Penguins Playoff Streak, Longest In All 4 Major Sports, Comes To An End

Read Time:1 Minute, 28 Second

Let’s go all the way to 2003 before the Pittsburgh Penguins had star names such as Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and, of course last but not certainly not least, Sidney Crosby.

*The trio AHS students have watched their whole lives – Crosby, Letang, Malkin*

If you were a Penguins fan in 2003-2004 you’d be thrilled just to see your team in the playoffs. But in 2023, expectations are the opposite.

A rookie Marc-Andre Fleury is faded to the background, with then owner Mario Lemieux returning for the last place 03-04 season.

For 17 straight seasons, the Pittsburgh Penguins have made the playoffs and have accomplished more than the franchise could ever wish for, especially after Lemieux fully retired after the 05-06 season. The team was able to rack up 3 Stanley Cups in that time frame with over 10 division-winning seasons.

The 2017 team, after winning back to back cups. Phil Kessel, Chris Kunitz, and Carl Haglin accompany Crosby as he hoists the Stanley Cup to Pens fans who travelled to watch them defeat the Nashville Predators.

But even with Crosby, Malkin, and Letang still on the starting line, for the first time in 17 seasons, the team is in a black hole with being out of playoff contention in 2023.