The Penguins' most important moments of the 2010s: Nos. 10 through 6

By any measure, the 2010s were a successful decade for the Pittsburgh Penguins — maybe the most successful in franchise history. Forget two Stanley Cup titles. Having no bankruptcies qualifies as a triumph in the “good decade” column for this organization.

But what were the 10 most important moments of the decade? For an organization that had some ample triumphs as well as setbacks, there are plenty of candidates.

The tabulation of this list was done through a vigorously unscientific approach of sitting on a couch in pajamas and writing names on a yellow legal pad.

The one criteria stressed above all else is the lasting impact a moment had. So an individual victory or defeat might might not carry the same weight as, let’s say, a change in general manager.

Here are moments No. 10 through 6:

10. Penguins swept by Islanders — April 16

Chances are, even if the Penguins managed to win this round, personnel would have changed considerably. Getting swept by a less-talented but more-driven Islanders team was the culmination of a mostly underwhelming season for the Penguins in which their talent got them past their various malfunctions from October through April.

Regardless, they were humiliated by the sweep, and it prompted general manager Jim Rutherford to take a scalpel to his roster by sending veterans Phil Kessel and Olli Maatta away via trades and signing ultra-competitive forward Brandon Tanev to the longest contract the franchise has issued to an unrestricted free agent.

The 2019-20 Penguins have been far from perfect, but they enter a new decade on a much different trajectory than what the 2018-19 edition took.

9. Marc-Andre Fleury leaves — June 21, 2017

It was months in the making, but that didn’t prevent the finality of it being oh-so-sobering when the goaltender Marc Andre-Fleury joined the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft.

He was the first one. With the franchise still in its post-Jaromir Jagr doldrums, Fleury’s arrival in the summer of 2003 was the first sign of better days. The Penguins became a Stanley Cup contender under his watch and remained one for the decade-plus he wore the jersey.

While his struggles were plentiful, particularly earlier in this decade, Fleury’s affable nature made him such a favorite among fans, his returns to Pittsburgh are akin to a regional holiday.

Goaltender Matt Murray’s ascension made Fleury’s departure a necessity but no less difficult to accept.

8. Jaromir Jagr signs with the Flyers — July 1, 2011

By this point of his career, Jaromir Jagr was more legend than player. Two decades had passed since the rosy-cheeked teenager with the spectacular mullet helped the Penguins win Stanley Cup titles.

His departure from Pittsburgh in 2001 was messy and resulted in him being booed anytime he returned with the Capitals or the Rangers. His NHL existence seemingly was over after spending several seasons collecting a bloated tax-free salary in Russia. The notion of Jagr coming back to North America was a pipe dream.

But in the early summer of 2011, #JagrWatch took place. Former general manager Ray Shero, nudged by owner Mario Lemieux, began a public courtship of Jagr, which had heartbroken Penguins fans dreaming of the possibility of a once-beloved athlete coming home.

What followed was a bizarre surveillance of Jagr’s whereabouts that involved everything from amorous turtles on a runway tying up air traffic to agent Petr Svoboda giving a runaround to anyone who dialed his number, including Shero. The pursuit of Jagr was so frustrating, the Penguins ultimately issued a news release announcing they were pulling their offer the day the free-agent signing period began. Shortly after, he signed hated rival Philadelphia Flyers.

During the ensuing season, the Flyers largely tormented the Penguins and humiliated them in the first round of the postseason, thanks to contributions from Jagr.

Still playing in his native Czech Republic, Jagr remains the ex Pittsburgh never got over.

7. Penguins win the Stanley Cup — June 11, 2017

It feels strange to rank something as momentous as winning a championship so low, but this list, much like coach Mike Sullivan, gives greater weight to the process than the result.

Still, the result was something.

When forward Carl Hagelin plunked in an empty-net goal with 14 seconds left at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, it secured a 2-0 victory against the Predators in Game 6 and put the Penguins in an exclusive fraternity of one. They remain the only team to win back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in the salary-cap era.

6. Penguins win the Stanley Cup — June 12, 2016

Of course, a team can’t win back-to-back Stanley Cup titles without winning it the first time.

Having performed a dramatic in-season retooling of the team, Rutherford turned speed into more of a brand than just a modus operandi for the 2016 Stanley Cup champions. The Penguins zipped their way around any obstacle they faced and, aside from a stiff challenge from the Tampa Bay Lightning, rarely looked to be in danger of losing a series.

When they beat the San Jose Sharks, 3-1, in Game 6 at SAP Center in San Jose, they eliminated any notion this group was composed of underachievers.

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