This has to be the most successful tank in league history. Buffalo tried really hard for McDavid but you can't out-tank the draft lottery

Well, Mario saved the team twice...

You should do a video of "That Time Eric Lindros turned the Nordiques franchise from worst to 1st"

Those first few goalies still had more wins than Howard this year 😔

The Penguins traded Randy Carlyle to Winnipeg for a 1st round pick in 1984 (Doug Bodger) and future considerations, which turned out to be Moe Mantha. Mantha was sent to the Penguins on May 1, 1984, after the season. It turned out to be a decent trade for both teams. Carlyle had a number of good years in Winnipeg, while Mantha and Bodger performed well in Pittsburgh before being traded, Bodger to Buffalo for Tom Barrasso and Mantha as part of the package that was sent to Edmonton for Paul Coffey.

You nail it when you said Pittsburgh tanked. I was an original Devils Season Ticket Holder. Devils’ Coach Tom McVie was fighting for his job and Pittsburgh was tanking!! What was so criminal was the drop off between Lemieux and Kirk Mueller. Not even close. I guess NJ has done fairly well in recent years with the Lottery. But, Lemieux was a generational star.

Have you watched the 2014 TSN Documentary (Playing to Lose) on this tank? Lou Angotti here (his exact quote was "We were coaching not to win. I'll never deny that") and in other interviews has admitted to tanking while Eddie Johnston has always has danced around the truth. And it's funny that Baltimore was once a farm team for Pittsburgh!

Somehow every time they threaten to move the franchise , they get the #1 pick

Playing to Lose is a great short documentary about this season.

As a teenager in Pittsburgh during October 1983, I can vouch for the fact that (a) it was a pretty easy ticket to get, (b) it wasn't a terribly expensive ticket to buy, and (c) yep, you generally went there to watch them get killed. On the nose, Shannon!

Can’t imagine the pens not getting 66 growing up outside Pittsburgh in 85 all i did was watch the pens and play hockey he was the reason hockey took off around the this area life would have been a lot diff for sure

Those goalies are still better than me playing goalie in any NHL video game.

That documentary on that season is really good

I'm glad you posted this. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I actually thought they should broadcast a PIT-NJD game from that season. It'd be fascinating. I remember arguing in the '90s that the NHL should devise a system where if a team is realistically eliminated from playoff contention and wins a game ... they ought to get an extra lottery ball. It would increase fan interest so much! Bad teams' fans would still turn out in hopes that a late season win could turn into the #1 pick! My idea got laughed at. I was told NHL fans aren't interested enough in math or stats to create such a system. 25 years later, I still think it's a good concept.

Imagine, had they not swapped their 1st round pick with the North Stars the year before, they could've drafted Steve Yzerman

Moe Mantha ended up being traded for Paul Coffey. The Pens top 5 picks between 1984-90, were Lemieux and Jagr, the others were moved for Coffey, Francis, Ulf Samuelsson, and Tom Barrasso.

Has Pixel taken over the cat tower? lol. I miss Bear and her cute judgemental stare into my soul.

Saskatoon Penguins my childhood would of been wonderful!

The Devils got Kirk Muller, I mean it's not Mario, but hey captain Kirk!

How about doing a video on the '84 draft? Roy goes in round 3, Hull in Round 6, Robitaille in ROUND 9! Seriously, how did teams keep passing over Hull? Being Bobby's son and scoring 50 goals (regardless of league) should have gotten him more attention. Calgary had a nice draft: Hull, Suter & Roberts!

Watch the 50th year vid the pens did, they explained it well and so did you

As a longtime Pens fan, I have to say that I love the blue throwback jersey. That design was the last - and best - until they switched to the black and gold.

What a reward for failure!!!My vote for the best ever-Mario just to stay healthy.He would have rewritten all the numbers!

Best player ever

Yes the Penguins tanked to get Mario Lemieux. A man that Don Cherry called a coach killer and Floater. Until Mario in his rookie year got MVP in the all star game.

Great videos keep em coming

This tank season is the direct reason why Pittsburgh still has a team

In 1982-83 Lou Angotti was headcoach from my Baltimore Skipjacks. Pittsburgh's AHL team at the time. He was a horrible headcoach at the AHL level. I went to 25 games that year... sat 5 rows behind the bench. Shannon's claims that he was the "sacrificial lamb" was no joke! When everything unfolded and Angotti was sent on his way.... the pieces (for Pittsburgh) fell right into place.

OMG SHANNON! There was a time you cheered for the Penguins!?!?!?!?!?!? 😂😂😂😂😂😂

Very true their parent club the Baltimore Skipjacks had the most points in the AHL loved going to both arenas when I could..just asking Shannon if this happens to Vancouver in the same year would you feel the same way?? NJ Devils have won cups since and Vancouver ??love the videos keep up the awesome work

The NHL didn't know about it at the time, but the coach complaining that they had a 3-1 lead should have gotten him suspended or banned from the league. It's a matter of integrity of the league. If you're a player busting your gut for this team and this crap is happening, what would you think? In a situation like this I wouldn't blame a player for demanding a trade. And yes, it takes time to exorcise the demons from a team like this. Kudos to Bullard and to anyone else performing well on a team like this. It takes a lot of fortitude to do that.

Mario Lemieux is Mr Penguin and it's not even close.

12:50 To be fair, there are not any penguins native to the Northern Hemisphere...

When your done with the very best series you should do a all time tournament using those rosters and give your prediction on who wins it all

I'm sure the Penguins and their fans are really and truly concerned about how many randos in the KZfaq comments have "nO ReSpeCt" for their franchise. How's that Philly chant go - "Nobody likes us, we don't care"?

The NYI, PHI, & WSH went 19-2 vs PIT that year. PIT was over .500 vs 2 teams HAR & NJD. Yeah that was a bad year--so bad in fact you'd have to think they did it on purpose? 🤧

Could you do a video on the Toronto vs Ottawa playoff rivalry

Merci / Thanks for telling all this ! Montreal drafted 1983 #118 - an Finnish player called ARTO JAVANAINEN ! I dont know the details how He ended up with Pittsburgh 83 or 84 ! He was with Pittsburgh just for One season ! He was before Our Selanne & Laine - and is still Today FHL leading scorer ! Did They both have Their ROOKIE YEAR - The same year ? He " AJ " was drafted by Montreal - but Lemieux was just BORN THERE ! Both PLAYERS were GREAT - but at Different Leagues ! Everybody knows #4 Javanainen ! R.I.P #4

It’s not fair that the pens have had two generational players

Penguins are south of the equator. Saskatoon Puffins might have been more appropriate 🏒😜

That time the Edmonton Oiler's failed for Nail!

Outdated building??? It was about 20 yrs old at that time. Compared to the other buildings in the league then it was basically new. They played 20 years more in it...research is not an option

The Penguins will never be in financial trouble they have been purchased by Fenway Sports

So interesting !

Greatest day in Penguins History

Damn Saskatoon gets shafted again😭

Other terrible teams to cover: - 2000 NYI - 2001 ATL - 1999 TBL - 2013 FLA - 2015 BUF - 1981 WPG -2007 PHI

Vincent “Milkman” Tremblay...another former Leaf goalie that was fed to the lions to soon. With a Pens AHL defence at the time, surprised his GAA was so low at 6.00...Could have been a 9.00.

Why wasn't this team mentioned on your video of worst NHL teams - post 1981?

Pittsburgh tried their darndest and succeed. It helped when Jaromir Jagr came to the scene as well.

How about a video of all the capitals playoff failures

Interesting, I can’t imagine the Penguins being a bad team. Ever since I became a hockey fan the Penguins have been one of the biggest threats in the league. Horrible jersey by the way, I love it.

I believe that coach saved the franchise but didn't get much of a reward nor is he remembered

Love that jersey!!!!

"That time" lol not just that one time

Yes, we had some goal scoring prowess, albeit still not on par with so many other teams during that high scoring era, but the defense was abysmal. No support whatsoever for Denis Heron or the original #29, Michel Dion. Romano was young but never really panned out and frankly shouldn't have been in place of either Heron or Dion. With all due respect, Dion was better than this video implies. He was an All Star in a Penguins uniform and played a big part in almost derailing the Islanders dynasty in 1982. Bullard was the star at the time but quickly became disgruntled as he no longer had that star status with Lemiuex on the team. Sad to say but he definitely turned out not to be a team player and Dan Quinn was a welcome addition when we traded with Calgary. Moe Mantha was a good defenseman for a a few seasons but his greatest contribution was being part of the trade to get Paul Coffey.

if the NJ devils won the rights to draft mario lemieux, it would be very interesting. I wonder what would it be like to put Lemieux on that 1988 magic run for the Devils to fall short of the finals by 1 against the Bruins. The dynasty Oilers vs the upstart Devils (formerly called Mickey Mouse Organization by Gretzky) would make headlines.

Very weirdly like buffalo

I love everything about this video #letsgopens

i think the bottom three teams should have the 1,2,3 picks and the lottery should be from 4-15

As a penguins fan from Saskatoon, damn/thank you Eddie Johnston

There are 2 more seasons you need to cover by the penguins that were just really bad : 2003-04 : started the season 0-17-1 lol. Thats epic losing there lol and fleury went 4-14-2 and our 2 best players were rick jackman and dick tarnstrum lol 2005-06 We went 22-46-14 with an exremely slow john leclair and a broken ziggy palffy. Fleury went 13-27-6. Im a die hard pens fan since 1989-90 but those teams were just awful and yet they were also my favorite teams because they had alot of gritty character players that i loved. Also we did at least win the games against the flyers and capitals so thats all that mattered to us in those years lol

Should do a video on original six arenas

Lots of losing, poor attendance and threats of relocating.....sounds fimiliar, a theme that will repeat itself. Add multiple bankruptcies.

That's such a scumbaggy way to play sports. You've gotta wonder how the players on the ice, being asked by their GM to lose on purpose just to get a higher draft pick, would've felt. No wonder people hate the penguins.

Are they tanking now or are they just plain bad now?

Was Mario Lemieux upset about being drafted by Pittsburgh due to them tanking the season? Did Lemieux want to go to New Jersey?

So if Crosby retired and the pens suck again they have to move? How come every time Pittsburgh sucks they almost have to move?

Pittsburgh for years after that, would loose games to setup their first round playoff opponent to their liking. They seemed to want to be in 4th or 5th place.

is the draft lottery today?

I blame Kehoe and his clone, 2 of the same player really sunk that team.

Would be nice to see one day the Vancouver Canucks get a Mario lemieux HOF caliber player one day, instead of always being mediocre

Mario should have been a Canadien. Losing on purpose should be punishable by firing squad, line 'em up and let the league's hardest shooters go to work.

Montreal offered them the Moon to get the pick

Why don’t you do a video about the 1989 Hart Trophy voting.

Fun Fact the team that lost Lemieux because of the Penguins tank-New Jersey won three Stanley cups during the duration of Mario’s career when the Penguins won just two.

The most blatant tankers of all time?

Cat bath

Wow... Those SV% if a guy gets that in today's NHL he probably gets dragged behind the barn and put out of his misery, lol!

I wonder what would've happened if Michel Briere didn't die in that car accident. Maybe we win a championship earlier. Doubt there will be threats of moving. We possibly don't get Mario (Edit: Although he would've been older so maybe we do)

I remember New Jersey bitching up a storm about this, and I also remember when Gretzky called New Jersey a Mickey Mouse organization.

The Penguins in the 70s weren't great , but competitive, had some good scorers

Best moment ever.

We’d love to see more great seasons without a cup

Speaking of Devils and Penguins heres an old clip from around then kzfaq.info/get/bejne/ZrRjeLaHu6-qqqc.html

Shannon you didnt mention Pierre McGuire was our scout and assistant coach in early 1990s!?

Devils owner and general manager at the time refused to tank. They said they don't believe in it! Big mistake. When you can get a Mario Lemieux you do whatever it takes to get him. Pittsburgh was drawing 6000 fans at the time and we're very close to relocating.

The tanking that saved a franchise.

I have been a Pens fan for a long time and unfortunately remember the 1983-84 season pretty well and I can't blame them for tanking, to be honest. As Shannon said, it likely saved the franchise from moving and Mario Lemieux turned-out to be a great player!

Whenever people accuse teams today of tanking (they don't; it's a different game today) I'd point them to this team. THIS is tanking.

The Penguins are the luckiest team in the history of pro sports. Though respectable in the first handful of seasons, they are awful for most of the 70s and the early 80s. They go bankrupt in 1975, and they suck at the right time to draft Mario Lemieux. It takes a little while, but they win with Lemieux. They go bankrupt AGAIN in 1998, becoming the only team in any sport to go bankrupt more than once. To save them in 1998, Lemieux buys the team. They then tear the team down, sucking at the right time to draft Sidney Crosby. And of course they win with Crosby. This team is historically either really good or really bad, and no in between. A team that goes bankrupt once may have had a bad owner or just a bad run of seasons, but a team that goes bankrupt twice has something inherently wrong with the franchise. They have had ten ownership groups in their history, which means a new owner came in roughly every 5 years. That shows how unstable the team has been. Fans don't show up when they are bad, but do when they are good. All of this is why I have no respect for this franchise. Many "experts" today claim them to be a model franchise, but model franchises do not go bankrupt and are not constantly in relocation rumors. If you were asked how many championships a team that has gone bankrupt twice in its 50+ year existence would have, you probably would answer zero. It is baffling to me that a team that has been so unstable for most of its existence somehow has five championships.

Worth it

AND IT WAS TOTALLY WORTH IT!

Also that is an underrated Pens jersey

So the wings should get Lafreniere(hopefully)

Mario lemieux basically is Pittsburgh. He's done more for the city than any politician ever has. In baseball it was Clemente and football was Terry Bradshaw. But lemieux I would argue was more influencial than any of them. He tried to buy the pirates which ever bucco fan was praying for only to get stonewalled by the most hated man in Pittsburgh Bob Nutting.

Eddie will take it to the grave & if the Devils had first pick Lemieux would have ended up in Montreal or Quebec!

This just popped up. Of course, the Penguin haters, especially the Eastern Pennsylvania crowd with NYC peni$ envy and a collective IQ of a soap dish spout off. The Pens filed for Chapter 11 reorganization ONCE. The 1975 event was receivership because of a failure to pay withholding taxes. That event did lead to Ed DeBartolo buying the team and it was DeBartolo that took the financial beating of the early 1980s that enabled the Pens to build a champion team. 1982 through 1984 were tough times in Western Pennsylvania. Countless steel mills closed and the headquarters of J&L Steel and Gulf Oil left town due to mergers. This is a reason why the Pens fans show up in Washington. Lots of people from PA moved there for work in the 80s. Johnston made a plan and DeBartolo agreed. The team would be bad for a while and they were. It was the only way to get out of mediocrity. The Patrick Division was brutal in those days. The Flyers, Caps and Isles were 100 point teams most seasons. The 1986 Pens missed the playoffs by two points. The 1987 Pens missed Mario for more than a month and missed the playoffs by four points. The 1988 Pens fi ished last...with a winning record, and missed the playoffs by one point. Thing is, they got better. The 1998 Chapter 11 filig was because Howard Baldwin had no business being an NHL owner and is not reflective of the Western Pennsylvania fan base. Now, facts are inconvienent things..such as Philadelphia sux and the Flyers are a joke, but that is life.

Fans don't and never will understand the fact that sports teams are a business first. Doesn't matter if it's Hockey, Football, Baseball, or Basketball. In order to make money or save a team, they will lose as much or win as much as needed. If ANY other sports team LIE'S and say they won't do that, or haven't done that before, will burn in Hell for that lie.

Penguins effort? -> see black cat at the 9:45 mark.