SIdney Crosby speaks on the Pittsburgh Penguins retiring Jaromir Jagr's 68. The Pittsburgh Penguins recently announced that they are finally getting around to a long-overdue honoring of one of their all-time greats. It was recently announced that the Penguins would be retiring the No. 68 worn by franchise icon Jaromir Jagr on February 18th, 2024. While everyone is in agreement that this is a necessary move and important for the franchise, it’s fun to think about the future and who else will see their numbers retired by the organization. In over 55 years of existence, the Penguins have only retired two numbers; Michel Briere’s No. 21 and Mario Lemieux’s No. 66. Jagr’s No. 68 will obviously be the third, but there are some key names currently sharing a Penguins locker room who will no doubt see their names alongside some of the game’s greats. 87: SIDNEY CROSBY As humble as ever, Sidney Crosby isn’t thinking about his No. 87 being retired by the Penguins one day, he’s focused on continuing playing and helping the team win. Crosby did say ‘if’ [https://www.nhl.com/penguins/video/game-day-crosby-11-11-23-6340952892112] such an honor is to come to him, but we’re all well aware that it’ll happen. The numbers speak for themselves over Crosby’s 19-year career, but so do three Stanley Cup banners and countless other awards. Crosby came to Pittsburgh with the promise of success and he has more than fulfilled his promise. 71: EVGENI MALKIN For what it’s worth, in terms of pure Penguins history, Evgeni Malkin has surpassed the work and production of Jagr. Since the moment Malkin put on his No. 71, the Penguins knew they had someone special and 18 years later, he’s still at the top of his game. Makin wanted to be a Penguins for life and play alongside Crosby (and another teammate we’ll touch on) his entire career; he got his wish and soon enough, they’ll all share a legacy together forever as franchise icons. 58: KRIS LETANG Let’s not forget that the Penguins are lucky enough to have a trio of legends in their lineup, and Kris Letang is just as important as his forward teammates. In his career with the Penguins, Letang has set the standard for all defenseman to follow, both offensively and defensively. The Penguins don’t win three Cups or reach 16 straight postseasons without No. 58 dishing as a playmaker or shutting down opposing offenses. Say what you want about Letang’s legitimacy as a Hall of Famer or if he deserves number retirement, but it’s only fitting that the Penguins greatest core all hang from the rafters one day. 29: MARC-ANDRE FLEURY A sure-shot Hall of Famer, Marc-Andre Fleury kicked off his legendary career with the Penguins and easily became the best goalie in franchise history. It’s rare that goalies get taken high in the draft, let alone first overall like Fleury was in 2003. Nearing the end of his career, Fleury is closing in on multiple massive milestones, but his play in Pittsburgh cannot be denied. Fleury holds just about every record a goalie can have in franchise history and played such a massive role during his time with the Penguins. HONORABLE MENTION 35: TOM BARRASSO This one takes some recency bias with his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, but Tom Barrasso set the bar for Fleury to pass. It might also just be too late as multiple goalies have donned No. 35 in Pittsburgh, but Barrasso was a critical piece to the Penguins Cup wins in 1991 and 1992. The Penguins are a team full of rich history and some of the game’s best all-time players. They haven’t been known as an organization who retires many numbers, but there is no doubt a few more ceremonies that are sure to follow Jagr in the coming years. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more. Mike Sullivan Says Penguins' Stars Can Reach Another Level [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/mike-sullivan-pittsburgh-penguins-sidney-crosby-evgeni-malkin-level] Penguins' Jeff Carter Dealing With Upper-Body Injury [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-jeff-carter-dealing-upper-body-injury] Penguins Forwards Miss Practice, Defenseman Returns [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-forwards-miss-practice-defenseman-returns] Penguins Forward Misses Practice for White House Visit [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-reilly-smith-misses-practice-white-house-visit] Penguins Make Huge Jump in Power Rankings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/latest-news/pittsburgh-penguins-huge-jump-power-rankings] * undefined * undefined
