win the first one. Nonetheless, this list still bears the mark of an expansion team, with some low-end totals and some very high-end names, too.

No. 10: Ron Francis, C—53 PS (1991-1998)

The Pens acquired him in his 10th year, just in time for the team’s first NHL championship. It’s odd to think this guy was never an All Star during his entire career, despite being the No. 4 pick overall in the 1981 Draft and being in the Hall of Fame. Weird, huh? He did win 2 Stanley Cups (1991, 1992) with Pittsburgh, as well as 2 Lady Byngs (1995, 1998) and a Selke trophy (1995), too. Twice, he was the assists king as well (1995, 1996).

No. 9: Ron Stackhouse, D—54 PS (1974-1982)

One of the more unremarkable players to appear yet on these NHL lists, he was never an All Star and had just one Top 10 vote finish (1979) for the Norris in his entire career. He posted 343 points in 622 regular-season games for the Penguins, adding 13 points in 32 playoff contests. He did put up 3 consecutive seasons with 8.0-plus Point Shares (1975-1977). Mediocre for the No. 18 overall pick originally by the Oakland Seals.

No. 8: Jean Pronovost, RW—58 PS (1968-1978)

Not quite an original Pen, but close: undrafted, he spent a decade with the Penguins, also rather unremarkably. He never made an All-Star team, although he did finish second in the Lady Byng voting once (1976). With 603 points in 753 games with the team, he was moderately productive. He added 18 points in 29 postseason matchups. His best season, by far, resulted in 10.2 PS (1976). A pretty generic career, overall.

No. 7: Tom Barrasso, G—78 PS (1988-2000)

The netminder for 2 Stanley Cup champions, he’s in the Hall of Fame after Pittsburgh acquired him from Buffalo—a team that drafted him No. 5 overall in 1983. He made 1 All-Star team with the Penguins (1993) and topped the league in wins that season, too. His 226 victories for the team is impressive, especially when augmented by 56 postseason triumphs, as well. Twice, he posted double-digit PS in Pittsburgh (1993, 1998).

No. 6: Jaromír Jágr, RW—117 PS (1990-2001)

The No. 5 overall draft pick, he was amazing in Pittsburgh: 7-time All Star (1995-2001); 5-time scoring champ (1995, 1998-2001); 3-time assists king (1998-1999, 2001); 2-time Stanley Cup champ (1991-1992); league MVP (1999), etc. We could go on, but we must stop. He posted 1,079 points in 806 games with the team, and in the postseason, he tacked on 147 points in 140 playoff games. Yes, he’s Hall of Fame bound.

No. 5: Marc-André Fleury, G—120 PS (2003-2017)

He was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 Draft, and he paid dividends in backstopping (partially or in full) 3 Stanley Cup champions (2009, 2016-2017) despite never making an All-Star team or winning an individual award while with the franchise. His only statistical noteworthy achievement? Topping the NHL in shutouts once (2015). Yet his 375 regular-season wins and 62 postseason wins with the team are outstanding. Weird.

No. 4: Kris Letang, D—122 PS (2007-present)

A 2-time All Star (2013, 2016), he also played on Cup champions with the Penguins, of course, during his ongoing career with the franchise. He has had 8 finishes in the Top 10 voting for the Norris, without ever winning it. In truth, this has been a stellar career for a third-round draft pick (No. 62 overall). He has compiled 742 points in 1,087 games while contributing 90 more points in 147 playoff matchups. That works.

No. 3: Evgeni Malkin, C—151 PS (2006-present)

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2004 Draft, he won the Calder vote in 2007; won the Conn Smythe vote in 2009; and won the Hart vote in 2012. He also gave him our Hart in 2009 and our Conn Smythe in 2017. He is a 2-time scoring champion (2009, 2012) and a 3-time All Star (2008-2009, 2012) as well. With 1,296 points in 1,145 games, he’s been very productive even through myriad injuries, plus 180 points in 177 playoff games.

No. 2: Mario Lemieux, C—168 PS (1984-1997, 2000-2006)

There are not enough superlatives here for a guy who overcame cancer in the middle of his career and still was amazing on the ice: 3-time goal-scoring champ; 3-time assists king; 6-time points champ; 9-time All Star; 2-time Cup champ; 6-time Hart winner in our analyses; 2-time Conn Smythe winner (1991–1992); Calder vote winner (1985), etc. We honestly just can’t list all his Hall of Fame achievements here. It is known.

No. 1: Sidney Crosby, C—191 PS (2005-present)

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 Draft, he teamed with some other high draftees above to win 3 Stanley Cups (2009, 2016-2017). How did the Pens get so lucky with 3 consecutive premium picks? Geez. he’s been an 8-time All Star; 2-time MVP vote winner (2007, 2014); 2-time Conn Smythe vote winner; and a 2-time points champion as well (2007, 2014). Again, we can’t list all his achievements here, and we don’t have to.