# 1971–72 Pittsburgh Penguins season

The 1971–72 Pittsburgh Penguins season was the franchise's fifth season in the National Hockey League. The team finished 26–38–14 and were tied with their cross-state rival Philadelphia Flyers, who had an identical record, for the fourth and final playoff berth in the West Division. The Penguins made the playoffs for the second time in team history, having won the season series 3–2–1 against the Flyers. However, the Penguins were swept by the Chicago Black Hawks in four games in the first round.

## Regular season
### Final standings

West Division vte :
| | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | DIFF | Pts |
| 1 | Chicago Black Hawks | 78 | 46 | 17 | 15 | 256 | 166 | +90 | 107 |
| 2 | Minnesota North Stars | 78 | 37 | 29 | 12 | 212 | 191 | +21 | 86 |
| 3 | St. Louis Blues | 78 | 28 | 39 | 11 | 208 | 247 | −39 | 67 |
| 4 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 78 | 26 | 38 | 14 | 220 | 258 | −38 | 66 |
| 5 | Philadelphia Flyers | 78 | 26 | 38 | 14 | 200 | 236 | −36 | 66 |
| 6 | California Golden Seals | 78 | 21 | 39 | 18 | 216 | 288 | −72 | 60 |
| 7 | Los Angeles Kings | 78 | 20 | 49 | 9 | 206 | 305 | −99 | 49 |

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

1971–72 Game log :
October: 5–5–2 (Home: 2–2–1; Road: 3–3–1)
#DateVisitorScoreHomeDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
1October 9Philadelphia2–3Pittsburgh11,7331–0–02
2October 10Pittsburgh1–2Buffalo15,4291–1–02
3October 13Pittsburgh4–1Los Angeles7,8282–1–04
4October 16Pittsburgh2–1Vancouver15,5703–1–06
5October 17Pittsburgh4–2California2,1234–1–08
6October 20Los Angeles1–8Pittsburgh7,5925–1–010
7October 23Chicago5–2Pittsburgh13,1005–2–010
8October 24Pittsburgh1–1NY Rangers17,2505–2–111
9October 27California6–4Pittsburgh9,2385–3–111
10October 28Pittsburgh0–2Minnesota15,1015–4–111
11October 30NY Rangers1–1Pittsburgh8,9735–4–212
12October 31Pittsburgh1–3Detroit10,8705–5–212 :
November: 3–9–0 (Home: 2–3–0; Road: 1–6–0)
#DateVisitorScoreHomeDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
13November 3Pittsburgh3–5California3,2935–6–212
14November 5Pittsburgh2–4Vancouver15,5705–7–212
15November 7Pittsburgh1–4Chicago5–8–212
16November 9Pittsburgh4–1St. Louis17,8886–8–214
17November 10Vancouver1–3Pittsburgh7,3247–8–216
18November 13Los Angeles4–6Pittsburgh9,7568–8–218
19November 16Minnesota5–1Pittsburgh7,8008–9–218
20November 18Pittsburgh3–4Minnesota15,2358–10–218
21November 20St. Louis4–2Pittsburgh12,2768–11–218
22November 21Pittsburgh3–7Chicago8–12–218
23November 24Toronto2–1Pittsburgh6,0208–13–218
24November 27Pittsburgh1–3Montreal17,5008–14–218 :
December: 3–7–4 (Home: 3–2–3; Road: 0–5–1)
#DateVisitorScoreHomeDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
25December 1Detroit2–4Pittsburgh7,0839–14–220
26December 4NY Rangers2–4Pittsburgh9,66210–14–222
27December 5Pittsburgh3–5Boston14,99510–15–222
28December 8California1–1Pittsburgh8,83110–15–323
29December 11Buffalo3–3Pittsburgh7,60310–15–424
30December 12Pittsburgh1–6NY Rangers17,25010–16–424
31December 15Pittsburgh2–3Toronto16,32410–17–424
32December 18Boston4–3Pittsburgh11,83710–18–424
33December 19Pittsburgh2–2Boston14,99510–18–525
34December 22Pittsburgh2–4NY Rangers17,25010–19–525
35December 25Montreal2–4Pittsburgh7,77811–19–527
36December 26Pittsburgh1–6Philadelphia14,62611–20–527
37December 28Toronto4–2Pittsburgh11,15811–21–527
38December 31Buffalo3–3Pittsburgh7,90811–21–628 :
January: 1–8–3 (Home: 1–4–2; Road: 0–4–1)
#DateVisitorScoreHomeDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
39January 5Pittsburgh3–3Chicago11–21–729
40January 8Chicago4–0Pittsburgh13,10011–22–729
41January 9Pittsburgh2–4Detroit12,57011–23–729
42January 12Boston2–2Pittsburgh8,44911–23–830
43January 13Pittsburgh1–7Montreal16,25211–24–830
44January 15Philadelphia2–4Pittsburgh9,22512–24–832
45January 19Vancouver6–1Pittsburgh7,18912–25–832
46January 22Pittsburgh0–1St. Louis18,82912–26–832
47January 23Montreal3–3Pittsburgh8,41412–26–933
48January 26St. Louis2–1Pittsburgh9,31612–27–933
49January 29Chicago4–2Pittsburgh13,00612–28–933
50January 30Pittsburgh0–4Philadelphia14,62612–29–933 :
February: 7–6–0 (Home: 4–2–0; Road: 3–4–0)
#DateVisitorScoreHomeDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
51February 3Pittsburgh4–3St. Louis17,87113–29–935
52February 5Pittsburgh1–8Los Angeles10,10213–30–935
53February 9Pittsburgh4–1Toronto16,37014–30–937
54February 10Los Angeles1–6Pittsburgh6,62015–30–939
55February 12NY Rangers8–3Pittsburgh12,03115–31–939
56February 13Vancouver4–6Pittsburgh6,80616–31–941
57February 16Toronto2–4Pittsburgh7,81417–31–943
58February 17Pittsburgh2–0Buffalo15,36018–31–945
59February 19Detroit6–2Pittsburgh8,10518–32–945
60February 20Pittsburgh0–2Minnesota15,31618–33–945
61February 23Pittsburgh0–2Toronto16,36218–34–945
62February 26Philadelphia2–5Pittsburgh11,20819–34–947
63February 27Pittsburgh3–5Montreal18,00319–35–947 :
March: 6–3–4 (Home: 5–2–0; Road: 1–1–4)
#DateVisitorScoreHomeDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
64March 2Detroit4–7Pittsburgh7,67020–35–949
65March 4Minnesota2–4Pittsburgh10,53221–35–951
66March 5Pittsburgh3–6Detroit14,76821–36–951
67March 8Montreal5–4Pittsburgh9,59821–37–951
68March 11Boston4–6Pittsburgh13,05022–37–953
69March 12Pittsburgh4–4Boston14,99522–37–1054
70March 14Pittsburgh7–4Vancouver15,57023–37–1056
71March 18Pittsburgh4–4Los Angeles7,17423–37–1157
72March 19Pittsburgh3–3California5,30323–37–1258
73March 22Buffalo4–3Pittsburgh11,21623–38–1258
74March 25Minnesota2–3Pittsburgh12,56124–38–1260
75March 26Pittsburgh2–2Buffalo15,36024–38–1361
76March 29California4–5Pittsburgh10,20925–38–1363 :
April: 1–0–1 (Home: 1–0–0; Road: 0–0–1)
#DateVisitorScoreHomeDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
77April 1Pittsburgh4–4Philadelphia14,62625–38–1464
78April 2St. Louis2–6Pittsburgh13,10026–38–1466 :
Legend:
  Win (2 points)
  Loss (0 points)
  Tie (1 point) :

## Playoffs

1972 Playoffs :
Round one vs Chicago: 0–4 (Home: 0–2; Road: 0–2)
#DateVisitorScoreHomeSeries
1April 5Pittsburgh1–3Chicago0–1
2April 6Pittsburgh2–3Chicago0–2
3April 8Chicago2–0Pittsburgh0–3
4April 9Chicago6–5Pittsburgh0–4 :
Legend:
  Win
  Loss :

## Player statistics
### Skaters

Regular Season :
| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | +/− | PIM |
| Syl Apps Jr. | 72 | 15 | 44 | 59 | 18 | 78 |
| Jean Pronovost | 68 | 30 | 23 | 53 | 15 | 12 |
| Greg Polis | 76 | 30 | 19 | 49 | –4 | 38 |
| Ron Schock | 77 | 17 | 29 | 46 | –10 | 22 |
| Ken Schinkel | 74 | 15 | 30 | 45 | –10 | 8 |
| Bryan Hextall Jr. | 78 | 20 | 24 | 44 | –26 | 126 |
| Darryl Edestrand | 77 | 10 | 23 | 33 | –12 | 52 |
| Bob Leiter | 78 | 14 | 17 | 31 | –25 | 18 |
| Nick Harbaruk | 78 | 12 | 17 | 29 | –13 | 46 |
| Duane Rupp | 34 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 0 | 32 |
| Bryan Watson | 75 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 5 | 212 |
| Val Fonteyne | 68 | 6 | 13 | 19 | –1 | 0 |
| René Robert$^‡$ | 49 | 7 | 11 | 18 | –11 | 42 |
| Al McDonough$^†$ | 37 | 7 | 11 | 18 | –6 | 8 |
| Steve Cardwell | 28 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 0 | 18 |
| Eddie Shack$^†$ | 18 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 5 | 12 |
| Dave Burrows | 77 | 2 | 10 | 12 | –7 | 48 |
| Tim Horton | 44 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 5 | 40 |
| John Stewart | 25 | 2 | 8 | 10 | –6 | 23 |
| Keith McCreary | 33 | 4 | 4 | 8 | –10 | 22 |
| Joe Noris | 35 | 2 | 5 | 7 | –8 | 20 |
| Sheldon Kannegiesser | 54 | 2 | 4 | 6 | –14 | 47 |
| Bob Woytowich$^‡$ | 31 | 1 | 4 | 5 | –19 | 8 |
| Brian McKenzie | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | –2 | 4 |
| Bill Hicke | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | –6 | 6 |
| Wally Boyer | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | –1 | 0 |
| Rick Kessell | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | –1 | 0 |
| Robin Burns | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | –4 | 8 |
| Total | Total | 220 | 360 | 580 | — | 950 |
Playoffs :
| Player | GP | G | A | Pts | +/− | PIM |
| Bob Leiter | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Darryl Edestrand | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Jean Pronovost | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Ken Schinkel | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Greg Polis | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Bryan Hextall Jr. | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 |
| Eddie Shack | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Nick Harbaruk | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Syl Apps Jr. | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Al McDonough | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ron Schock | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Tim Horton | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Steve Cardwell | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Dave Burrows | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Keith McCreary | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Val Fonteyne | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Bryan Watson | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Duane Rupp | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Total | Total | 8 | 11 | 19 | — | 71 |

### Goaltenders

Regular Season :
| Player | GP | W | L | T | GA | SO |
| Jim Rutherford | 40 | 17 | 15 | 5 | 116 | 1 |
| Les Binkley | 31 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 98 | 0 |
| Roy Edwards | 15 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 36 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 26 | 38 | 14 | 250 | 1 |
Playoffs :
| Player | GP | W | L | GA | SO |
| Jim Rutherford | 4 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 0 | 4 | 14 | 0 |
$^†$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

* Val Fonteyne became the first player to play 300 games for the Penguins. He did so in a 1–5 loss to Minnesota on November 16.
* Ken Schinkel became the first player to score 200 points for the Penguins. He did so by recording an assist in a 2–4 loss to Chicago on January 29.
* Bryan Watson became the first player to earn 500 penalty minutes for the Penguins. He did so by receiving 4 PIMs in a 4–2 win over Toronto on February 16.
* Bryan Watson became the first player to earn 200 penalty minutes in one season for the Penguins. He did so by receiving 2 PIMs in a 7–4 win over Vancouver on March 14.
* Jean Pronovost became the first player to score 30 goals in a season for the Penguins. He did so in a 5–4 win over California on March 29.
* Syl Apps Jr. established a new franchise record for highest plus-minus in a season (+18). He broke the previous high of +10 set by Wally Boyer in 1971.
* Val Fonteyne established a career franchise record for games (349). He had led the category since 1969.
* Bob Woytowich set the Penguins career defenseman scoring mark at 93 points. He held the record since 1970.
* Darryl Edestrand became the first defenseman in team history to record 10 goals in a season. He also tied the record for points in a season by a defenseman with 33.

## Transactions

The Penguins have been involved in the following transactions during the 1971–72 season:

### Trades

| September 4, 1971 | To California Golden Seals cash | To Pittsburgh Penguins Bill Hicke |
| October 3, 1971 | To Vancouver Canucks Bob Blackburn | To Pittsburgh Penguins cash |
| October 6, 1971 | To Minnesota North Stars Dean Prentice | To Pittsburgh Penguins cash |
| November 22, 1971 | To Detroit Red Wings Bill Hicke | To Pittsburgh Penguins cash |
| January 11, 1972 | To Los Angeles Kings Bob Woytowich | To Pittsburgh Penguins Al McDonough |
| March 4, 1972 | To Buffalo Sabres Rene Robert | To Pittsburgh Penguins Eddie Shack |

### Player signings

| Player | Date | Contract terms |
| Bob Woytowich | September 2, 1971 | Re-signed |
| Tim Horton | September 2, 1971 | Re-signed |
| Wally Boyer | September 2, 1971 | Re-signed |
| Jean Pronovost | September 3, 1971 | Signed |
| Dave Burrows | September 8, 1971 | Re-signed |
| Rene Robert | September 8, 1971 | Re-signed |
| Roy Edwards | September 8, 1971 | Re-signed |
| Cam Newton | May 25, 1972 | 1-year contract |
| Jim Rutherford | June 1, 1972 | Re-signed |
| Bryan Hextall Jr. | June 7, 1972 | Re-signed |

### Other

| Player | Date | Details |
| Andy Bathgate | July 1, 1971 | Retired |
| Roy Edwards | December 30, 1971 | Retired |
| Red Kelly | January 29, 1972 | Resigned as GM (remained as head coach) |
| Jack Riley | January 29, 1972 | Hired as GM (in addition to president) |
| Tim Horton | June 5, 1972 | Lost to Buffalo Sabres in intra-league draft |
| Bobby Leiter | June 6, 1972 | Lost to Atlanta Flames in expansion draft |
| John Stewart | June 6, 1972 | Lost to Atlanta Flames in expansion draft |
| Keith McCreary | June 6, 1972 | Lost to Atlanta Flames in expansion draft |

## Draft picks

Pittsburgh Penguins' picks at the 1971 NHL entry draft.
| Round | # | Player | Pos | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 2 | 18 | Brian McKenzie | Left Wing | Canada | St. Catharines Black Hawks (OHA) |
| 3 | 32 | Joe Noris | Center | United States | Toronto Marlboros (OHA) |
| 4 | 46 | Gerry Methe | Defense | Canada | Oshawa Generals (OHA) |
| 5 | 60 | Dave Murphy | Goaltender | Canada | University of North Dakota (NCAA) |
| 6 | 74 | Ian Williams | Right Wing | Canada | Notre Dame (NCAA) |
| 7 | 88 | Doug Elliott | Defense | Canada | Harvard University (NCAA) |

### Draft notes

* The Pittsburgh Penguins' first-round pick went to the St. Louis Blues as the result of a June 6, 1969, trade that sent Ron Schock, Craig Cameron and a 1972 second round pick to the Penguins in exchange for Lou Angotti and this pick.
* The Pittsburgh Penguins' eighth-round pick went to the Vancouver Canucks as the result of a June 10, 1970, trade that had Vancouver promise to not take certain players in expansion draft for this pick.