1967–68 Pittsburgh Penguins season

1967–68 Pittsburgh Penguins
Division	5th West
1967–68 record	27–34–13
Home record	15–12–10
Road record	12–22–3
Goals for	195
Goals against	216
Team information
General manager	Jack Riley
Coach	Red Sullivan
Captain	Ab McDonald
Alternate captains	Leo Boivin Earl Ingarfield Al MacNeil
Arena	Pittsburgh Civic Arena
Average attendance	7,405 (59.2%) (36 games)
Team leaders
Goals	Ab McDonald (22)
Assists	Andy Bathgate (39)
Points	Andy Bathgate (59)
Penalty minutes	Leo Boivin (74)
Wins	Les Binkley (20)
Goals against average	Hank Bassen (2.86)

The 1967–68 Pittsburgh Penguins season was their first in the NHL. Pittsburgh was one of six cities awarded an expansion team during the 1967 NHL expansion.

After deciding on the "Penguin" nickname (which was inspired by the fact that the team was going to play in an "Igloo", the nickname of the Pittsburgh Civic Center), a logo was chosen, that had a penguin in front of a triangle, which is thought to be in tribute to the "Golden Triangle".

Offseason

On February 8, 1966, the NHL awarded a franchise to the Hockey Club of Pittsburgh, Incorporated: a partnership of several investors headed by Pennsylvania State Senator Jack McGregor and his friend and business associate Peter Block. McGregor became the public face of the ownership, as President and Chief Executive Officer, and representing the club at Board of Governors meetings.

Later that year McGregor and Block began assembling their new hockey team. American Hockey League executive Jack Riley was named the club's general manager, and began immediately acquiring the services of players. He signed minor-leaguers Les Binkley, Ted Lanyon, Dick Mattiussi and Bill Speer to contracts before the club had ever taken to the ice.

The name of the new team was chosen by a contest in a local newspaper: on February 10, 1967, the new team became known as the Penguins.

In the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft Riley chose experienced players, particularly former New York Rangers players. Coincidentally Penguins head coach Red Sullivan was a former Ranger player and head coach. Earl Ingarfield, Ken Schinkel, Val Fonteyne, Mel Pearson, Al MacNeil, Noel Price, Billy Dea and Art Stratton had each spent time in their careers with the Rangers, but the Penguins' most prized acquisition was former Rangers star Andy Bathgate. Bathgate, then 34 years old, was near the end of his career and deemed expendable by the Red Wings, who had previously acquired his rights.

The rest of the roster was filled with minor-leaguers, particularly members of the Pittsburgh Hornets, the American Hockey League club which had served the Pittsburgh market since the late 1930s.

Expansion Draft

See also: 1967 NHL Expansion Draft Pittsburgh Penguins selections

The Pittsburgh Penguins made 20 selections in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft held in Montreal from June 5–7.

Round #	Player	Position	Drafted from
1	Joe Daley	Goaltender	Detroit Red Wings
2	Roy Edwards	Goaltender	Chicago Black Hawks
3	Earl Ingarfield	Center	New York Rangers
4	Al MacNeil	Defense	New York Rangers
5	Larry Jeffrey	Left Wing	Toronto Maple Leafs
6	Ab McDonald	Left Wing	Detroit Red Wings
7	Leo Boivin	Defense	Detroit Red Wings
8	Noel Price	Defense	Montreal Canadiens
9	Keith McCreary	Right Wing	Montreal Canadiens
10	Ken Schinkel	Right Wing	New York Rangers
11	Bob Dillabough	Center	Boston Bruins
12	Art Stratton	Center	Chicago Black Hawks
13	Val Fonteyne	Left Wing	Detroit Red Wings
14	Jeannot Gilbert	Center	Boston Bruins
15	Tom McCarthy	Left Wing	Montreal Canadiens
16	Billy Dea	Left Wing	Chicago Black Hawks
17	Bob Rivard	Center	Montreal Canadiens
18	Mel Pearson	Left Wing	Chicago Black Hawks
19	Andy Bathgate	Right Wing	Detroit Red Wings
20	Les Hunt	Defense	New York Rangers

Regular season

The Penguins' first general manager was Jack Riley. His team (along with the other expansion teams) was hampered by restrictive rules that kept most major talent with the "Original Six." Beyond aging sniper Andy Bathgate and tough defenceman Leo Boivin, the first Penguins team was manned by a cast of former minor-leaguers. The club missed the playoffs, but were a mere six points out of 1st place in the close-fought West Division.

• October 11, 1967 – Andy Bathgate of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores a goal in a 2–1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens. It was the first goal ever scored by a player for an expansion team.

Final standings

West Division

		GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	DIFF	Pts
1	Philadelphia Flyers	74	31	32	11	173	179	−6	73
2	Los Angeles Kings	74	31	33	10	200	224	−24	72
3	St. Louis Blues	74	27	31	16	177	191	−14	70
4	Minnesota North Stars	74	27	32	15	191	226	−35	69
5	Pittsburgh Penguins	74	27	34	13	195	216	−21	67
6	Oakland Seals	74	15	42	17	153	219	−66	47

Playoffs

The Penguins did not qualify for the 1968 Stanley Cup playoffs.

Player statistics

Skaters

Regular Season

Player	GP	G	A	Pts	+/−	PIM
Andy Bathgate	74	20	39	59	–11	55
Ab McDonald	74	22	21	43	–4	38
Ken Schinkel	57	14	25	39	–10	19
Earl Ingarfield	50	15	22	37	–7	12
Art Stratton‡	58	16	21	37	–6	16
Val Fonteyne	69	6	28	34	–23	0
Noel Price	70	6	27	33	–7	48
Gene Ubriaco	65	18	15	33	–13	16
Paul Andrea	65	11	21	32	–2	2
Billy Dea	73	16	12	28	–15	6
Keith McCreary	70	14	12	26	–3	44
Leo Boivin	73	9	13	22	–15	74
Bob Dillabough	47	7	12	19	–7	18
Bob Rivard	27	5	12	17	0	4
Bill Speer	68	3	13	16	–14	44
George Konik	52	7	8	15	–9	26
Al MacNeil	74	2	10	12	–6	58
Wayne Hicks†	15	4	7	11	2	2
Dunc McCallum	32	0	2	2	–2	36
Dick Mattiussi	32	0	2	2	–9	18
Mel Pearson	2	0	1	1	–1	0
Ted Lanyon	5	0	0	0	1	4
Total		195	323	518	—	540

Goaltenders

Regular Season

Player	GP	W	L	T	GA	SO
Les Binkley	54	20	24	10	151	6
Hank Bassen	25	7	10	3	62	1
Total		27	34	13	213	7

^†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.

Transactions

The Penguins were involved in the following transactions during the 1967–68 season:

Trades

September 7, 1967	To Detroit Red Wings Roy Edwards	To Pittsburgh Penguins Hank Bassen
February 27, 1968	To Philadelphia Flyers Art Stratton	To Pittsburgh Penguins Wayne Hicks cash
May 21, 1968	To Boston Bruins cash	To Pittsburgh Penguins Jean Pronovost John Arbour
June 11, 1968	To Montreal Canadiens Al MacNeil	To Pittsburgh Penguins Wally Boyer
June 11, 1968	To St. Louis Blues Ab McDonald	To Pittsburgh Penguins Lou Angotti

Additions and subtractions

Additions Player Former team Via Bill LeCaine Port Huron Flags (IHL) free agency (1967–08) Marv Edwards Nashville Dixie Flyers (EHL) free agency (1967–09)

Subtractions Player New team Via

Roster

#	Nat	Player	Pos	S/G	Age	NHL Draft	Birthplace
22		Paul Andrea	RW	L	26	Undrafted	North Sydney, Nova Scotia
1		Hank Bassen	G	L	35	Undrafted	Calgary, Alberta
9		Andy Bathgate	RW	R	35	Undrafted	Winnipeg, Manitoba
30		Les Binkley	G	R	33	Undrafted	Owen Sound, Ontario
2		Leo Boivin	D	L	35	Undrafted	Prescott, Ontario
14		Billy Dea	LW	L	35	Undrafted	Edmonton, Alberta
15		Bob Dillabough	C	L	27	Undrafted	Belleville, Ontario
8		Val Fonteyne	LW	L	34	Undrafted	Wetaskiwin, Alberta
16		Wayne Hicks	RW	R	31	Undrafted	Aberdeen, Washington
10		Earl Ingarfield	C	L	33	Undrafted	Lethbridge, Alberta
18		George Konik	D	L	31	Undrafted	Flin Flon, Manitoba
5		Ted Lanyon	D	R	28	Undrafted	Winnipeg, Manitoba
3		Al MacNeil	D	L	32	Undrafted	Sydney, Nova Scotia
5		Dick Mattiussi	D	L	30	Undrafted	Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario
6		Dunc McCallum	D	R	28	Undrafted	Flin Flon, Manitoba
21		Keith McCreary	RW	L	27	Undrafted	Sundridge, Ontario
20		Ab McDonald	LW	L	32	Undrafted	Winnipeg, Manitoba
23		Mel Pearson	LW	L	30	Undrafted	Flin Flon, Manitoba
4		Noel Price	D	L	32	Undrafted	Brockville, Ontario
19		Bob Rivard	C	L	28	Undrafted	Sherbrooke, Quebec
12		Ken Schinkel	RW	R	35	Undrafted	Jansen, Saskatchewan
17		Bill Speer	D	L	26	Undrafted	Lindsay, Ontario
11		Gene Ubriaco	LW	L	30	Undrafted	Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Draft picks

Amateur Draft

Main article: 1967 NHL Amateur Draft

Pittsburgh Penguins' picks at the 1967 NHL Amateur Draft.

Round	#	Player	Pos	Nationality	College/Junior/Club Team
1	2	Steve Rexe	Goaltender	Canada	Belleville Seniors
1	11	Bob Smith	Center	Canada	Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds