# 1967–68 Pittsburgh Penguins season

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

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 vte :
| | | 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 |

### Record vs. opponents
## Schedule and results

1967–1968 Schedule :
October: 3–6–1 (Home: 2–3–1; Road: 1–3–0) 7 points
#OctVisitorScoreHomeLocation/AttendanceRecordPoints
111Montreal Canadiens2–1Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (9,307)0–1–00
213Pittsburgh Penguins3–1St. Louis BluesSt. Louis Arena (5,126)1–1–02
314St. Louis Blues4–2Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (6,166)1–2–02
418Minnesota North Stars3–3Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (3,885)1–2–13
519Pittsburgh Penguins0–1Philadelphia FlyersThe Spectrum (7,812)1–3–13
621Chicago Black Hawks2–4Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (9,274)2–3–15
722Pittsburgh Penguins4–6New York RangersMadison Square Garden (III) (13,706)2–4–15
825Oakland Seals1–4Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (3,819)3–4–17
928Los Angeles Kings5–3Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (6,536)3–5–17
1029Pittsburgh Penguins2–4Boston BruinsBoston Garden (13,909)3–6–17 :
November: 6–3–2 (Home: 3–1–1; Road: 3–2–1) 14 pints
#NovVisitorScoreHomeLocation/AttendanceRecordPoints
111Pittsburgh Penguins4–1Minnesota North StarsMet Center (7,535)4–6–19
124Pittsburgh Penguins1–0Oakland SealsOakland Coliseum Arena (4,549)5–6–111
138Philadelphia Flyers1–1Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (4,719)5–6–212
149Pittsburgh Penguins1–5Detroit Red WingsOlympia Stadium (10,683)5–7–212
1511St. Louis Blues5–1Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (7,183)5–8–212
1615Philadelphia Flyers0–5Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (6,876)6–8–214
1718Pittsburgh Penguins5–3St. Louis BluesSt. Louis Arena (7,715)7–8–216
1822Boston Bruins1–4Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (9,701)8–8–218
1924Pittsburgh Penguins3–5Los Angeles KingsGreat Western Forum (6,409)8–9–218
2025Pittsburgh Penguins2–2Oakland SealsOakland Coliseum Arena (5,977)8–9–319
2129Oakland Seals1–6Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (4,499)9–9–321 :
December: 4–8–2 (Home: 2–3–2; Road: 2–5–0) 10 points
#DecVisitorScoreHomeLocation/AttendanceRecordPoints
222New York Rangers4–1Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (9,725)9–10–321
233Pittsburgh Penguins1–6Detroit Red WingsOlympia Stadium (12,215)9–11–321
246Pittsburgh Penguins2–7Chicago Black HawksChicago Stadium (17,000)9–12–321
259Pittsburgh Penguins3–2Minnesota North StarsMet Center (10,927)10–12–323
2610Minnesota North Stars7–4Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (4,662)10–13–323
2713Pittsburgh Penguins2–1Toronto Maple LeafsMaple Leaf Gardens (15,718)11–13–325
2816Chicago Black Hawks1–1Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (9,174)11–13–426
2917Pittsburgh Penguins1–2Philadelphia FlyersThe Spectrum (7,522)11–14–426
3021Pittsburgh Penguins1–4Los Angeles KingsGreat Western Forum (4,013)11–15–426
3123Minnesota North Stars0–4Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (7,631)12–15–428
3225Los Angeles Kings3–4Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (4,002)13–15–430
3327Oakland Seals0–0Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (6,039)13–15–531
3429Pittsburgh Penguins1–2St. Louis BluesSt. Louis Arena (8,286)13–16–531
3530Detroit Red Wings5–2Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (9,041)13–17–531 :
January: 4–7–2 (Home: 3–2–1; Road: 1–5–1) 10 points
#JanVisitorScoreHomeLocation/AttendanceRecordPoints
364Los Angeles Kings3–4Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (4,202)14–17–533
376Philadelphia Flyers2–2Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (7,351)14–17–634
387Pittsburgh Penguins1–3Philadelphia FlyersThe Spectrum (7,935)14–18–634
3910Montreal Canadiens4–3Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (5,580)14–19–634
4012Toronto Maple Leafs3–4Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (8,292)15–19–636
4113Pittsburgh Penguins0–7Toronto Maple LeafsMaple Leaf Gardens (15,732)15–20–636
4217Pittsburgh Penguins1–1Oakland SealsOakland Coliseum Arena (2,638)15–20–737
4318Pittsburgh Penguins2–3Los Angeles KingsGreat Western Forum (5,755)15–21–737
4420Detroit Red Wings5–8Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (10,547)16–21–739
4521Pittsburgh Penguins3–4Minnesota North StarsMet Center (9,298)16–22–739
4627Los Angeles Kings5–3Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (11,156)16–23–739
4728Pittsburgh Penguins1–0Boston BruinsBoston Garden (13,909)17–23–741
4831Pittsburgh Penguins4–9St. Louis BluesSt. Louis Arena (7,748)17–24–741 :
February: 4–5–3 (Home: 2–3–3; Road: 2–2–0) 11 points
#FebVisitorScoreHomeLocation/AttendanceRecordPoints
491St. Louis Blues0–2Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (5,980)18–24–743
503Toronto Maple Leafs3–3Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (12,563)18–24–844
517Pittsburgh Penguins4–1Oakland SealsOakland Coliseum Arena (5,283)19–24–846
528Pittsburgh Penguins1–3Los Angeles KingsGreat Western Forum (6,195)19–25–846
5310New York Rangers2–2Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (10,237)19–25–947
5414Minnesota North Stars3–6Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (6,133)20–25–949
5516St. Louis Blues3–1Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (7,209)20–26–949
5617Pittsburgh Penguins3–4Montreal CanadiensMontreal Forum (14,687)20–27–949
5721Philadelphia Flyers1–1Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (9,198)20–27–1050
5824Oakland Seals3–1Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (11,057)20–28–1050
5925Pittsburgh Penguins2–1Philadelphia FlyersThe Spectrum (14,418)21–28–1052
6027Boston Bruins5–3Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (6,546)21–29–1052 :
March: 6–5–3 (Home: 3–0–2; Road: 3–5–1) 15 points
#MarVisitorScoreHomeLocation/AttendanceRecordPoints
612Oakland Seals6–6Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (7,390)21–29–1153
626Pittsburgh Penguins2–4St. Louis BluesSt. Louis Arena (9,092)21–30–1153
637Pittsburgh Penguins2–2Minnesota North StarsMet Center (10,705)21–30–1254
649Los Angeles Kings1–3Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (8,176)22–30–1256
6513Pittsburgh Penguins3–4Chicago Black HawksChicago Stadium (16,666)22–31–1256
6616Pittsburgh Penguins4–6Montreal CanadiensMontreal Forum (15,041)22–32–1256
6717Pittsburgh Penguins0–3New York RangersMadison Square Garden (III) (17,250)22–33–1256
6820St. Louis Blues2–4Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (6,126)23–33–1258
6923Pittsburgh Penguins0–3Minnesota North StarsMet Center (11,910)23–34–1258
7024Minnesota North Stars4–4Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (7,229)23–34–1359
7126Pittsburgh Penguins2–1Los Angeles KingsGreat Western Forum (7,057)24–34–1361
7227Pittsburgh Penguins7–4Oakland SealsOakland Coliseum Arena (4,365)25–34–1363
7330Pittsburgh Penguins2–0Philadelphia Flyersat Quebec City (5,569)26–34–1365
7431Philadelphia Flyers1–5Pittsburgh PenguinsCivic Arena (6,756)27–34–1367 :
Legend:
  Win (2 points)
  Loss (0 points)
  Tie (1 point) :

## 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 |
| Art Stratton$^‡$ | 58 | 16 | 21 | 37 | -6 | 16 |
| Earl Ingarfield | 50 | 15 | 22 | 37 | -8 | 12 |
| Val Fonteyne | 69 | 6 | 28 | 34 | -11 | 0 |
| Gene Ubriaco | 65 | 18 | 15 | 33 | -11 | 16 |
| Noel Price | 70 | 6 | 27 | 33 | -7 | 48 |
| Paul Andrea | 65 | 11 | 21 | 32 | -5 | 2 |
| Billy Dea | 73 | 16 | 12 | 28 | -14 | 6 |
| Keith McCreary | 70 | 14 | 12 | 26 | -3 | 44 |
| Leo Boivin | 73 | 9 | 13 | 22 | -16 | 74 |
| Bob Dillabough | 47 | 7 | 12 | 19 | -6 | 18 |
| Bob Rivard | 27 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 0 | 4 |
| Bill Speer | 68 | 3 | 13 | 16 | -12 | 44 |
| George Konik | 52 | 7 | 8 | 15 | -9 | 26 |
| Al MacNeil | 74 | 2 | 10 | 12 | -5 | 58 |
| Wayne Hicks$^†$ | 15 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 2 | 2 |
| Dick Mattiussi | 32 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -9 | 18 |
| Dunc McCallum | 32 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -2 | 36 |
| Mel Pearson | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| Ted Lanyon | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Total | Total | 195 | 323 | 518 | — | 540 |

### Goaltenders

Regular Season :
| Player | GP | GS | TOI | W | L | OT | T | GA | GAA | SA | SV% | SO | G | A | PIM |
| Les Binkley | 54 | 54 | 3139:01 | 20 | 24 | -- | 10 | 150 | 2.87 | 1585 | 0.905 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hank Bassen | 25 | 20 | 1295:19 | 7 | 10 | -- | 3 | 62 | 2.87 | 685 | 0.909 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Total | Total | 74 | 4434:20 | 27 | 34 | 0 | 13 | 212 | 2.87 | 2270 | 0.907 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
$^†$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

* Les Binkley recorded the first shutout in team history with a 1–0 win against Oakland on November 4.
* Andy Bathgate became the first Penguins player to earn 50 points in a season. He did so by recording an assist in a 6–6 tie against Oakland on March 2.
* Andy Bathgate became the first Penguins player to earn 20 goals in a season. He did so by scoring in a 4–6 loss against Montreal on March 16.
* Andy Bathgate, Al MacNeil and Ab McDonald each became the first players to suit up for all of the Penguins' games for an entire season.
* Les Binkley became the first Penguins goaltender to record 20 wins in a season. He did so in a 5–1 win against Philadelphia on March 30.
* By leading the team in scoring in its first season, Andy Bathgate set the Penguin's single season scoring record at 59 points.
* Noel Price became the first Penguin to lead defenseman in scoring. He set the Penguin's single season scoring record at 33 points.
* Leo Boivin set the team record for goals by a defenseman at 9.

## 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 |

## Draft picks
### 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 |