The Pittsburgh Penguins’ organizational history has a plethora of great players, and we’ve decided to go through the best Penguins’ players to wear each jersey number. Today, we continue the list by naming the best #35 in Penguins’ history.
Only eight players have worn #35 in franchise history, including the flash-in-a-pan forward Warren Young from 1984-87 and current Penguins’ goaltender Tristan Jarry.
But the best of the eight? That title belongs, rather easily, to goaltender Tom Barrasso.
Barrasso was drafted fifth overall in 1983 by the Buffalo Sabres, and he made an impression immediately. He took home the Calder Memorial Trophy and the Vezina Trophy in 1993-94 and was named to the NHL All-Star team. He spent parts of six seasons in Buffalo before being traded to the Penguins during the 1988-89 season.
He helped bring the Penguins’ six-year playoff drought to an end in 1989, and he was really the first goaltender in franchise history to become a mainstay and give them the consistency they needed to win hockey games. Barrasso provided the stability at the goaltending position the Penguins needed to win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992.
Among some other elite qualities, Barrasso was known for his excellent puckhandling skills. It was hardly uncommon to see his name on the scoresheet with both primary and secondary assists.
But just as he was known for his performance on the ice, he was also infamous off of it. He garnered a not-so-positive reputation, supposedly, due to some antics with teammates and media members, and he actually went media silent for a large chunk of his career in the mid-late 90s.
Many believed his demeanor is part of what kept him out of the Hockey Hall of Fame for so long. But he finally got the honor in 2023:
Barrasso was traded to the Ottawa Senators during the 1999-2000 season, and he spent each of his last three seasons with different NHL teams: the Senators, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and St. Louis Blues.
He finished his career with 369 wins, a 3.24 goals-against average, and an .892 save percentage, with much of his career taking place during a high-scoring era of hockey.
Honorable mentions: Warren Young, Tristan Jarry
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