Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (sometimes known as the WBS Penguins) are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and are the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins. They play at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre Township, Pennsylvania, just outside the city of Wilkes-Barre. They have won the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy twice for having the best record in the regular season.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
CityWilkes-Barre Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.
LeagueAmerican Hockey League
ConferenceEastern
DivisionAtlantic
Founded1981
Home arenaMohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
ColorsBlack, gold, white, red
       
MascotTux
Owner(s)Ronald Burkle
Mario Lemieux
General managerErik Heasley
Head coachVacant
CaptainTaylor Fedun
MediaWilkes-Barre Times Leader
Scranton Times-Tribune
AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh
WILK Newsradio
AHL.TV (Internet)
AffiliatesPittsburgh Penguins (NHL)
Wheeling Nailers (ECHL)
Franchise history
1981–1988Fredericton Express
1988–1993Halifax Citadels
1993–1996Cornwall Aces
1999–presentWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Championships
Regular season titles2: (2010–11, 2016–17)
Division titles4: (2005–06, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2016–17)
Conference titles3: (2001, 2004, 2008)
Calder Cups0
Current season

History

The Pittsburgh Penguins' top minor league affiliate throughout the 1990s was the Cleveland Lumberjacks of the IHL. However, in the mid-1990s, the IHL began moving away from being a developmental league and more towards being an independent minor league. For this reason, the Penguins wanted their top minor league affiliate in the AHL. The Penguins purchased the dormant Cornwall Aces AHL franchise from the Colorado Avalanche in 1996,[1][2] but left the team inactive until the 1999–2000 season due to construction delays at their intended home–a new arena in Wilkes-Barre Township. The team is affectionately referred to as the "Baby Penguins" by fans. Their mascot is Tux the penguin, who wears number No. 99 in reference to the team's first season, in 1999.

The Penguins have gone to the Calder Cup final three times but have never won the championship. The team went all the way to the finals in their second season, losing to the Saint John Flames in six games. The Penguins returned to the finals in their fifth season, but were swept by the Milwaukee Admirals. They most recently made it to the finals in 2008 by way of beating the Portland Pirates in a seven-game series in the Eastern Conference finals. They went on to play the Chicago Wolves in the final, but lost the series in six games.

The WBS Penguins won the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for the best finish in the regular season, in 2011, with 117 points. Goaltender Brad Thiessen was named the recipient of the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award, an award given to the AHL's most outstanding goaltender for each season. He posted a record of 35–8–1 in 46 appearances, along with a 1.94 goals-against-average and a .922 save percentage. Head coach John Hynes won the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award, awarded to the most outstanding AHL coach of the season. Despite the best regular season finish in team history, the Penguins were eliminated in the second round of the 2011 playoffs by the Charlotte Checkers in six games.

The Penguins have made the playoffs in all but four seasons of their existence. The Penguins held a playoff streak of 16 seasons from the 2002–03 season to the 2017–18 season.

Prior to the 2009–10 season, they held the inaugural Penguins Black and Gold Game, an intra-squad game which featured members of the Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and was the first ever head-to-head meeting between Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The game was a complete sellout and tickets never reached the general public. The Penguins organization held its second Black and Gold Game prior to the 2010–11 season on September 19, 2010.

In 2009, they also spawned an affiliated youth level organization, the Wilkes-Barre Junior Pens. The team is based out of the Ice Rink at Coal Street Park, which also serves as a practice facility for the Penguins.[3]

The Penguins' biggest rivals had been the Philadelphia Phantoms, the AHL affiliate of Pennsylvania's other NHL team, the Philadelphia Flyers. After that team moved to Glens Falls, New York, (as the Adirondack Phantoms) the Hershey Bears, also located in Pennsylvania, became the major rivals of the Penguins (they are currently the AHL affiliate of another rival of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Washington Capitals). In 2014, the Adirondack Phantoms relocated back to eastern Pennsylvania as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Season-by-season results
Regular season Playoffs
Season Games Won Lost Tied OTL SOL Points PCT Goals
for		 Goals
against		 Standing Year Prelims 1st
round		 2nd
round		 3rd
round		 Finals
1999–0080234395—60.3752363065th, Empire State Div.2000—Did not qualify
2000–0180363392—83.5192522482nd, Mid-Atlantic Div.2001—W, 3–2, SYRW, 4–2, PHIW, 4–0, HERL, 2–4, SJF
2001–02802044133—56.3502012744th, South Div.2002Did not qualify
2002–0380363275—84.5252452483rd, South Div.2003W, 2–0, UTAL, 1–3, GR———
2003–04803428108—86.5381971973rd, East Div.2004BYEW, 4–3, BRPW, 4–2, PHIW, 4–3, HFDL, 0–4, MIL
2004–05803927—7792.5752272194th, East Div.2005—W, 4–2, BNGL, 1–4, PHI——
2005–06805118—56113.7062491781st, East Div.2006—W, 4–3, BRPL, 0–4, HER——
2006–07805123—24108.6752762212nd, East Div.2007—W, 4–2, NORL, 1–4, HER——
2007–08804726—34101.6312231871st, East Div.2008—W, 4–1, HERW, 4–1, PHIW, 4–3 PORL, 2–4, CHI
2008–09804925—33104.6502742123rd, East Div.2009—W, 4–1, BRPL,3–4 HER——
2009–10804134—2387.5442392293rd, East Div.2010—L, 0–4, ALB———
2010–11805821—01117.7312611831st, East Div.2011—W, 4–2, NORL, 2–4, CHA——
2011–12764425—2595.6252352152nd, East Div.2012—W, 3–2, HERL, 3–4, STJ——
2012–13764230—2288.5791851783rd, East Div.2013—W, 3–0, BNGW, 4–3, PROL, 1–4, SYR—
2013–14764226—3592.6052061856th, Eastern Conf.2014—W, 3–1, BNGW, 4–3, PROL, 2–4, STJ—
2014–15764524—3497.6382121634th, Eastern Conf.2015—W, 3–0, SYRL, 1–4, MCH——
2015–16764327—4292.6052302033rd, Atlantic Div.2016—W, 3–0, PROL, 3–4, HER——
2016–17765120—32107.7042471701st, Atlantic Div.2017—L, 2–3, PRO———
2017–18764522—6399.6512522232nd, Atlantic Div.2018—L, 0–3, CHA———
2018–19763630—7382.5392322286th, Atlantic Div.2019—Did not qualify
2019–20632926—3566.5241641935th, Atlantic Div.2020—Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21321313—4232.500921075th, North Div.2021—No playoffs were held
2021–22763533—4478.5132092254th, Atlantic Div.2022W, 2–1, HERL, 0–3, SPR———
2022–23722632—8666.4581912248th, Atlantic Div.2023Did not qualify
2023–24723924—8187.6042111943rd, Atlantic Div.2024L, 0–2, LV————

  Won Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for the best record in the regular season
  Round not held

Players

Current roster

Updated April 17, 2024.[4]

Team roster
No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
34 Canada Peter Abbandonato C L 26 2023 Laval, Quebec W-B/Scranton
12 Canada Corey Andonovski RW R 25 2022 Uxbridge, Ontario Pittsburgh
80 Latvia Raivis Ansons LW L 22 2022 Riga, Latvia Pittsburgh
78 Canada Isaac Belliveau D L 21 2023 Fleurimont, Quebec Pittsburgh
30 Finland Joel Blomqvist G L 22 2023 Nykarleby, Finland Pittsburgh
56 United States Scooter Brickey (ATO) D R 24 2024 Mt. Clemens, Michigan W-B/Scranton
46 United States Mathieu De St. Phalle (ATO) F R 24 2024 Glencoe, Illinois W-B/Scranton
4 Canada Taylor Fedun (C) D R 35 2021 Edmonton, Alberta Pittsburgh
37 United States Matt Filipe LW L 26 2023 Newton, Massachusetts W-B/Scranton
33 Canada Taylor Gauthier G R 23 2022 Calgary, Alberta Pittsburgh
44 United States Jonathan Gruden (A) C L 23 2021 Rochester, Michigan Pittsburgh
85 United States Avery Hayes RW R 21 2023 Westland, Michigan W-B/Scranton
79 Canada Owen Headrick D R 26 2023 Garden River, Ontario W-B/Scranton
13 United States Vinnie Hinostroza (A) C L 30 2023 Melrose Park, Illinois Pittsburgh
47 Canada Sam Houde C L 24 2021 Blainville, Quebec W-B/Scranton
25 Finland Emil Jarventie (ATO) LW L 19 2024 Tampere, Finland W-B/Scranton
49 Canada Beau Jelsma (ATO) LW L 20 2024 London, Ontario W-B/Scranton
9 United States Marc Johnstone RW R 27 2023 Cranford, New Jersey Pittsburgh
23 United States Jagger Joshua LW L 25 2023 Dearborn, Michigan W-B/Scranton
50 Finland Kalle Kangas (ATO) D L 19 2024 Vantaa, Finland W-B/Scranton
15 Finland Joona Koppanen LW L 26 2023 Tampere, Finland Pittsburgh
61 Canada Xavier Ouellet (A) D L 30 2022 Bayonne, France Pittsburgh
16 United States Logan Pietila (ATO) RW R 24 2024 Howell, Michigan W-B/Scranton
11 Russia Vasily Ponomarev C L 22 2024 Moscow, Russia Pittsburgh
22 Canada Sam Poulin C L 23 2021 Laval, Quebec Pittsburgh
48 Finland Valtteri Puustinen RW R 24 2021 Kuopio, Finland Pittsburgh
54 United States Matt Quercia F L 25 2024 Andover, Massachusetts W-B/Scranton
51 United States Jack Rathbone D L 24 2023 Boston, Massachusetts Pittsburgh
26 United States Austin Rueschhoff RW R 26 2023 Wentzville, Missouri W-B/Scranton
3 United States Jack St. Ivany D R 24 2022 Manhattan Beach, California Pittsburgh
53 Russia Dmitri Samorukov D L 24 2023 Volgograd, Russia Pittsburgh
24 Canada Ty Smith D L 24 2022 Lloydminster, Alberta Hurricanes
72 United States Lukas Svejkovsky C/RW R 22 2022 Tampa, Florida Pittsburgh
41 Canada Evan Vierling C L 21 2023 Aurora, Ontario W-B/Scranton
45 Switzerland Ludovic Waeber G L 27 2024 Fribourg, Switzerland Pittsburgh
63 Czech Republic Radim Zohorna (A) C L 28 2023 Havlickuv Brod, Czech Republic Pittsburgh

Team captains
  • John Slaney, Stephen Leach & Tyler Wright, 1999–00
  • Sven Butenschon & John Slaney, 2000–01
  • Jason MacDonald, 2001–02
  • Tom Kostopoulos, 2002–03
  • Patrick Boileau, Kris Beech & Tom Kostopoulos, 2003–04
  • Rob Scuderi, 2004–05
  • Alain Nasreddine, 2004–06
  • Micki DuPont, 2006–07
  • Nathan Smith, 2007–08
  • David Gove, 2008–09
  • Wyatt Smith, 2009–10
  • Ryan Craig, 2010–12
  • Joey Mormina, 2012–13
  • Tom Kostopoulos, 2013–18
  • Garrett Wilson, 2018–19
  • David Warsofsky, 2019–20
  • Josh Currie, 2021
  • Taylor Fedun, 2021–present

Notable alumni

Players listed have played at least 100 games with the Penguins and 100 games in the NHL.

Team records
Single season
Goals: Chris Minard, 34 (2008–09)
Assists: Jeff Taffe and Janne Pesonen, 50 (2008–09)
Points: Janne Pesonen, 82 (2008–09)
Penalty minutes: Dennis Bonvie, 431 (2005–06)
Goaltending wins: Brad Thiessen, 35 (2010–11)
GAA: Jeff Zatkoff 1.93 (2012–13)
SV%: Rich Parent (2000–01), Dany Sabourin (2005–06) and Brad Thiessen (2010–11), .922
Career
Career goals: Tom Kostopoulos, 181
Career assists: Tom Kostopoulos, 269
Career points: Tom Kostopoulos, 450
Career penalty minutes: Dennis Bonvie, 1081
Career goaltending wins: John Curry, 103
Career shutouts: Brad Thiessen, 17
Career games: Tom Kostopoulos, 627

AHL records

As of the 2009–10 AHL Season. Data from the AHL Hall of Fame Website.[5]

Team
Most road wins, 80-game season: 28 (2010–2011) (tied)
Longest road winning streak (one season): 13 games (October 9 – December 3, 2005) (tied)
Longest road winning streak (overall): 15 games (April 10 – December 3, 2005)

Player
Most points by a defenseman, career: John Slaney, 486 (Baltimore, Portland, Cornwall, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Philadelphia)
Most goals by a defenseman, career: John Slaney, 157
Most goals by a defenseman, season: John Slaney, 30 (1999–2000)
Most PIM, career: Dennis Bonvie, 4,104 (Cape Breton, Hamilton, Portland, Philadelphia, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Providence, Binghamton, Hershey)
Most PIM, game: Steve Parsons, 64 (March 17, 2002 vs. Syracuse)

AHL awards and trophies

Per the AHL Hall of Fame:[6]

See also

References
  1. Marrapese, Nancy L. (May 19, 1996). "Mighty Casey a pinch hit". The Boston Globe. p. 52. The [Pittsburgh] Penguins will move and rename the AHL's Cornwall Aces after buying the franchise from the Avalanche.
  2. Mayer, Sean (July 2, 1996). "Pirates plundered". Press & Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, NY. p. 3D. [Godfrey] Wood will be responsible for finding a home for the [Pittsburgh] Penguins' incoming AHL team, the defunct Cornwall Aces franchise Pittsburgh bought from the Colorado Avalanche.
  3. "Wilkes-Barre Jr. Penguins Youth Ice Hockey Club". Wilkes-Barre Junior Pens. Archived from the original on March 29, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  4. "Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Roster". Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. April 17, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
  5. "AHL Record Book". AHL Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on June 6, 2017. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
  6. "AHL Hall of Fame Trophy List". AHL Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on October 31, 2007. Retrieved June 16, 2017.
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