Penguins' Unsung Heroes: Grit & Heart

0:00On April 21st, the Pittsburgh Penguins have shared the ice with Sidney Crosby for 20 seasons now, and while he's the face of the franchise, they've had a ton of other talent doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes. These players kept the team winning cups and grinding through playoffs, but Crosby's shadow often stole the spotlight. Take Ev Jenny Malkin, who's been a penguin since 2006, and hit his 1000s game with him back in 2022. He's got a heart trophy, a con smith, three Stanley cups, and a caulder under his belt, averaging a point per game in most seasons. Injuries kept him out of over 250 games early on, which dimmed his shine, but when healthy, he's pure elite. Then you've got guys I brined to Molen, who anchored the blue line for 10 years, blocking 816 shots, and winning two cups as Chris. Lee Tong's perfect partner, Ali Mahata and Carl Hegelen shipped in too. Hegelen's speed cleared the zone on that killer HBK line, racking up 16 playoffs points in 20, 16. Brian Rust stands out as the ultimate grinder who leveled up.

1:04Drafted in the third round in 2010, he broke out with 27 goals in 2019, then hit a career high 31 last season. He's penalty kill wizard now on the top line, always exceeding what folks expect. As the penguins rebuild under GM Kyle Dubas, they're hunting more of these tough under the radar types, who bring grit and heart hoping, that same. Magic keeps flowing for years to come. Team coverage, powered by AI. This is NHL News today.