Penguins Legends Named Top Draft Picks of All Time
Three Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks were named to the top 15 selections of all time.
Everyone knows the Pittsburgh Penguins have drafted pretty well over the years, but three names in particular are standing out from the crowd.
According to a panel of NHL reporters, Penguins legends like Sidney Crosby, Mario Lemieux, and Jaromir Jagr are all top draft picks of all-time.
The NHL has been celebrating the 60th NHL Entry Draft by counting down the top 60 draft picks of all time and Crosby, Lemieux, and Jagr all fell into the top 15.
Sidney Crosby (14)
Taken first overall in 2005, Crosby has done nothing but exceed his steep expectations upon entering the NHL.
Over his 18-year career, that has shown no signs of slowing down, Crosby has brought three Stanley Cups to Pittsburgh, and raked in a fair amount of individual hardware.
A two-time winner of the Hart Trophy, Art Ross Trophy, and Conn Smythe Trophy, Crosby has carried the torch as one of the league’s best player for nearly two decades.
Crosby may have been a no-brainer first overall pick, but not many teams in any sport have benefitted as much as the Penguins have in a single selection.
Mario Lemieux (7)
The Penguins were far from relevant heading into the 1984 Draft, but their history was forever changed when they chose Lemieux first overall.
One of the greatest players the game has ever seen, Lemieux won a pair of Cups, three Hart Trophies, and six times led the league in points.
When Lemieux retired for good in 2005, he finished as the Penguins’ all-time leader every major statistical category.
In 915 games, Lemieux recorded 690 goals, 1,033 assists, and 1,723 points, very nearly averaging two points per game.
Lemieux changed the trajectory of the Penguins on multiple occasions and not just as a player; in 1999, he purchased to team, pulled them out of bankruptcy, and kept them in the City of Pittsburgh.
So much more than a first overall pick, Lemieux transformed the Penguins from a dull lifeless hockey team to one of the most successful sports franchises in the United States.
Jaromir Jagr (6)
The story behind Jagr being drafted fifth overall in 1990 is fascinating when you consider the career he would go on to have.
Jagr told the four teams ahead of the Penguins that he would not leave his native Czechoslovakia if they drafted him.
When the Penguins asked, he told them he would be right over, all to play with Lemieux, who was his idol growing up.
The Penguins drafted Jagr fifth overall and the rest is history for one of the greatest players of all time.
In 24 seasons in the NHL, Jagr racked up enough points to finish second all-time with 1,921 (766G-1,155A).
Now, at the age of 51, Jagr is still playing professionally in his home country, 33 years after he was drafted.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq5G5NlzmhE[/embed]
Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more!
- Subscribe to Inside the Penguins on YouTube
- Follow Inside the Penguins on Twitter: @InsidePenguins