Great Figures Enter the Penguins Hall of Fame in 2025
The Pittsburgh Penguins Hall of Fame class for 2025 will be headlined by two legends: Scotty Bowman and Ron Francis.
Bowman, recognized as the coach with the most wins in NHL history, and Francis, the fifth all-time leading scorer in the league, were key pieces on the Pittsburgh teams that won the franchise’s first two Stanley Cups in the early 1990s.
Both, already members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, will be honored along with forward Kevin Stevens and former coach and general manager Eddie Johnston in a ceremony to be held on the ice on October 25, during the Penguins game against Columbus.
The four honorees played an important role in transforming Pittsburgh into one of the league’s most prominent attractions in the late 80s and early 90s.
Johnston, as general manager, was responsible for selecting Mario Lemieux with the first overall pick in 1984 and was subsequently head coach of the team from 1993 to 1997.
Bowman served as Pittsburgh’s director of player personnel during the 1990-91 season, where he helped bring in a number of veterans, including Francis, to strengthen the roster and prepare it to compete for the title. Bowman took over as head coach in 1991, following the departure of Bob Johnson, who had to leave the position due to a diagnosis of brain cancer, shortly after leading the Penguins to the championship.
Pittsburgh won its second consecutive Stanley Cup in 1992 with Bowman at the helm. He then led the Penguins to the Presidents’ Trophy in 1992-93, but left the team the following offseason due to a contract dispute.
Francis played eight seasons in Pittsburgh, after arriving in a trade with the Hartford Whalers. He scored 164 goals and provided 449 assists with the Penguins, adding another 100 points in the playoffs.
Stevens was a three-time All-Star during his two stints in Pittsburgh, scoring 260 goals and adding 295 assists in 522 games with the club.
