1972–73 Pittsburgh Penguins season

NHL team season March 2026 August 2023 NHL 1972–73 1972 Pittsburgh Penguins West 5th 32–37–9 24–11–4 8–26–5 257 260 Jack Riley Red Kelly (replaced 13/1/73 by Ken Schinkel) Vacant Syl AppsBryan HextallKen Schinkel Pittsburgh Civic Arena Al McDonough (35) Syl Apps (56) Syl Apps (85) Bryan Watson (179) Jim Rutherford (20) Jim Rutherford (2.91) The 1972–73 Pittsburgh Penguins season was the franchise's sixth season in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Penguins failed to make the 1973 playoffs for the first time since the 1970–71 season. 2 Regular season Final standings PIT Record vs. opponents PIT Schedule and results background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#80A0FF 5px solid; border-bottom:#4A5391 5px solid; 1972–73 regular season1972–73 Pittsburgh Penguins Results and Schedule http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/team_results.php?tid=50&sid=1973 hockeyDB1972-73 Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/PIT/1973_games.html Hockey-Reference.com March 27, 2025 y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#80A0FF 2px solid; border-bottom:#4A5391 2px solid; October: 5–5–0 (home: 2–1–0; road: 3–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points |- | 1 || October 7 || Los Angeles || 2–4 || Pittsburgh || || 11,105 || 1–0–0 || 2 |- | 2 || October 11 || Pittsburgh || 5–2 || St. Louis || || 17,853 || 2–0–0 || 4 |- | 3 || October 14 || California || 2–5 || Pittsburgh || || 12,201 || 3–0–0 || 6 |- | 4 || October 15 || Pittsburgh || 4–8 || Boston || || 15,003 || 3–1–0 || 6 |- | 5 || October 17 || Pittsburgh || 5–0 || NY Islanders || || 8,175 || 4–1–0 || 8 |- | 6 || October 18 || Pittsburgh || 3–4 || Toronto || || 16,248 || 4–2–0 || 8 |- | 7 || October 21 || Boston || 4–2 || Pittsburgh || || 12,761 || 4–3–0 || 8 |- | 8 || October 24 || Pittsburgh || 4–0 || Vancouver || || 15,570 || 5–3–0 || 10 |- | 9 || October 27 || Pittsburgh || 3–6 || California || || 3,298 || 5–4–0 || 10 |- | 10 || October 28 || Pittsburgh || 2–5 || Los Angeles || || 9,181 || 5–5–0 || 10 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#80A0FF 2px solid; border-bottom:#4A5391 2px solid; November: 7–5–2 (home: 6–2–1; road: 1–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points |- | 11 || November 1 || Montreal || 7–1 || Pittsburgh || || 10,472 || 5–6–0 || 10 |- | 12 || November 2 || Pittsburgh || 2–4 || Philadelphia || || 13,511 || 5–7–0 || 10 |- | 13 || November 4 || NY Rangers || 4–6 || Pittsburgh || || 12,255 || 6–7–0 || 12 |- | 14 || November 5 || Pittsburgh || 1–1 || Detroit || || 14,041 || 6–7–1 || 13 |- | 15 || November 8 || Philadelphia || 2–5 || Pittsburgh || || 7,449 || 7–7–1 || 15 |- | 16 || November 11 || Vancouver || 4–3 || Pittsburgh || || 11,896 || 7–8–1 || 15 |- | 17 || November 12 || Pittsburgh || 0–1 || Buffalo || || 15,668 || 7–9–1 || 15 |- | 18 || November 15 || Minnesota || 1–7 || Pittsburgh || || 8,649 || 8–9–1 || 17 |- | 19 || November 18 || Atlanta || 1–6 || Pittsburgh || || 10,959 || 9–9–1 || 19 |- | 20 || November 19 || Pittsburgh || 5–3 || NY Rangers || || 17,500 || 10–9–1 || 21 |- | 21 || November 22 || St. Louis || 4–10 || Pittsburgh || || 12,405 || 11–9–1 || 23 |- | 22 || November 25 || NY Islanders || 2–2 || Pittsburgh || || 12,319 || 11–9–2 || 24 |- | 23 || November 26 || Pittsburgh || 2–6 || Atlanta || || 9,041 || 11–10–2 || 24 |- | 24 || November 29 || Toronto || 4–7 || Pittsburgh || || 9,971 || 12–10–2 || 26 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#80A0FF 2px solid; border-bottom:#4A5391 2px solid; December: 3–6–4 (home: 3–2–1; road: 0–4–3) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points |- | 25 || December 2 || Chicago || 2–3 || Pittsburgh || || 12,459 || 13–10–2 || 28 |- | 26 || December 3 || Pittsburgh || 2–4 || Chicago || || || 13–11–2 || 28 |- | 27 || December 6 || Pittsburgh || 4–4 || California || || 2,062 || 13–11–3 || 29 |- | 28 || December 9 || Pittsburgh || 1–3 || Los Angeles || || 9,687 || 13–12–3 || 29 |- | 29 || December 13 || NY Islanders || 1–9 || Pittsburgh || || 7,866 || 14–12–3 || 31 |- | 30 || December 16 || Atlanta || 3–5 || Pittsburgh || || 11,095 || 15–12–3 || 33 |- | 31 || December 17 || Pittsburgh || 1–9 || NY Rangers || || 17,500 || 15–13–3 || 33 |- | 32 || December 19 || Boston || 3–2 || Pittsburgh || || 10,419 || 15–14–3 || 33 |- | 33 || December 23 || Pittsburgh || 3–6 || Montreal || || 16,132 || 15–15–3 || 33 |- | 34 || December 26 || Pittsburgh || 1–1 || Detroit || || 14,427 || 15–15–4 || 34 |- | 35 || December 27 || Pittsburgh || 3–3 || Toronto || || 16,488 || 15–15–5 || 35 |- | 36 || December 29 || Toronto || 4–0 || Pittsburgh || || 11,336 || 15–16–5 || 35 |- | 37 || December 30 || Detroit || 2–2 || Pittsburgh || || 11,621 || 15–16–6 || 36 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#80A0FF 2px solid; border-bottom:#4A5391 2px solid; January: 6–9–0 (home: 5–3–0; road: 1–6–0) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points |- | 38 || January 2 || Pittsburgh || 4–5 || St. Louis || || 18,161 || 15–17–6 || 36 |- | 39 || January 3 || Pittsburgh || 5–3 || Chicago || || || 16–17–6 || 38 |- | 40 || January 6 || Vancouver || 2–4 || Pittsburgh || || 13,100 || 17–17–6 || 40 |- | 41 || January 7 || Pittsburgh || 0–3 || NY Rangers || || 17,500 || 17–18–6 || 40 |- | 42 || January 10 || Detroit || 2–1 || Pittsburgh || || 9,906 || 17–19–6 || 40 |- | 43 || January 13 || Los Angeles || 1–3 || Pittsburgh || || 11,506 || 18–19–6 || 42 |- | 44 || January 14 || Pittsburgh || 2–3 || Detroit || || 12,755 || 18–20–6 || 42 |- | 45 || January 17 || Pittsburgh || 4–6 || Montreal || || 16,016 || 18–21–6 || 42 |- | 46 || January 18 || Montreal || 5–2 || Pittsburgh || || 10,388 || 18–22–6 || 42 |- | 47 || January 20 || Boston || 0–3 || Pittsburgh || || 13,100 || 19–22–6 || 44 |- | 48 || January 21 || Pittsburgh || 3–9 || Chicago || || || 19–23–6 || 44 |- | 49 || January 24 || Toronto || 2–5 || Pittsburgh || || 10,809 || 20–23–6 || 46 |- | 50 || January 25 || Pittsburgh || 3–6 || Philadelphia || || 16,600 || 20–24–6 || 46 |- | 51 || January 27 || Philadelphia || 5–3 || Pittsburgh || || 13,100 || 20–25–6 || 46 |- | 52 || January 31 || Los Angeles || 1–4 || Pittsburgh || || 9,048 || 21–25–6 || 48 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#80A0FF 2px solid; border-bottom:#4A5391 2px solid; February: 6–5–1 (home: 5–0–1; road: 1–5–0) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points |- | 53 || February 3 || Minnesota || 1–2 || Pittsburgh || || 11,878 || 22–25–6 || 50 |- | 54 || February 4 || Pittsburgh || 3–4 || Minnesota || || 15,070 || 22–26–6 || 50 |- | 55 || February 7 || Pittsburgh || 2–5 || Montreal || || 16,028 || 22–27–6 || 50 |- | 56 || February 10 || Pittsburgh || 3–6 || Boston || || 15,003 || 22–28–6 || 50 |- | 57 || February 14 || Vancouver || 2–6 || Pittsburgh || || 8,758 || 23–28–6 || 52 |- | 58 || February 17 || Buffalo || 3–3 || Pittsburgh || || 13,100 || 23–28–7 || 53 |- | 59 || February 18 || Pittsburgh || 1–4 || Buffalo || || 15,660 || 23–29–7 || 53 |- | 60 || February 20 || Pittsburgh || 4–0 || NY Islanders || || 13,327 || 24–29–7 || 55 |- | 61 || February 22 || NY Islanders || 1–2 || Pittsburgh || || 9,200 || 25–29–7 || 57 |- | 62 || February 24 || Chicago || 0–2 || Pittsburgh || || 13,100 || 26–29–7 || 59 |- | 63 || February 25 || Pittsburgh || 1–2 || Buffalo || || 15,668 || 26–30–7 || 59 |- | 64 || February 28 || St. Louis || 2–4 || Pittsburgh || || 13,100 || 27–30–7 || 61 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#80A0FF 2px solid; border-bottom:#4A5391 2px solid; March: 4–7–2 (home: 2–3–1; road: 2–4–1) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points |- | 65 || March 3 || California || 2–1 || Pittsburgh || || 11,688 || 27–31–7 || 61 |- | 66 || March 4 || Minnesota || 5–2 || Pittsburgh || || 12,624 || 27–32–7 || 61 |- | 67 || March 7 || Pittsburgh || 4–10 || Minnesota || || 15,273 || 27–33–7 || 61 |- | 68 || March 10 || NY Rangers || 5–4 || Pittsburgh || || 13,100 || 27–34–7 || 61 |- | 69 || March 11 || Pittsburgh || 2–3 || Philadelphia || || 16,600 || 27–35–7 || 61 |- | 70 || March 14 || Pittsburgh || 3–2 || Los Angeles || || 8,007 || 28–35–7 || 63 |- | 71 || March 16 || Pittsburgh || 5–5 || California || || 5,180 || 28–35–8 || 64 |- | 72 || March 17 || Pittsburgh || 1–6 || Vancouver || || 15,570 || 28–36–8 || 64 |- | 73 || March 21 || California || 2–5 || Pittsburgh || || 8,169 || 29–36–8 || 66 |- | 74 || March 24 || Buffalo || 4–4 || Pittsburgh || || 12,945 || 29–36–9 || 67 |- | 75 || March 25 || Pittsburgh || 4–2 || Atlanta || || 13,200 || 30–36–9 || 69 |- | 76 || March 28 || Atlanta || 3–6 || Pittsburgh || || 10,081 || 31–36–9 || 71 |- | 77 || March 31 || Pittsburgh || 2–7 || St. Louis || || 20,009 || 31–37–9 || 71 |- y background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#80A0FF 2px solid; border-bottom:#4A5391 2px solid; April: 1–0–0 (home: 1–0–0; road: 0–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home Decision Attendance Record Points |- | 78 || April 1 || Philadelphia || 4–5 || Pittsburgh || || 11,253 || 32–37–9 || 73 |- |- | Legend: #cfc Win (2 points) 1px solid black #fcc Loss (0 points) 1px solid black #ffc Tie (1 point) 1px solid black Player statistics Skaters + Regular season1972–1973 – Regular Season – Pittsburgh Penguins – All Skaters – Summary – Points – NHL.com – Stats http://ice.nhl.com/stats/player?reportType=season&report=skatersummary&season=19721973&gameType=2&sort=points&aggregate=0&teamId=5&pos=S https://web.archive.org/web/20161002011404/http://ice.nhl.com/stats/player?reportType=season&report=skatersummary&season=19721973&gameType=2&sort=points&aggregate=0&teamId=5&pos=S dead October 2, 2016 NHL Player GP Games played G Goals A Assists Pts Points +/− Plus/minus PIM Penalty minutes Syl Apps Jr. Syl Apps Jr. 77 29 56 85 25 18 Al McDonough 78 35 41 76 20 26 Lowell MacDonald 78 34 41 75 37 8 Bryan Hextall Jr. 78 21 33 54 -23 –23 113 Ron Schock 78 13 36 49 -12 –12 23 Greg Polis 78 26 23 49 -32 –32 36 Eddie Shack 74 25 20 45 -10 –10 84 Jean Pronovost 66 21 22 43 -15 –15 16 Darryl Edestrand 78 15 24 39 3 88 Dave Burrows 78 3 24 27 -4 –4 42 Nick Harbaruk 78 10 15 25 -11 –11 47 Ken Schinkel 42 11 10 21 -10 –10 16 Duane Rupp 78 7 13 20 -3 –3 62 Jack Lynch Jack Lynch (ice hockey) 47 1 18 19 -21 –21 40 Bryan Watson Bryan Watson (ice hockey) 69 1 17 18 18 179 Rick Kessell 67 1 13 14 -9 –9 0 Jean-Guy Lagace 31 1 5 6 -8 –8 32 Steve Cardwell 20 2 2 4 -2 –2 2 Jim Shires 18 1 2 3 -8 –8 2 Robin Burns 26 0 2 2 -6 –6 20 Jim Wiley 4 0 1 1 1 0 Sheldon Kannegiesser‡ 3 0 0 0 -1 –1 0 Ron Lalonde 9 0 0 0 0 2 Total 257 418 675 — 856 Goaltenders + Regular Season1972–1973 – Regular Season – Pittsburgh Penguins – Goalie – Summary – Wins – NHL.com – Stats https://www.nhl.com/stats/player?reportType=season&report=goaliesummary&season=19721973&gameType=2&aggregate=0&teamId=5&pos=G NHL Player GP Games played W Win L Loss T Tie GA Goals against SO Shutouts James Rutherford Jim Rutherford 49 20 22 5 129 3 Denis Herron 18 6 7 2 55 2 Andy Brown Andy Brown (ice hockey)† 9 3 4 2 41 0 Cam Newton Cam Newton (ice hockey) 11 3 4 0 35 0 Total 32 37 9 260 5 †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 Jean Pronovost became the first player to score 100 goals for the Penguins. He did so in a 3–3 tie against Buffalo on February 17. Syl Apps Jr. became the first player to record 50 assists in a season for the Penguins. He did so in a 5–2 win over California on March 21. Syl Apps Jr. established a new franchise record for points in a season with 85, besting the previous high of 59 held by both himself and Andy Bathgate. Ken Schinkel established a career franchise record for games (371), assists (143) and points (236). He had led in two categories since 1969 and bested the previous high in games set by Val Fonteyne in 1972 (349). Darryl Edestrand established a new franchise record for goals (15) and points (39) in a season by a defenseman. He topped the previous high of 10 goals (held by himself) and 33 points (held by Noel Price, Bob Woytowich, Duane Rupp and himself). Lowell MacDonald established a new franchise record for highest plus-minus in a season (+36). He broke the previous high of +18 set by Syl Apps Jr. in 1972. Duane Rupp became the first Penguins defenseman to score 100 points. His final total of 104 bested the previous total of 93 held by Bob Woytowich Transactions The Penguins were involved in the following transactions during the 1972–73 season: Trades October 6, 1972 To Detroit Red Wings Roy Edwards To Pittsburgh Penguins cash1973 3rd round pick (Nelson Pyatt)1974 2nd round pick (Bob Hess) October 30, 1972 To Atlanta Flames Brian McKenzie To Pittsburgh Penguins cash January 8, 1973 To St. Louis Blues Joe Noris To Pittsburgh Penguins Jim Shires February 25, 1973 To Detroit Red Wings 1973 3rd round pickcash (Nelson Pyatt) To Pittsburgh Penguins Andy Brown March 2, 1973 To New York Rangers Sheldon Kannegiesser To Pittsburgh Penguins player to be named (Steve Andrascik) Additions and subtractions Additions Player Former team Via Jim Wiley Lake Superior State Lakers free agency (1972–06–25) Subtractions Player New team Via Les Binkley Ottawa Nationals (WHA) free agency (1972) Wally Boyer Winnipeg Jets (WHA) free agency (1972) Val Fonteyne Alberta Oilers (WHA) free agency (1972) Dunc McCallum Houston Aeros (WHA) free agency (1972) Tim Horton Buffalo Sabres Intra-league draft (1972–06–05) Bob Leiter Atlanta Flames Expansion draft (1972–06–06) Keith McCreary Atlanta Flames Expansion draft (1972–06–06) John Stewart Atlanta Flames Expansion draft (1972–06–06) Draft picks 1972 NHL amateur draft Pittsburgh Penguins' picks at the 1972 NHL entry draft.NHL Entry Draft Year by Year Results http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftsearch.htm?year=1972&team=PIT&position=&round= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304110740/http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftsearch.htm?year=1972&team=PIT&position=&round= dead March 4, 2016 NHL.com February 25, 2013 Round # Player Pos Nationality College/Junior/Club team (League) 2 24Note1 a a Jack Lynch Defense Canada Oshawa Generals (OHA) 2 30 Bernie Lukowich Right wing Canada New Westminster Bruins (WCHL) 3 40 Denis Herron Goaltender Canada Trois-Rivières Ducs (QMJHL) 4 56 Ron Lalonde Center Canada Peterborough Petes (OHA) 5 72 Brian Walker Center Canada Calgary Centennials (WCHL) 6 88 Jeff Ablett Left wing Canada Medicine Hat Tigers (WCHL) 7 104 D'Arcy Keating Defense Canada Notre Dame (NCAA) 8 120 Yves Bergeron Right wing Canada Shawinigan Bruins (QMJHL) 9 136 Jay Babcock Left wing Canada London Knights (OHA) 10 149 Don Atchison Goaltender Canada Saskatoon Blades (WCHL) Draft notes1972 NHL Entry Draft Pending Transactions http://www.prosportstransactions.com/hockey/DraftTrades/Years/1972.htm Pro Sports Transactions February 25, 2013 The Pittsburgh Penguins' first-round pick went to the Minnesota North Stars as the result of a June 10, 1968, trade that sent Bob Woytowich to the Penguins in exchange for this pick. Note1 a aThe St. Louis Blues' second-round pick (originally from the Montreal Canadiens) went to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a result of a June 6, 1969, trade that sent Lou Angotti and a 1971 first-round pick to the Blues in exchange for Ron Schock, Craig Cameron and this pick. References Player stats at Hockey Database Game log on NHL Database Category:Pittsburgh Penguins seasons Pittsburgh Pitts Pitts Category:1972 in Pittsburgh Category:1973 in Pittsburgh