The Pittsburgh Penguins started their 2023-24 season on Tuesday through dropping to the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-2, after the Blackhawks scored 4 unanswered targets. But as the sport were given underway, the workforce made a bit of little bit of historical past within the procedure.
The Penguins’ trio of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang started enjoying with each and every different for the 18th consecutive season, environment a North American sports activities record. The team broke the former record of a trio enjoying 17 consecutive seasons in combination, which used to be held through the New York Yankees trio of Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera.
This team has completed fairly a bit of all the way through their time in Pittsburgh. The Penguins received Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016 and 2017 with Crosby, Malkin and Letang serving to to prepared the ground.
“I’ve always said and believed that these guys are the greatest core that I’ve certainly been around and witnessed,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan told NHL.com. “They’re in elite company without a doubt, the guys you mentioned with the Yankees, for example. These guys are in elite company from a core standpoint. … They’re generational talents, I think that speaks for itself. But all the other intangibles that they bring to the table, they just represent everything that’s great about hockey.”
Crosby, Malkin and Letang started sharing the ice all the way through the 2006-07 season, which used to be the yr after Crosby debuted within the NHL. Crosby and Malkin had been additionally each No. 1 select as Crosby used to be the highest select in 2005 and Malkin used to be the No. 1 select within the earlier yr.
“It’s just special. There’s no other way to put it,” Crosby added. “It’s not easy. There are so many factors. So much turnover with teams, especially nowadays where you see that it’s so uncommon that players can stay with the same team. The fact we were able to do that, it’s really special.
“You admire that. You’re thankful for that, and with a bit of luck, a couple of extra years left right here in combination.”
All 3 are signed for no less than the following two seasons, and the workforce is trying to make a couple of extra Stanley Cup runs after including defenseman Erik Karlsson within the offseason.