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"Twenty Years Later" is a segment, with a highly unimaginative name, which will appear on Empty Netters throughout the 2010-11 season. We will examine the Penguins' 1990-91 season which led to the first Stanley Cup title in franchise history. We will look back on games on a particular date and catch up with former players, coaches, executives and media members who were a part or around that team.

Today, we talk with former Penguins forward Jay Caufield.

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On a team celebrated for its plethora of dazzling offensive skill, Jay Caufield had a fairly distinct role. He was an enforcer who protected the likes of Mario Lemieux, Mark Recchi and others.

A member of the Penguins for two seasons prior to 1991-90, Caufield appeared in 23 games that season and recorded two points along with 71 penalty minutes. While he did not appear in the any playoff games that season, he did get his name engraved on the Stanley Cup.

Caufield would spent two more seasons with the Penguins and collected a second Stanley Cup ring with the the club in 1992. He currently works as a broadcaster for Root Sports.

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On head coach Bob Johnson.

"Even when he came in the summer time, Craig Patrick talked so highly of him. All we ever heard is what everybody hears now. What an upbeat person and he was that way from training camp out. I think when we first went to training camp, we were in the middle drills, we were all handling pucks like we were peewees. Some of the best players in the game were on our team and were standing there doing really basic drills. But he loved the basics and had fun with everything we did. But you had to work hard to stay in that mix. It was great to be around him and the team responded obviously in a big way."

On adding veterans with Stanley Cup rings such as Joe Mullen and Bryan Trottier in the offseason.

"I think we had enough of a presence in the locker room as it was from Phil Bourque, Kevin Stevens, Mario Lemieux. But you’re always going to lean on Bryan Trottier or Joey Mullen. You can’t put a price tag on what guys like that mean. You need guys in the locker room who can pick it up."

On his role on a team filled with offensive talent.

"For me, anytime I did anything on the ice – if I made a hit or something – the guys would pat me on the back like I scored the game-winning goal or something. I think they new what I went through as a player and what I was working for every day. I knew my role. I knew my place. I knew what I had to do. But I think everybody knew their role."

On the trade which sent John Cullen, Jeff Parker and Zarley Zalapski to the Whalers in exchange for Ron Francis, Grant Jennings and Ulf Samuelsson.

"John Cullen was a great friend of all of ours. Still is today. He was a major part but it’s a tough part of sports when you lose a player like that. But then you look at the flip side of who came to the Penguins. Ron Francis, Ulf and Grant Jennings. Losing key guys, that tough but you understood the move. Craig Patrick was very, very good at what he did. He knew what the team needed."

On winning the Patrick Division.

"We all remember being in that locker room in Detroit because that was a huge stepping stone. You have goals and one of them was to win that. It was a big moment and we were pretty proud of it at that time."

On Frank Pietrangelo making "The Save" in Game 6 of the Patrick Division semifinal series against the Devils:

"There’s always moments in every series and every game that turn it around. Obviously if Frankie Pietrangelo doesn’t make that save, we might not be talking about this right now because it was that big."

On Kevin Stevens' guaranteeing victory in the Wales Conference final after losing the first two games.

"We were behind everything he said because he backed it up. And the whole team went right with him."

On winning the Stanley Cup with an 8-0 win in Game 6 of the Cup final.

"It was such an anti-climactic finish. But to be a part of it was a big accomplishment. A lot of guys did what it took to win."

(Photo: Penguins Hockey Cards)

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