Penguins Achieved A Historic Goal Scoring Milestone in 2024-25, First Time In Crosby's Career

The Pittsburgh Penguins are no strangers to scoring, having employed some of the game's greatest snipers like Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Joe Mullen, Mark Recchi, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin.

In the 2024-25 season, the Penguins had three 30-goal scorers, led by Rickard Rakell (35), Sidney Crosby (33), and Bryan Rust (31). This season marked the first time in Crosby's 20-year career that he had two other teammates reach the 30-goal plateau. 

Moreover, the last time Pittsburgh had three players score 30 goals or more came in 2000-01 when Lemieux, Jagr, Alex Kovalev, and Robert Lang all reached the milestone.

How Special Was Penguins' Rust's First 30-Goal Season?On Thursday night at PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust finished his first 30-goal season of his career. By netting his 30th and 31st goals, he becomes the 39th player in franchise history to reach 30 goals in a single season while wearing a Penguins sweater. 

Of course, plenty of players have scored 30 goals in the salary cap era, but it was either just Crosby himself, or one other teammate like Jake Guentzel or Malkin. 

Here's a look at the Penguins players who recorded 30 goals or more since the 2005-06 season:

• 2005-06: Crosby (39)

• 2006-07: Crosby (36) & Malkin (33)

• 2007-08: Malkin (47)

• 2008-09: Malkin (35) & Crosby (33)

• 2009-10: Crosby (51)

• 2010-11: Crosby (32)

• 2011-12: Malkin (50) & James Neal (40)

• 2013-14: Crosby (36) & Chris Kunitz (35)

• 2015-16: Crosby (36)

• 2016-17: Crosby (44) & Malkin (33)

• 2017-18: Malkin (42) & Phil Kessel (34)

• 2018-19: Guentzel (40) & Crosby (35)

• 2021-22: Guentzel (40) & Crosby (31)

• 2022-23: Guentzel (36) & Crosby (33)

• 2023-24: Crosby (42)

• 2024-25: Rakell (35), Crosby (33), & Rust (31)

The franchise record for most 30-goal scorers in a single season first occurred in 1975-76, when Syl Apps (32), Vic Hadfield (30), Pierre Larouche (53), Lowell MacDonald (30), and Jean Pronovost (52) all scored at least 30 goals. 

Their place atop the charts remained unchallenged until Lemieux and Jagr led the attack during the 1991-92 and 1992-93 seasons. During the club's second Stanley Cup-winning season in 1991-92, the Penguins matched the franchise record when Lemieux (44), Jagr (32), Mullen (42), Recchi (33), and Kevin Stevens (54) all tallied more than 30 goals.

In the following campaign, which saw Pittsburgh establish an NHL record for 17 consecutive victories, Lemieux (69), Jagr (34), Mullen (33), Stevens (55), and Rick Tocchet (48) all had over 30 goals. 

Overall, the Penguins just wrapped up their 57th season and have had at least one player score 30 goals in 46 seasons, or 80.7% of their existence. Those totals break down as follows: five players (three seasons), four players (seven), three players (seven), two players (16), and one player (13). 

25 Fascinating Facts About The NHL In 2005-06, The Last Time The Penguins Had A Losing SeasonWin or lose on Thursday night, the Pittsburgh Penguins (33-35-12) will have their first losing season since the 2005-06 campaign, when the club was 22-46-14.


Source link