‘Burgh’s Best to Wear It, No. 35: Tom Barrasso was Penguins' 1st franchise goaltender

The Tribune-Review sports staff is conducting a daily countdown of the best players in Pittsburgh pro and college sports history to wear each jersey number.

No. 35: Tom Barrasso

There’s a number of reasons why the Penguins didn’t win the Stanley Cup for their first 23 years of existence.

Going bankrupt in 1975 was probably the biggest one.

A close second would be the lack of adequate goaltending.

Les Binkley, an AHL journeyman who finally reached the NHL thanks to expansion, was pretty much the franchise’s best goaltender in its first two decades. After Binkley, there was a revolving door which featured the likes of Al Smith, Denis Herron, Jim Rutherford, Gary Inness, Dunc Wilson, Herron again, Greg Millen, Michel Dion, Herron yet again, Roberto Romano and Gilles Meloche.

Somewhat fittingly, one of the greatest goaltenders in NHL history made a trade which brought in the Penguins’ first true franchise goaltender.

Tony Esposito, a Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender who primarily played for the Chicago Blackhawks, had a very brief and unremarkable tenure as Penguins general manager in the late 1980s. Perhaps his only successful trade was fishing Tom Barrasso out of the Buffalo Sabres’ net for a handful of then-top prospects in defenseman Doug Bodger and forward Darrin Shannon in November of 1988.

Not coincidentally, the Penguins reached the playoffs for the first time in seven years during the ensuing spring.

By 1991, Barrasso helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup for the first time. A year later, they were repeat champions.

Barrasso spent parts of 12 seasons with the Penguins and by the time he was dealt to the Ottawa Senators in March of 2000, he held virtually all of the franchise’s goaltending records of note. The Penguins’ second franchise goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury, eventually surpassed him on those fronts.

Sadly, Barrasso’s legacy as the Penguins’ first franchise goaltender might be overshadowed by his surly demeanor. Often cantankerous with the media, he was not universally beloved by many of his teammates either.

Regardless, few people were more responsible for turning the Penguins into champions than Barrasso.

Other No. 35s of note:

• For all his success with the Penguins, Barrasso was never selected for an All-Star Game while with the Penguins. In fact, only three Penguins goaltenders have received that honor: Dion, Fleury and Tristan Jarry. This season, Jarry earned that honor by platooning with incumbent starter Matt Murray and going 20-12-1 with a 2.43 goals against average, a .921 save percentage and three shutouts.

• The Steelers had two No. 35s reach the Pro Football of Fame. Fullback John Henry Johnson arrived to the Steelers via trade in 1960 already a star following successful stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions. Presumed to be on the decline as he entered his 30s, Johnson was rejuvenated with the Steelers and became a three-time Pro Bowler. He remains the NFL’s oldest 1,000-yard rusher thanks to the 1,048 yards he gained in 1964 at the age of 35. Johnson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

• Nearly two decades before Johnson, tailback “Bullet” Bill Dudley was one of the relatively few reasons to watch the Steelers. Dudley led the NFL in rushing twice during his Steelers tenure. In 1942, he had 696 yards in 11 games. After serving the Army Air Corps during World War II, he returned to the Steelers and led the NFL again with 604 yards in 11 games. Dudley was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966.

• Perhaps the most beloved No. 35 in Pittsburgh history is former Pirates catcher Manny Sanguillen. A member of the Pirates from 1967-80 — with a single season as a member of the Oakland Athletics mixed in — Sanguillen was a three-time All-Star and helped the Pirates win five National League East Division titles as well as the World Series in 1971 and 1979. Today, Sanguillen’s popularity endures as a regular presence at Pirates games.

• Relief pitcher Mark Melancon was two-time All-Star with the Pirates and helped them reach the playoffs three consecutive seasons during the middle part of the 2010s. His 51 saves in 2015 led the National League.

Check out the entire ’Burgh’s Best to Wear It series here.