2016 Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins

Some highlights from the NHL's "Morning Skate" press release:

* The Penguins became the ninth team in NHL history to capture four or more Stanley Cups (also 1991, 1992 and 2009):
 
Stanley Cup Standings, All-Time
24 – Montreal Canadiens^
14 – Toronto Maple Leafs^
11 – Detroit Red Wings
6 – Boston Bruins
6 – Chicago Blackhawks
5 – Edmonton Oilers
4 – New York Islanders
4 – New York Rangers
4 – Pittsburgh Penguins
^ Both the Canadiens and Maple Leafs won one Stanley Cup prior to the formation of the NHL in 1917-18
 
* The Penguins also became the second team to win four Stanley Cups since 1991, when they first captured the trophy. The other, also with four Stanley Cup victories: the Red Wings (1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008).
 
* The Penguins improved to 4-0 with the chance to clinch the Stanley Cup on the road. They won three of their four visits to SAP Center this season (including the regular season) after going winless in their 12 prior trips dating to Jan. 15, 1999 (0-9-3).
 
* The Penguins became the sixth team in the past nine years to win the Stanley Cup on the road – and the first to do so since the 2013 Blackhawks.
 
* Letang factored on all four of Pittsburgh’s game-winning goals during the series, picking up assists on the three prior such tallies. He became the fourth player in NHL history to factor on all four of his team’s game-winning goals during the Stanley Cup Final, joining Milt Schmidt (w/ BOS in 1941), Jean Beliveau (w/ MTL in 1965) andWayne Gretzky (w/ EDM in 1987).
 
* Letang became the third straight defenseman to score the Stanley Cup-clinching goal –Duncan Keith did so for the Blackhawks in 2015, Alec Martinez did so for the Kings (in 2OT) in 2014.
 
CROSBY WINS CONN SMYTHE TROPHY
Sidney Crosby, who registered two assists in Game 6 and finished the postseason with 6-13—19, won the Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to “the most valuable player to his team in the playoffs.” The winner was selected in a vote by a panel of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
 
* Crosby became the 10th player in NHL history – and third Penguin – to win both the Hart Memorial Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy:
 
Winners of Both Hart Memorial and Conn Smythe Trophies, NHL History
Jean Beliveau
Sidney Crosby
Wayne Gretzky
Guy Lafleur
Mario Lemieux
Evgeni Malkin
Mark Messier
Bobby Orr
Joe Sakic
Bryan Trottier
 
MURRAY TIES PLAYOFF ROOKIE RECORD
Matt Murray (18 SV) earned his 15th win of the postseason, tying an NHL rookie record in one playoff year:
 
Most Wins in One Playoff, NHL Rookie Goaltenders
15 – Patrick Roy (w/ MTL in 1986)^
15 – Ron Hextall (w/ PHI in 1987)
15 – Cam Ward (w/ CAR in 2006)^
15 – Matt Murray (w/ PIT in 2016)^
^ Won Stanley Cup
 
* Murray improved to 6-0 – with a 1.63 goals-against average and .936 save percentage – following a loss this postseason.
 
THRICE AS NICE
Chris Kunitz became the ninth active player to win three Stanley Cups, also doing so with the Ducks in 2007 and Penguins in 2009.
 
Active NHL Players with Three Stanley Cups
Niklas Hjalmarsson (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Marian Hossa (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Patrick Kane (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Duncan Keith (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Chris Kunitz (2007 w/ ANA, 2009 w/ PIT, 2016 w/ PIT)
Brent Seabrook (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Patrick Sharp (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Jonathan Toews (2010, 2013 and 2015 w/ CHI)
Justin Williams (2006 w/ CAR, 2012 w/ LAK and 2014 w/ LAK)
 
* Four other members of the Penguins were part of the team’s 2009 championship:Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Fleury, Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin.
 
* Teammate Matt Cullen also captured his second Stanley Cup, adding to his victory with the Hurricanes in 2006.
 
SULLIVAN PUTS HIS NAME ON SHORT LIST . . .
Mike Sullivan, who replaced Mike Johnston behind the Pittsburgh bench Dec. 12, became the sixth head coach in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup after taking over midseason.
 
Sullivan (33-16-5 during the regular season, 16-8 in the playoffs) became the second Pittsburgh head coach to achieve the feat – Dan Bylsma also did so in 2008-09 (18-3-4 during the regular season, 16-8 clip in the playoffs).

Stanley Cup-Winning Head Coaches Hired Midseason, NHL History
1931-32: Dick Irvin (TOR), replaced Art Duncan
1970-71: ^Al MacNeil (MTL), replaced Claude Ruel
1999-00: Larry Robinson (NJD), replaced Robbie Ftorek
2008-09: ^Dan Bylsma (PIT), replaced Michel Therrien
2011-12: Darryl Sutter (LAK), replaced Terry Murray and (interim) John Stevens
2015-16: Mike Sullivan (PIT), replaced Mike Johnston
^ Rookie NHL head coach
 
. . . RUTHERFORD ALSO JOINS RARE COMPANY
Jim Rutherford, who also won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006, became the third general manager to capture the trophy with multiple teams – and the first to do so during the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68).
 
The others: Tommy Gorman, who did so with the Senators (1920, 1921 and 1923), Blackhawks (1934), Montreal Maroons (1935) and Canadiens (1944 and 1946), andLester Patrick, who did so with the Victoria Cougars of the WCHL (1925) and Rangers (1928, 1933 and 1940).
 
COUTURE REACHES 30-POINT MILESTONE . . .
Logan Couture scored San Jose’s lone goal to become the fifth player since 1995 to reach the 30-point milestone within a single postseason (10-20—30):
 
Most Points in One Playoff Year, Since 1995
36 – Evgeni Malkin (w/ PIT in 2009)
34 – Joe Sakic (w/ COL in 1996)
31 – Sidney Crosby (w/ PIT in 2009)
30 – Daniel Briere (w/ PHI in 2010)
30 – Logan Couture (w/ SJS in 2016)
 
* Couture registered 13 of his 30 points in five series-clinching/elimination games (4-9—13).
 
* Couture set a Sharks record for points in one playoff year, shattering the previous mark established by Igor Larionov in 1994 (5-13—18).
 
. . . BURNS ADDS TO PHENOMENAL POSTSEASON
Brent Burns (0-1—1) collected 7-17—24 during the postseason; only five defenseman have recorded more points in one playoff year:
 
Most Points by a Defenseman in One Playoff Year, NHL History
37 – Paul Coffey (w/ EDM in 1985)
34 – Brian Leetch (w/ NYR in 1994)
31 – Al MacInnis (w/ CGY in 1989)
25 – Denis Potvin (w/ NYI in 1981)
25 – Ray Bourque (w/ BOS in 1991)
24 – Bobby Orr (w/ BOS in 1972)
24 – Brent Burns (w/ SJS in 2016)
 
RAZOR-THIN MARGIN CONTINUES IN STANLEY CUP FINAL
The Penguins and Sharks were tied or within one goal for 89% of total playing time during the Stanley Cup Final (333:54 of 374:53), continuing a recent trend in the championship series:
 
* In 2015, the Blackhawks and Lightning were tied or within one goal for 99% of total playing time.
 
* In 2014, the Kings and Rangers were tied or within one goal for 85% of total playing time.
 
* In 2013, the Blackhawks and Bruins were tied or within one goal for 87% of total playing time.