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Proclamation congratulating the Pittsburgh Penguins upon the occasion of its 50th anniversary.
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WHEREAS, thanks to original owner Jack McGregor and his local group of supporters, on February 9, 1966, the National Hockey League (NHL) awarded an expansion team to Pittsburgh for the 1967-1968 season. The Pittsburgh Penguins played their first game on October 11, 1967; and
WHEREAS, the Pittsburgh Penguins played in the Civic Arena, also known as “The Igloo” from the time of their inception through the end of the 2009-2010 season. In September 2010, the Penguins completed the move to the state-of-the-art CONSOL Energy Center, now named PPG Paints Arena; and
WHEREAS, over the past five decades, some of the greatest players in the history of hockey have worn the Pittsburgh Penguins crest - Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Paul Coffey, Tom Barrasso, Rick Kehoe, Jean Pronovost, Kevin Stevens, Ron Francis, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, just to name a few. Throughout the years, the Pens have been led by 23 different head coaches, including Hockey Hall of Famers “Badger” Bob Johnson, Scotty Bowman and Herb Brooks; and
WHEREAS, Mario Lemieux is credited with saving the Pittsburgh Penguins from financial misfortune and making the team one of the most successful franchises in the league. The Pens have won eight (8) Division Championships, nine (9) Conference Finals, five (5) Stanley Cup Finals and four (4) Stanley Cup Championships (1991, 1992, 2009, 2016);
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Allegheny County Council does hereby congratulate the Pittsburgh Penguins upon the momentous occasion of their 50th Anniversary, we thank the organization for its generous contributions benefitting our community, and we recognize the team as a shining example of excellence for all of Allegheny County.