Penguins Predictions: Which returning player will receive warmest ovation?

Whether the Pittsburgh Penguins will be a better team without Phil Kessel is a topic for debate.

Whether many Penguins fans will miss him is not.

During his four years with the team, Kessel built a fervent fan following seldom seen in the history of the franchise, with a few incidents from last season illustrating the point.

When Kessel scored a power-play goal during a specific two-minute stretch of a 5-2 win over Detroit on Dec. 27, he won a free Big Mac for everyone in attendance. The crowd chanted, “Thank you, Phil.”

Now, it’s possible anyone winning fans free fast food would have received the same treatment, but a couple of ovations later in the season were more pure.

When Kessel showed signs of obvious frustration as two outstanding scoring chances were turned back by Florida goalie Roberto Luongo during a 16-game goal drought in March, the crowd gave him a standing ovation to offer support.

“I thought it was awesome, the reception and the way the fans were encouraging him out there,” Sidney Crosby said at the time.

When Kessel broke the drought a few days later with a goal in a 3-0 win over Columbus, the roar from the crowd was deafening.

“The fans and the city have been great to me since I’ve been here,” Kessel said. “I’ve loved playing here. I have unbelievable memories here. They’ve been nothing but supportive, and I really appreciate it.”

THE QUESTION

Which former Penguins player will receive the loudest ovation when he makes his return to PPG Paints Arena this season?

MULTIPLE CHOICE

A. Kessel

The popular winger will make his return Friday, Dec. 6 with the Arizona Coyotes. There has always been a contingent of fans perturbed by Kessel’s lack of defensive awareness and run-through-a-wall mentality, but those sentiments tend to pop up more from angry talk show callers or in the coaches’ office at PPG Paints Arena. The arena crowd has always loved Kessel, and the reaction to the tribute video the team will undoubtedly create for him should be something else.

B. Marc-Andre Fleury

The Vegas Golden Knights and their smiling goaltender will pay a visit to Pittsburgh on Saturday, Oct. 19. It will be the third time Fleury has come to the arena as a visitor, so there’s a good chance the crowd reaction will be muted by the passage of time. Of course, there’s also a chance it will remain as a strong as ever. The connection between Penguins fans and their longtime goalie is real. When he returned for the first time in February of 2018, fans gave a standing ovation that had Fleury in tears. It was one of the most emotional moments in recent Penguins history.

C. Olli Maatta

Maatta and the Chicago Blackhawks will play at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday, Nov. 9, setting the stage for an emotional homecoming for the popular Finnish defenseman who was traded for salary cap relief early in the offseason. It’s unlikely Maatta, a defenseman whose game largely lacked flash, will receive the kind of ovation a longtime starting goalie or a dynamic goal scorer would, but it’s not completely out of the question. One would have to look long and hard to find someone who doesn’t like the personable Maatta, and that type of connection manifests with fans as well. Maatta cemented his status as a fan favorite with an exuberant performance at the team’s 2017 championship parade that ended with a photographer catching him taking a nap on a sun-soaked balcony.

THE PREDICTION

A. Kessel

Kessel should get the longest, loudest ovation because his departure was more recent, but Fleury can’t be counted out. Pittsburghers still love their Flower.

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