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Tuesday, 24 May 2011 12:01

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

"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 Bryan Trottier.

By the time Bryan Trottier joined the Penguins as a free agent in the summer of 1990, his best days were clearly behind him. A vital component of the Islanders dynasty of the early 1980s, Trottier had won the Hart and Art Ross Trophies as one of the league's top players. By the time he came to Pittsburgh, the former scoring champion had trouble even reaching the 20-goal mark.

The Penguins didn't need Trottier to score. They had that covered with the likes of Mario Lemieux, Mark Recchi and Kevin Stevens. What they needed was the experience of his four Stanley Cup rings.

Trottier was limited to 52 games and 28 points during the regular season and his on-ice role was reduced to either the third or fourth lines primarily. But Trottier was one of the team's leaders, especially with Lemieux sidelined most of the season due to a back ailment.

He appeared in all but one of the Penguins' postseason games that spring and contributed seven points, including two game-winning goals, while helping the franchise earn the Stanley Cup for the first time. It was also Trottier's fifth Staley Cup win.

Trottier helped the Penguins successfully defend their title in 1992 and played two more seasons with the Penguins before retiring as a player in 1994. He remained with the team until 1997 as an assistant coach. Trottier was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997.

Didn’t know much about Pittsburgh in general. But in conversations with Craig (Patrick) and Bob Johnson, it was just refreshing to feel appreciated. Once I got on the ice, the appreciation from the fans and the general atmosphere in the locker room was… I just said, ‘This is really going to be a good time for me.” The last year on Long Island, there just wasn’t that sense of being appreciated. So I was pretty excited for the whole thing.

Do you remember your first game against the Islanders that season?

It was on Long Island. I might have picked up an assist. There wasn’t a lot of the ice time. It think somewhere during the second period, I took one in the foot so I had to leave and get an X-ray. Not very memorable.

Did the other players and coaches treat you, Paul Coffey and Joe Mullen differently given your Stanley Cup success earlier in your careers?

Oh without a doubt. The guys looked to us in that regard. Whatever we said, the guys were all ears. They asked good questions. Every day Bob (Johnson) would skate one or two laps around and get some input from me. Or in front of the guys, say, ‘Bryan, what do you think?’ I would always make darn sure that it was something meaningful. I wasn’t just blurting something out. It was a good groups of guys from the standpoint of having veteran guys.

What was it like getting Mario Lemieux back in the lineup after he had missed so many games due to a back ailment?

Oh so exciting. It was so fun. It was so neat to see the presence of the man in the locker room and that dynamic. And to watch how the guys react when he’s not in the room versus when he is in the room. So it was pretty special when he walked in because I had not seen that before.

The trade which sent John Cullen, Jeff Parker and Zarley Zalapski to the Whalers in exchange for Ron Francis, Grant Jennings and Ulf Samuelsson wasn't very popular at first was it?

No. No. Well we lost Johnny Cullen and Johnny was the leading scorer on the team at the time. And not only the leading scorer, one of the most popular guys in the locker room. High energy. Great attitude. Pay the price. But you got to give up something to get something. And he unfortunately was the guy. Tough one to lose, but what we gain back was certainly what we needed.

How important was it winning the Patrick Division, the first division title in franchise history?

It felt like a huge step but it wasn’t the only step. It was like the first big step. It helped gain a ton of confidence for the guys. It was a big accomplishment but it wasn’t the biggest one we wanted. It wasn’t anything you take for granted. You can’t celebrate it as much you’d like to. You got to keep moving forward.

What do you remember most about the comeback from a 3-2 deficit in the Patrick Division semifinal against the Devils?

There was just total inspiration that whole seventh game from various guys I remember. It just seemed like every time someone did something great, a simple little faceoff by me or a Ulfie would make a big hit, guys were in it. Probably the most vocal guy that whole playoff let alone that seventh game was Kevin (Stevens). Kevin’s voice was just booming. ‘Come on guys we can do it!’ That voice and that kind of conviction in the voice was inspirational.

What was your reaction when Steven guaranteed a series win against the Bruins in the Wales Conference final despite a 2-0 series deficit?

Typical Kevin. Here’s a guy who’s not just oozing confidence, but trying to make other guys ooze the same type of confidence he has. When those players step up and put themselves out there like that, you rally around them.

Speaking of Stevens, what happened during that infamous video clip of you two heckling North Stars forward Brian Bellows during the Stanley Cup Final?

(Note: Link is very graphic.)

Computer generated. If you read my lips, I’m saying, ‘I hope the summer is enjoyable Brian.’ ... It’s one of those things which is generational I think. There’s lot of kids that bring it up. It’s not one of my proudest moments. I blame Kevin for the whole thing.

What was the Cup-clinching 8-0 victory against the North Stars in Game 6 like?

"Even at 6-0 with five minutes left, we were like, ‘Come on guys. Play your hearts out.’ The roof could cave in. You don’t know what’s going to happen. Make every shift count. Even when Jimmy Paek scored late in the game, he was like, ‘I can’t believe I scored.’ Well Jimmy, go score another one. We can take anything for granted. We’re not trying to embarrass the other team. We were just trying to put it away for good."

(Photos: Penguins Hockey Cards and Photobucket)

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written by gmuny2002, May 25, 2011 - 01:59 AM

I was at the airport the night they clinched and I got to shake Trott's hand through a school bus window and I thanked him for bringing the Cup along with him from NY!

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