Saturday will be a very special evening for the Pittsburgh Penguins' organization as well as some of its players, coaches, and executives who have been part of its winning legacy.
This is because - prior to the Penguins' home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets - they will induct four new members to the Penguins' Hall of Fame.
And there are few more influential executive figures in Pittsburgh Penguins' history than Eddie Johnston.
Johnston - along with forwards Ron Francis and Kevin Stevens as well as former head coach Scotty Bowman - will join Syl Apps, Les Binkley, Dave Burrows, Paul Coffey, Rick Kehoe, Mario Lemieux, Joe Mullen, Jean Pronovost, Mark Recchi, and Ulf Samuelsson as inductees. He will be the first former Penguins' GM to be inducted.
After a 16-season NHL career as a goaltender, "EJ" started with the Penguins' franchise back in 1980, when he was brought on as head coach. He spent three seasons behind the bench for the Penguins before taking on the role of general manager, which is when he set in motion a plan that would change the franchise forever.
Johnston did his best to tank - as the kids call it nowadays - in the 1983-84 ahead of the 1984 NHL Draft, which was set to feature a young phenom by the name of Mario Lemieux. When the Penguins came out on top - well, on the bottom, more so - other NHL GMs were throwing everything but the kitchen sink at Johnston to try to entice him to give up his precious No. 1 overall pick, but he wouldn't budge.
Penguins' 2025 Hall Of Fame Inductees: Center Ron Francis
Saturday will be a very special evening for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' organization as well as some of its players, coaches, and executives who have been part of its winning legacy.
So, Johnston and the Penguins drafted Lemieux that season - and things took off from there, even if it took a few years. Johnston made other moves to build out a winner along the way, too. acquiring both Stevens and Coffey during his tenure and setting the stage for what would eventually become back-to-back Stanley Cup runs in 1991 and 1992 - even if Johnston was no longer at the helm, as he left the Penguins in 1988.
He did return for another stint as their head coach later on, though. EJ fulfilled his second stint as head coach from 1993-97, making the playoffs three out of four seasons and leading the Penguins to two division titles.
Kevin Constantine took over behind the bench in 1997, and Johnston went on to serve as Assistant GM and, eventually, a senior advisor for the Penguins.
Penguins' 2025 Hall Of Fame Inductees: Forward Kevin Stevens
Kevin Stevens is set to be inducted into the Penguins Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Quite simply, the Penguins would not be what they are today had Johnston not done everything in his power to ensure he drafted one of the greatest talents of all time, back when the last place team automatically got the first overall pick because the lottery did not exist.
It was a bold decision, but at the time - for a meddling Penguins' team - it was the right one. Lemieux has left an impression on the franchise that can never be replaced, and it all happened because of Johnston.
EJ can still be seen in the media suite for every single Penguins' home game, and his presence throughout the entire organization is a strong one. And, through his contributions, he has earned a permanent place in Penguins' history in their Hall-of-Fame.
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