Penguins Retro: When the Goin’ Gets Tough…

I thought I’d take a break from my series on the Toughest Penguins, or a sideways step if you prefer, and provide a little background on why I seem so fixated on the toughness issue.The following article, originally published on PenguinPoop on February 19, 2019, comes the closet to explaining my obsession. It should be noted that six days after I posted this article, then-Pens GM Jim Rutherford acquired Erik Gudbranson, our last true heavyweight, from the Canucks for Tanner Pearson.

It should also be noted that since this article ran, physical teams such as the Blues, Lightning and Panthers have combined for five Stanley Cups, hockey’s ultimate prize. With nary a Penguin-esque team mixed in.

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