A Pittsburgh Penguins Guide to the 2022-23 NHL Playoff Teams

For the first time since the 2005-06 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, if you want a team to root for, there are 27 former Penguins who made it to the dance with their current teams. Without further ado, here is a ranking of all 16 playoff teams... based on how many former Penguins they have on their active roster. In the case of a tie, GPwP (Games Played with Pittsburgh) will be the tie breaker.

16-11: No Penguins

There are six playoff teams with no former Penguins on their active roster: the LA Kings, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, and the Boston Bruins. However, there is a slight Boston-Pittsburgh connection: Penguins Head Coach Mike Sullivan's daughter is engaged to Bruins star defenseman Charlie McAvoy.

10. New Jersey Devils

The New Jersey Devils have one former Penguin on their active roster: defenseman John Marino. Marino played 189 games in a Penguins uniform, and racked up 64 points- 10 goals and 54 assists. He also played in 17 playoff games, and recorded two assists. He was traded from Pittsburgh to New Jersey on July 16, 2022, for defenseman Ty Smith and a 3rd round pick in the 2023 NHL draft.

9. Tampa Bay Lightning

The Tampa Bay Lightning's former Penguin is defenseman Ian Cole. Cole played 218 games for the Penguins, scored nine goals, and notched 50 assists. Cole was a crucial part of the back-to-back Stanley Cup wins, and played in 54 playoff games, recording 14 points- a goal and 13 assists. He was traded to the Ottawa Senators at the 2017-18 NHL trade deadline in a three team deal for Derick Brassard.

8. Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers have a former Penguin on their roster: Patric Hörnqvist- however, he has been injured since December 3rd, and ruled out for the season. Hörnqvist played 407 games in a Penguins sweater, and put up 264 points- 132 goals, and 132 assists. Hörnqvist was another part of the Penguins' back-to-back cups, and played a total of 66 playoff games for Pittsburgh, recording 22 goals and 16 assists. He was traded to Florida on September 24, 2020, for Mike Matheson and Colton Sceviour.

7. Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers have two former Penguins on their active roster. The first is forward Nick Bjugstad, who played 45 games with the Penguins, scoring 10 goals and six assists. Bjugstad also played in four playoff games. He was traded to Minnesota in a salary cap dump on September 11, 2020, for a conditional 7th round draft pick.

The second former Penguin with the Edmonton Oilers is defenseman Cody Ceci. Ceci played 53 games with Pittsburgh, and had 17 points- four goals and 13 assists. He also played in six playoff games, and recorded two assists.

6. Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche have two former Penguins. The first is defenseman Jack Johnson, who played 149 games for Pittsburgh, scored four goals and recorded 20 assists. He also played in seven playoff games. Johnson's contract was bought out on October 5th, 2020.

Forward Evan Rodrigues is the second former Penguin playing for Colorado. Rodrigues played 124 games for the Penguins, scored 27 goals, and provided 31 assists. Rodrigues played in nine playoff games and put up six points: three goals and three assists.

5. Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes have two former Penguins on their roster, the first being center Jordan Staal. Pittsburgh drafted Staal 2nd overall in the 2006 NHL draft, and that 1-2-3 punch of Crosby, Malkin, and Staal down the middle was what lead them to win the Stanley Cup in 2009. Staal played 431 games in a Penguins uniform, and recorded 248 points- 120 goals and 128 assists. He played in 73 playoff games, recording 23 goals and 13 assists. Staal was traded to Carolina at the 2012 NHL draft for defenseman Brian Dumuolin, forward Brandon Sutter, and the 8th pick overall pick (Derrick Pouliot).

The second former Penguin playing in a Hurricanes sweater is winger Stefan Noesen. Noesen scored 22 points in 22 games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins before signing a two-way contract with the Penguins. He scored a goal in his Penguins debut, and was placed on waivers five games later.

4. Vegas Golden Knights

The Vegas Golden Knights have two former Penguins. The first is center Teddy Blueger, who Pittsburgh drafted in 2012 with the 22nd pick in the 2nd round (52nd overall). Blueger played an even 250 games with Pittsburgh, with 33 goals and 59 assists. He also had a goal and an assist in 18 playoff games. Blueger was traded to Vegas at the 2023 trade deadline for a 3rd round pick in the 2024 NHL draft.

Phil Kessel, NHL Iron Man, is the second former Penguin playing for Vegas. Kessel played 328 games for Pittsburgh, with 110 goals and 193 assists. He was a huge contribution to the back-to-back cups; in 65 playoff games, he had 56 points- 20 goals and 36 assists. Kessel was traded to Arizona on June 29, 2019, for forward Alex Galchenyuk and defenseman Pierre-Olivier Joseph.

3. Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs have three former Penguins on their roster. The first is goaltender Matt Murray, who the Penguins drafted in the 3rd round of the 2012 draft at 83rd overall. Murray played 199 games in Pittsburgh, posting a record of 117-53-19, with 2.67 GAA and a .914 SV%. Murray played in 51 playoff games, with a record of 29-21, 2.18 GAA, a .921 SV%, and was crucial to their back-to-back cups. The Penguins traded Murray to Ottawa on October 7th, 2020, Jonathan Gruden and a 2nd round pick in the 2020 draft (Joel Blomqvist).

The second former Penguin playing in Toronto is forward Sam Lafferty. Lafferty was drafted by Pittsburgh in the 4th round with the 23rd pick (113th overall). He played 94 games for the Penguins, with six goals and 15 assists. He also played in one playoff game. Lafferty was traded to Chicago on January 5th, 2022, for forward Alex Nylander.

Zach Aston-Reese is the third former Penguin on Toronto's roster. Aston-Reese played 213 games for Pittsburgh, with 29 goals and 33 assists. He also appeared in 23 playoff games, putting up a goal and three assists. Aston-Reese was traded to Anaheim at the 2021-22 trade deadline in a package for forward Rickard Rakell.

2. Seattle Kraken

The Seattle Kraken have five former Penguins. The first is winger Daniel Sprong, who Pittsburgh drafted in the 2nd round of the 2015 NHL draft. Sprong played 42 games for the Penguins, with four goals and five assists. He was traded to Anaheim on December 3rd, 2018, for defenseman Marcus Pettersson.

Defenseman Justin Schultz is the next former Penguin playing in Seattle. Schultz played 234 games for Pittsburgh, with 22 goals and 91 assists. He also racked up 29 points- six goals and 23 assists- in 56 playoff games, and was a part of the back-to-back cup runs.

The third former Penguin playing for Seattle is forward Brandon Tanev. Tanev played exactly 100 games for Pittsburgh, and racked up 18 goals and 23 assists. He also played in 10 playoff games, with a goal and an assist. Tanev was selected by the Kraken in the 2021 Expansion Draft.

The fourth former Penguin is defenseman Jamie Oleksiak. Oleksiak appeared in 83 games, and put up 25 points- eight goals and 17 assists. He also played in 12 playoff games, scoring one goal. Oleksiak was traded to Dallas on January 28th, 2019, for a 4th round pick in the 2019 NHL draft.

The fifth and final former Penguin playing for Seattle is forward Jared McCann. McCann played in 141 games with Pittsburgh, scored 39 goals and recorded 45 assists. He played in 12 playoff games, with three assists. McCann was traded to Toronto for Filip Hållander and a 7th round pick in the 2023 draft, before being selected by Seattle in the 2021 Expansion Draft.

1. Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild easily have the most former Penguins on their roster with seven- however, two of them never played a game in a Penguins uniform. The first is defenseman Calen Addison, who was drafted by Pittsburgh in the 2nd round of the 2018 NHL draft. Addison was dealt to Minnesota on February 10th, 2020, in a package deal for winger Jason Zucker. The second is goaltender Filip Gustavsson, who the Penguins drafted in the 2nd round of the 2016 draft. Gustavsson was part of the three team trade at the 2017-18 trade deadline, and was dealt to Ottawa for Derick Brassard.

The third former Penguin in Minnesota is forward Ryan Reaves, who played 58 games with Pittsburgh and had four goals and four assists. Reaves was dealt to Vegas as part of the three team trade at the 2017-18 trade deadline.

Forward Oskar Sundqvist is the fourth former Penguin playing for Minnesota. Pittsburgh drafted Sundqvist in the 3rd round of the 2012 NHL draft (81st overall). He played 28 games in a Penguins sweater, scoring a goal and providing three assists. He also appeared in two playoff games. Sundqvist was dealt to St. Louis at the 2017 NHL draft along with a 1st round pick for Ryan Reaves and a 2nd (Zachary Lauzon).

The fifth former Penguin playing for the Wild is defenseman Alex Goligoski. Goligoski was drafted by Pittsburgh in the 2nd round of the 2004 NHL draft (61st overall). He played 177 games for the Penguins, with 23 goals and 67 assists. He also played in 15 playoff games, and had two goals and eight assists. Goligoski was traded to Dallas on February 21, 2011, for defenseman Matt Niskanen and forward James Neal.

Forward Frédérick "Freddy" Gaudreau is the sixth former Penguin on the Minnesota Wild roster. Gaudreau played 19 games with Pittsburgh, with two goals and eight assists. He also played in six playoff games, and put up a goal and two assists.

The seventh and final former Penguin with Minnesota is goaltender Marc-André Fleury, who was drafted 1st overall by Pittsburgh in the 2003 NHL draft. Fleury played 691 games for the Penguins, with a record of 375-216-66-2, 2.58 GAA, and a .912 SV%. He won three Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh, and played in 115 playoff games, posting a record of 62-51, a 2.65 GAA, and a .908 SV%. Fleury was selected by Vegas in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft.