Penguins Legends to Enter Hall of Fame in 2025
Attention, Penguins fanatics! The Pittsburgh Penguins Hall of Fame class for 2025 already has its stellar names: Scotty Bowman and Ron Francis lead the list of legends to be honored.
Bowman, recognized as the coach with the most wins in NHL history, and Francis, fifth all-time scorer in the league, were key pieces on the Pittsburgh teams that won the franchise’s first two Stanley Cups in the early 90s.
Both Bowman and Francis, already members of the Hockey Hall of Fame, will share the stage with forward Kevin Stevens and former coach and general manager Eddie Johnston during a special on-ice ceremony. The event will take place on October 25, when the Penguins host Columbus.
These four individuals left an indelible mark on the history of Pittsburgh, contributing to making the team one of the most important attractions in the league in the late 80s and early 90s.
Johnston, as general manager, was responsible for selecting Mario Lemieux with the first overall pick in 1984. Subsequently, he took over as head coach of the club from 1993 to 1997.
Bowman, who served as the director of player personnel during the 1990-91 season, played a crucial role in the arrival of several veterans, including Francis, to strengthen the team and prepare it to compete for the title. Bowman took the reins as head coach in 1991, following the departure of Bob Johnson due to a diagnosis of brain cancer, shortly after leading the Penguins to the championship.
With Bowman at the helm, Pittsburgh achieved its second consecutive Stanley Cup in 1992. In the 1992-93 season, he guided the Penguins to the Presidents’ Trophy, but left the team at the end of the season due to a contractual dispute.
Francis, who arrived in Pittsburgh after a trade with the Hartford Whalers, played eight seasons with the Penguins. During his time on the team, he scored 164 goals and provided 449 assists, in addition to adding 100 additional points in the playoffs.
Stevens, for his part, was a three-time All-Star during his two stints in Pittsburgh, accumulating 260 goals and 295 assists in 522 games with the club.
