Crosby to Pass Lemieux: Inside the Early Penguins Era

In 2003, Ed Olczyk was looking to climb the coaching ladder, three years after retiring as a player. His plan: start in the American Hockey League. He applied for the Penguins’ affiliate position.

“They envisioned a five-year plan. They told me, ‘We’re not going to win a lot, but you’ll grow with the team,’” recalls Olczyk, now an analyst for the Seattle Kraken.

But “the team” ended up being the Pittsburgh Penguins. Olczyk landed behind the Penguins’ bench in 2003 without even applying for the job, bringing only his NHL playing experience to the role. It was a similar situation to Martin St. Louis 20 years later, though with less success.

The Penguins were also searching for a new arena at the time, and their future in Pittsburgh was uncertain. During the 2003-2004 season, attendance at the old Mellon Arena dipped below 12,000 for the first time in 20 years.

It was into this chaotic environment that a young Sidney Crosby arrived in 2005. In the words of Maxime Talbot, another rookie that year, “it was a bit old school in Pittsburgh.”

“We were in a taxi coming back from a restaurant, had a glass of wine, and Sid was questioning how seriously things were being taken, because the whole team was going to grab a beer. He thought it was too relaxed. He was questioning the culture. Sid said, ‘It doesn’t seem like it should be like this.’”

“I was just happy to be in the National Hockey League. He, at 18 years old, was already thinking about improving the team!”

Twenty years and three Stanley Cups later, Crosby has clearly gotten his way. That will be proven again in the coming days, when he surpasses Mario Lemieux and his 1,723 points for first place in Penguins history.

On July 22, 2005, the Penguins won the NHL draft lottery. This marked the beginning of a long chain reaction, starting with the return to play of Mario Lemieux, whose future was uncertain after hip problems slowed him down before the 2004-2005 lockout.

“Following the Sidney draft, Mario came back to play and a lot of players wanted to come play with us,” recalls goaltender Jocelyn Thibault. “Zigmund Palffy, John LeClair, Lyle Odelein, Mark Recchi… There was a good vibe after the selection of Sidney. It takes one or two signings and it snowballs.”

Lemieux invested himself as a player, but not only that. André Roy, a 2004 Stanley Cup winner, was about to agree to a deal with the Minnesota Wild. Lemieux learned of the impending contract, because Roy and he were represented by Pat Brisson.

Lemieux called Roy, who, a natural storyteller, reenacted the call, including an impression of Lemieux.

“Listen, André, we want to have, uh, guys like you who bring a robust element and who have, uh, experience,” Lemieux reportedly said, before returning to his own voice.

“At first, I thought it was one of my buddies messing with me! I felt bad for Jacques Lemaire [Wild head coach at the time]. But then, Mario Lemieux, I was like: wow. He was talking to me like a guy who wanted me!”

Lemieux invested in this way because he was clearly aware of what was at stake for his team. “He wanted to get it off to a good start, protect it and prepare it for the pressure of a first overall pick, who is seen as the savior of a franchise,” Thibault believes. “Mario saved the Penguins when he was drafted, and if the Penguins hadn’t drafted Sid, I don’t know if they’d still be here.”