2000–01 Pittsburgh Penguins season

Offseason

Herb Brooks resigned as head coach at the end of the previous season, but remained with the team as a scout. Ivan Hlinka succeeded Brooks as head coach. Former Penguin Joe Mullen became an assistant coach along with his former teammate Randy Hillier.

Regular season

The Penguins opened the regular season by splitting a two-game series against the Nashville Predators in Japan.

On December 9, 2000, it was announced by owner Mario Lemieux that he intended to come back as a player. Lemieux returned to the ice on December 27, 2000, making Lemieux the first ever owner-player in NHL history. Prior to the game, his number 66 banner was lowered from the rafters of the Mellon Arena with son Austin watching. Lemieux scored a goal and set up two others (including one on his first shift) in the Penguins' 5–0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Prior to Lemieux's return, the Penguins were 15–14–6–1. After his comeback, the Penguins went 27–14–3–2 for a regular season record of 42–28–9–3 and a third-place finish in the Atlantic Division for a playoff spot. Lemieux however did not take back the capaticy when he returned, which Jaromir Jagr held onto for the entire season. The Penguins were shut out only once all year, which was on October 28th against the New Jersey Devils, the team that scored more goals than Pittsburgh during the regular season. Jagr had a stellar year, leading the team in goals (52), assists (69) and points (121). Alexei Kovalev had a career year, finishing with 44 goals and 51 assists for 95 points. Martin Straka finished second on the team in assists (68) and had 27 goals for 95 points, while Robert Lang had 32 goals and 48 assists for 80 points. In the 43 games he played in after he returned, roughly half the season, Lemieux managed 35 goals and 41 assists for 76 points.

Final standings

Playoffs

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

The Penguins opened the playoffs against the Washington Capitals. It was their sixth meeting in the playoffs. The Penguins were shut out in Game 1, 1–0. Lemieux scored a goal and had an assist in Game 2, which was won by the Penguins, 2–1. Newcomer Johan Hedberg shut out the Capitals in Game 3. The Capitals won Game 4 in overtime, 4–3. However, game-winning goals by Lemieux and Martin Straka in Game 5 and 6 won the series for the Penguins, 4–2.

Eastern Conference Semifinals

The Penguins played the Buffalo Sabres in the conference semi-finals. The Penguins won Game 1 by the score of 3–0 and Game 2 by the score of 3–1. The Sabres won the next three games, pushing the Penguins to elimination. However, overtime-winning goals by Straka and Darius Kasparaitis in Game 6 and 7 won the series for the Penguins. Game 7 was Dominik Hasek's last game as a Sabre; he would sign with the Detroit Red Wings in the off-season.

Eastern Conference Finals

The Penguins and the New Jersey Devils split the first two games of the series before the Devils took games three, four, and five to eliminate the Penguins.

Schedule and results

Regular season

|- | 1 || 7 || Nashville Predators || 3–1 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 0–1–0–0 || 0 || |- | 2 || 8 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 3–1 || Nashville Predators || 1–1–0–0 || 2 || |- | 3 || 13 || Tampa Bay Lightning || 2–3 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 2–1–0–0 || 4 || |- | 4 || 14 || New York Rangers || 6–8 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 3–1–0–0 || 6 || |- | 5 || 18 || Carolina Hurricanes || 3–2 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 3–2–0–0 || 6 || |- | 6 || 19 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 3–3 || Ottawa Senators || 3–2–1–0 || 7 || |- | 7 || 21 || Columbus Blue Jackets || 2–5 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 4–2–1–0 || 9 || |- | 8 || 25 || Ottawa Senators || 3–2 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 4–3–1–0 || 9 || |- | 9 || 27 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 4–1 || New York Rangers || 5–3–1–0 || 11 || |- | 10 || 28 || New Jersey Devils || 9–0 || Pittsburgh Penguins || 5–4–1–0 || 11 ||

| Legend:

Playoffs

|- | 1 || April 12, 2001 || 0–1 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals || Capitals lead 1–0 || |- | 2 || April 14, 2001 || 2–1 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals || Series tied 1–1 || |- | 3 || April 16, 2001 || 3–0 || align="left"| Washington Capitals || Penguins lead 2–1 || |- | 4 || April 18, 2001 || 3–4 OT || align="left"| Washington Capitals || Series tied 2–2 || |- | 5 || April 21, 2001 || 2–1 || align="left"| @ Washington Capitals || Penguins lead 3–2 || |- | 6 || April 23, 2001 || 4–3 OT || align="left"| Washington Capitals || Penguins win 4–2 ||

| Legend:

Player statistics

;Skaters

;Goaltenders

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Penguins. Stats reflect time with the Penguins only.

‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Penguins only.

Awards and records

• Mario Lemieux became the first person to score 1500 points for the Penguins. He did so in a 5–3 win over Ottawa on December 30.
• Mario Lemieux became the first person to score 900 assists for the Penguins. He did so in a 6–1 win over the New York Islanders on February 25.
• Kevin Stevens set the franchise record for penalty minutes (1023). He broke the previous high of 980 set by Troy Loney in 1993.

Awards

Broadcaster Mike Lange was also awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award in 2001, thus securing his induction into the broadcaster's wing of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Milestones

Making their NHL debuts in 2000–01 as members of the Pittsburgh Penguins were Greg Crozier, Johan Hedberg, Milan Kraft, Josef Melichar, Toby Petersen, Roman Simicek, and Billy Tibbetts.

Transactions

The Penguins were involved in the following transactions from June 11, 2000, the day after the deciding game of the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals, through June 9, 2001, the day of the deciding game of the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals.

Trades

Players acquired

Players lost

Signings

Other

Draft picks

The Penguins selected the following players at the 2000 NHL entry draft at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary:

;Draft notes

• The Pittsburgh Penguins' fourth-round pick went to the Montreal Canadiens as the result of a June 24, 2000 trade that sent a 2000 fourth-round pick and a 2000 fifth-round pick to the Penguins in exchange for this pick.
• The Montreal Canadiens' fourth-round pick (from the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim) went to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a result of a June 24, 2000 trade that sent a 2000 fourth-round pick to the Canadiens in exchange for a 2000 fifth-round pick and this pick.
• The Montreal Canadiens' fifth-round pick went to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a result of a June 24, 2000 trade that sent a 2000 fourth-round pick to the Canadiens in exchange for a 2000 fourth-round pick and this pick.
• The Pittsburgh Penguins' fifth-round pick went to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim as the result of a March 14, 2000 trade that sent Dan Trebil to the Penguins in exchange for this pick.
• The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim's ninth-round pick went to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a result of a January 29, 2000 trade that sent Kip Miller to the Mighty Ducks in exchange for this pick.

Farm teams

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL finished second in the Mid-Atlantic Division with a record of 36-33-9-2 record. They defeated the Syracuse Crunch, Philadelphia Phantoms and Hershey Bears to win the Robert W. Clarke Trophy as Western Conference playoff champions. They lost to the Saint John Flames in six games in the Calder Cup Finals. John Slaney won the Eddie Shore Award as defenseman of the year.

The ECHL's Wheeling Nailers finished last overall with a record of 24-40-8.

Notes

References

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