2020–21 Pittsburgh Penguins season

The 2020–21 Pittsburgh Penguins season was the 54th season for the National Hockey League team that was established on June 5, 1967.[2] On December 20, 2020, the league temporarily realigned into four divisions with no conferences due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing closure of the Canada–United States border. As a result of this realignment, the Penguins would play this season in the East Division and would only play against the other teams in their new division during the regular season and potentially the first two rounds of the playoffs.

2020–21 Pittsburgh Penguins
East Division champions
Division1st East
2020–21 record37–16–3
Home record22–4–2
Road record15–12–1
Goals for196
Goals against156
Team information
General managerJim Rutherford (Jan. 13 – Jan. 27)
Patrik Allvin[1] (interim) (Jan. 27 – Feb. 9)
Ron Hextall (Feb. 9 – May 26)
CoachMike Sullivan
CaptainSidney Crosby
Alternate captainsKris Letang
Evgeni Malkin
ArenaPPG Paints Arena
Minor league affiliate(s)Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)
Wheeling Nailers (ECHL)
Team leaders
GoalsSidney Crosby (24)
AssistsSidney Crosby
Kris Letang (38)
PointsSidney Crosby (62)
Penalty minutesKris Letang (32)
Plus/minusKris Letang (+19)
WinsTristan Jarry (25)
Goals against averageCasey DeSmith (2.54)

On April 29, 2021, the Penguins clinched a playoff berth with a 5–4 overtime win over the Washington Capitals, extending their playoff streak to 15 seasons – the longest active streak among the four North American major leagues, after the San Antonio Spurs of National Basketball Association missed the playoffs for the first time in 22 years. (including MLB, the NFL, and the NBA).[3] On May 8, the team clinched the East Division title after defeating the Buffalo Sabres 1-0, for their first division championship since the 2013–14 season.[4] The Penguins were then defeated in the First Round in six games by the New York Islanders.[5] On April 20, 2021, the Penguins barreled through the first two periods en route to a 6-0 lead at the end of the second period. The Devils outscored them 6-1 in the third period, but the Penguins still won, 7-6. The Penguins became the first team in NHL history to be outscored by 5 goals in the third period of a game but still be on the winning end.

Standings

Divisional standings
East Division
Pos Team GP W L OTL RW GF GA GD Pts
1 y – Pittsburgh Penguins 56 37 16 3 29 196 156 +40 77
2 x – Washington Capitals 56 36 15 5 29 191 163 +28 77
3 x – Boston Bruins 56 33 16 7 25 168 136 +32 73
4 x – New York Islanders 56 32 17 7 24 156 128 +28 71
5 e – New York Rangers 56 27 23 6 24 177 157 +20 60
6 e – Philadelphia Flyers 56 25 23 8 17 163 201 −38 58
7 e – New Jersey Devils 56 19 30 7 15 145 194 −49 45
8 e – Buffalo Sabres 56 15 34 7 11 138 199 −61 37
Source: National Hockey League[6]
Rules for classification: 1) Fewer number of games played (GP, only during regular season); 2) Greater number of regulation wins (RW); 3) Greater number of wins in regulation and overtime, excluding shootout wins (ROW); 4) Greater number of total wins, including shootouts (W); 5) Greater number of points earned in head-to-head play; if teams played an uneven number of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded; 6) Greater goal differential (GD); 7) Greater number of goals scored (GF)
e – Eliminated from playoff contention; x – Clinched playoff spot; y – Clinched division

Schedule and results

Regular season

The regular season schedule was published on December 23, 2020.[7]

2020–21 game log
January: 5–3–1 (Home: 4–0–0 ; Road: 1–3–1)
#DateVisitorScoreHomeDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
1January 13Pittsburgh3–6PhiladelphiaJarry00–1–00
2January 15Pittsburgh2–5PhiladelphiaJarry00–2–00
3January 17Washington3–4 SOPittsburghDeSmith01–2–02
4January 19Washington4–5 OTPittsburghDeSmith02–2–04
5January 22NY Rangers3–4 SOPittsburghJarry03–2–06
6January 24NY Rangers2–3PittsburghJarry04–2–08
7January 26Pittsburgh2–3 OTBostonJarry04–2–19
8January 28Pittsburgh1–4BostonJarry04–3–19
9January 30Pittsburgh5–4 OTNY RangersDeSmith05–3–111
February: 6–5–0 (Home: 3–1–0 ; Road: 3–4–0)
#DateVisitorScoreHomeDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
10February 1Pittsburgh1–3NY RangersDeSmith05–4–111
—February 2New Jersey–PittsburghPostponed due to COVID-19.[8] Rescheduled for March 21.
—February 4New Jersey–PittsburghPostponed due to COVID-19. Rescheduled for April 20.
11February 6Pittsburgh3–4NY IslandersJarry05–5–111
12February 11Pittsburgh4–3 SONY IslandersDeSmith06–5–113
13February 14Washington3–6PittsburghJarry07–5–115
14February 16Washington3–1PittsburghJarry07–6–115
15February 18NY Islanders1–4PittsburghJarry08–6–117
16February 20NY Islanders2–3PittsburghJarry09–6–119
17February 23Pittsburgh3–2 OTWashingtonJarry010–6–121
18February 25Pittsburgh2–5WashingtonJarry010–7–121
19February 27Pittsburgh4–3 OTNY IslandersJarry011–7–123
20February 28Pittsburgh0–2NY IslandersDeSmith011–8–123
March: 12–3–1 (Home: 9–2–1 ; Road: 3–1–0)
#DateVisitorScoreHomeDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
21March 2Philadelphia2–5PittsburghJarry2,80012–8–125
22March 4Philadelphia4–3PittsburghJarry2,80012–9–125
23March 6Philadelphia3–4PittsburghJarry2,80013–9–127
24March 7NY Rangers1–5PittsburghDeSmith2,80014–9–129
25March 9NY Rangers2–4PittsburghJarry2,80015–9–131
26March 11Pittsburgh5–2BuffaloJarry016–9–133
27March 13Pittsburgh3–0BuffaloDeSmith017–9–135
28March 15Boston1–4PittsburghJarry2,80018–9–137
29March 16Boston2–1PittsburghDeSmith2,80018–10–137
30March 18Pittsburgh2–3New JerseyJarry1,80018–11–137
31March 20Pittsburgh3–1New JerseyDeSmith1,80019–11–139
32March 21New Jersey2–1 OTPittsburghJarry2,80019–11–240
33March 24Buffalo2–5PittsburghJarry2,80020–11–242
34March 25Buffalo0–4PittsburghDeSmith2,80021–11–244
35March 27NY Islanders3–6PittsburghJarry2,80022–11–246
36March 29NY Islanders1–2PittsburghJarry2,80023–11–248
April: 10–4–1 (Home: 5–1–1 ; Road: 5–3–0)
#DateVisitorScoreHomeDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
37April 1Pittsburgh4–1BostonDeSmith2,19124–11–250
38April 3Pittsburgh5–7BostonDeSmith2,19124–12–250
39April 6Pittsburgh4–8NY RangersDeSmith1,69324–13–250
40April 8Pittsburgh5–2NY RangersJarry1,80025–13–252
41April 9Pittsburgh6–4New JerseyDeSmith3,60026–13–254
42April 11Pittsburgh5–2New JerseyJarry3,60027–13–256
43April 15Philadelphia2–1 SOPittsburghJarry4,67227–13–357
44April 17Pittsburgh3–2BuffaloJarry—[lower-alpha 1]28–13–359
45April 18Pittsburgh2–4BuffaloDeSmith028–14–359
46April 20New Jersey6–7PittsburghJarry4,67229–14–361
47April 22New Jersey1–5PittsburghJarry4,67230–14–363
48April 24New Jersey2–4PittsburghDeSmith4,67231–14–365
49April 25Boston0–1PittsburghJarry4,67232–14–367
50April 27Boston3–1PittsburghJarry4,67232–15–367
51April 29Pittsburgh5–4 OTWashingtonJarry2,13333–15–369
May: 4–1–0 (Home: 2–0–0 ; Road: 2–1–0)
#DateVisitorScoreHomeDecisionAttendanceRecordPoints
52May 1Pittsburgh3–0WashingtonJarry2,13334–15–371
53May 3Pittsburgh2–7PhiladelphiaDeSmith2,54234–16–371
54May 4Pittsburgh7–3PhiladelphiaJarry2,96135–16–373
55May 6Buffalo4–8PittsburghJarry4,67236–16–375
56May 8Buffalo0–1PittsburghLagace4,67237–16–377
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = OT/SO Loss        = Postponement

Playoffs
Main article: 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs
2021 Stanley Cup playoffs
East Division First Round vs. (E4) New York Islanders: New York won 4–2
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceSeriesRecap
1May 16NY Islanders4–3PittsburghOTJarry4,6720–1Recap
2May 18NY Islanders1–2PittsburghJarry9,3441–1Recap
3May 20Pittsburgh5–4NY IslandersJarry6,8002–1Recap
4May 22Pittsburgh1–4NY IslandersJarry6,8002–2Recap
5May 24NY Islanders3–2Pittsburgh2OTJarry9,3442–3Recap
6May 26Pittsburgh3–5NY IslandersJarry9,0002–4Recap
Legend:        = Win        = Loss

Player statistics
Skaters
Goaltenders
Regular Season[11]
Player GP GS TOI W L OT GA GAA SA SV% SO G A PIM
Tristan Jarry39382185:1825931002.7511000.9092048
Casey DeSmith20171132:191170482.545430.9122010
Maxime Lagace1160:0010000291.0001000
Total563377:37371631482.6316720.9115058
Playoffs[12]
Player GP GS TOI W L OT GA GAA SA SV% SO G A PIM
Tristan Jarry66396:07240213.181870.8880000
Total6396:07240213.181870.8880000

†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
  • Sidney Crosby became the first person to play 1,000 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He set the mark in a game against the New York Islanders on February 20.

Transactions

The Penguins have been involved in the following transactions during the 2020–21 season.

Trades
DateDetails
October 7, 2020 (2020-10-07)[13] To Ottawa Senators
Matt Murray		 To Pittsburgh Penguins
Jonathan Gruden
2nd-round pick in 2020


Draft picks
See also: List of Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks

Below are the Pittsburgh Penguins' selections at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, which was originally scheduled for June 26–27, 2020 at the Bell Center in Montreal, Quebec, but was postponed on March 25, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was instead held on October 6–7, 2020, virtually via video conference call from the NHL Network studio in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Round # Player Pos Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League)
2 52 Joel Blomqvist G Finland Finland Oulun Kärpät U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga)
3 77 Calle Clang G Sweden Sweden Kristianstads IK (HockeyAllsvenskan)
4 108 Lukas Svejkovsky C United States United States Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
6 170 Chase Yoder C United States United States U.S. NTDP (USHL)

Notes
  1. Spectators were in attendance, but the exact number was not reported.

References
  1. "Jim Rutherford Resigns as GM; Patrik Allvin Named Interim GM". NHL.com. January 27, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  2. Stainkamp, Michael (August 25, 2010). "A brief history: Pittsburgh Penguins". NHL.com. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  3. "Penguins, Capitals each clinch playoff berth in OT game". NHL.com. April 29, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  4. "Penguins Clinch East Division Title". NHL.com. May 8, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
  5. "Islanders defeat Penguins in Game 6, win first-round series". NHL.com. May 27, 2021. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  6. "NHL Hockey Standings". www.nhl.com. National Hockey League.
  7. "2020-21 NHL schedule announced". NHL.com. December 23, 2020. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  8. "Devils games postponed through at least Saturday because of COVID-19". NHL.com. February 1, 2021. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  9. "2020–2021 – Regular Season – Pittsburgh Penguins – All Skaters – Summary – Points – NHL.com – Stats". NHL.
  10. "2020–2021 – Playoffs – Pittsburgh Penguins – All Skaters – Summary – Points – NHL.com – Stats". NHL.
  11. "2020–2021 – Regular Season – Pittsburgh Penguins – Goalie – Summary – Wins – NHL.com – Stats". NHL.
  12. "2020–2021 – Playoffs – Pittsburgh Penguins – Goalie – Summary – Wins – NHL.com – Stats". NHL.
  13. "Penguins Acquire Gruden and a 2020 2nd-Round Draft Pick for Matt Murray". NHL.com. October 7, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
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