2006–07 Pittsburgh Penguins season
# Oct Time ( ET ) Visitor Score Home Location Record Points
1 5 7:30 PM Philadelphia Flyers 0-4 Pittsburgh Penguins Civic Arena ( 16,957 ) 1-0-0 2
2 7 7:30 PM Detroit Red Wings 2-0 Pittsburgh Penguins Civic Arena ( 15,318 ) 1-1-0 2
3 12 7:00 PM Pittsburgh Penguins 6-5 New York Rangers Madison Square Garden ( IV ) ( 18,200 ) 2-1-0 4
4 14 7:30 PM Carolina Hurricanes 5-1 Pittsburgh Penguins Civic Arena ( 14,351 ) 2-2-0 4
5 18 7:30 PM New Jersey Devils 2-1 Pittsburgh Penguins Civic Arena ( 17,030 ) 2-3-0 4
6 19 7:30 PM Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3 OT New York Islanders Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum ( 10,258 ) 3-3-0 6
7 21 7:30 PM Columbus Blue Jackets 3-5 Pittsburgh Penguins Civic Arena ( 14,637 ) 4-3-0 8
8 24 7:00 PM New Jersey Devils 2-4 Pittsburgh Penguins Civic Arena ( 13,190 ) 5-3-0 10
9 28 7:00 PM Pittsburgh Penguins 8-2 Philadelphia Flyers Wells Fargo Center ( 19,589 ) 6-3-0 12
The Pittsburgh Penguins 2006-07 season was ripe with potential, as the team featured one of the largest groups of young stars in the National Hockey League (NHL). Evgeni Malkin, the second overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft, came to the United States from Russia prior to the season and joined the team. He promptly became the first NHL rookie since 1917 to score goals in each of his first six games. Malkin and second-year phenom Sidney Crosby were joined by 18-year-old Jordan Staal, who made the jump directly from the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) to the Penguins roster after being drafted second overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. The Penguins also brought back Mark Recchi via free agency, giving Recchi his third stint with the team. The season was clouded with uncertainty, however, about the Penguins' future in Pittsburgh. After Jim Balsillie had agreed to purchase the franchise for $175 million and to keep it in Pittsburgh, the situation seemed settled. Balsillie's deal fell through, however, in December. Isle of Capri Casinos was next to make a bid to keep the team in Pittsburgh, but their deal was nixed as well. On January 3, 2007, Penguins officials, including Mario Lemieux and other members of the team's ownership group, visited Kansas City, Missouri, to discuss potentials of relocating the team there. Other cities which reportedly have expressed interest in the franchise include Houston, Winnipeg, Portland and Oklahoma City. On March 14, 2007, in a joint announcement by Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato, Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Mario Lemieux, it was made public that an agreement had been reached between the parties.