Head coach Red Sullivan takes the Penguins through drills at the inaugural training camp in Brantford, Ontario in 1967.
The Pittsburgh Penguins held their inaugural training camp, which began on September 13, 1967 after 38 players reported the day before, in Brantford, Ontario at the Brantford Civic Centre. Pittsburgh hosted the Philadelphia Flyers in the first game in franchise history on September 23, 1967 at the Civic Centre in Brantford. Paul Andrea scored the first goal in franchise history 9:00 into the first period beating Philadelphia goalie Doug Favell on an unassisted goal. Andy Bathgate scored twice and Ab McDonald, Noel Price, Tom McCarthy and Bob Rivard also scored in the Penguins' 7-3 win over the Flyers.
Four of Pittsburgh's nine pre-season games were played in Brantford during that first pre-season campaign with the Penguins going 4-0-0 with a combined 22-10 score with wins against the expansion Flyers, California Seals, and Minnesota North Stars as well as the Oklahoma City Blazers of the CPHL. The Penguins went 7-1-1 during the 1967-68 pre-season.
The Penguins would hold their next seven training camps in Brantford, Ontario through the 1974-75 pre-season. During the eight training camps held in Brantford, the Penguins played 24 games at the Brantford Civic Centre going 15-5-4.
Four of Pittsburgh's nine pre-season games were played in Brantford during that first pre-season campaign with the Penguins going 4-0-0 with a combined 22-10 score with wins against the expansion Flyers, California Seals, and Minnesota North Stars as well as the Oklahoma City Blazers of the CPHL. The Penguins went 7-1-1 during the 1967-68 pre-season.
The Penguins would hold their next seven training camps in Brantford, Ontario through the 1974-75 pre-season. During the eight training camps held in Brantford, the Penguins played 24 games at the Brantford Civic Centre going 15-5-4.
The Brantford Civic Centre where the Pittsburgh Penguins held their first eight training camps from 1967-68 through 1974-75.
Johnny Wilson watches Kim Davis in a training camp drill at Rostraver Gardens on September 21, 1977.
With the Pittsburgh Penguins facing financial issues following the 1975 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Al Seville and Wren Blair sought to reduce expenses and generate local fan interest by moving training camp from Ontario to a Pittsburgh-area rink for the 1975-76 season.
Rostraver Gardens, which opened in November 1965, hosted the 1975-76 Pittsburgh Penguins training camp which opened on September 15, 1975 with 30 players invited - less than half of the total invited to the 1974-75 training camp in Brantford. The Penguins would workout twice a day until they moved to the Civic Arena on September 24, 1975.
One year later, only 25 players were invited to training camp which opened at Rostraver Gardens on September 15, 1976. The camp lasted only three days before exhibition play began on September 18th with a game against the St. Louis Blues at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.
The 1977-78 training camp opened on September 18, 1977 with 31 played in attendance at Rostraver Gardens in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania.
It would be the final training camp at Rostraver Gardens as the Penguins moved the 1978-79 training camp to the Mt. Lebanon Arena.
Rostraver Gardens, which opened in November 1965, hosted the 1975-76 Pittsburgh Penguins training camp which opened on September 15, 1975 with 30 players invited - less than half of the total invited to the 1974-75 training camp in Brantford. The Penguins would workout twice a day until they moved to the Civic Arena on September 24, 1975.
One year later, only 25 players were invited to training camp which opened at Rostraver Gardens on September 15, 1976. The camp lasted only three days before exhibition play began on September 18th with a game against the St. Louis Blues at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.
The 1977-78 training camp opened on September 18, 1977 with 31 played in attendance at Rostraver Gardens in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania.
It would be the final training camp at Rostraver Gardens as the Penguins moved the 1978-79 training camp to the Mt. Lebanon Arena.
Rostraver Gardens, located in Belle Vernon, PA would host the Pittsburgh Penguins training camps from 1975-76 through 1977-78.
The 1978-79 training camp opened on September 18, 1978 at Mt. Lebanon Arena, which opened in 1977, with 35 players scheduled to report and culminated with the Blue-White scrimmage on September 23rd.
Randy Carlyle was absent from the start of the 1979-80 training camp which opened on September 17, 1979. Carlyle, who was entering his contract option year of his original pro contract, was looking for a better deal with the Penguins and General Manager Baz Bastien. Carlyle reported to camp two days later on September 19th and said, "I felt as if I had to show somebody I was very serious about getting a new contract. I think they realize now I'm very serious about it."
31 players reported to the 1980-81 training camp in Mt. Lebanon which opened on September 17, 1980. Absent was Russ Anderson who was entering the option year on his contract.
Randy Carlyle was absent from the start of the 1979-80 training camp which opened on September 17, 1979. Carlyle, who was entering his contract option year of his original pro contract, was looking for a better deal with the Penguins and General Manager Baz Bastien. Carlyle reported to camp two days later on September 19th and said, "I felt as if I had to show somebody I was very serious about getting a new contract. I think they realize now I'm very serious about it."
31 players reported to the 1980-81 training camp in Mt. Lebanon which opened on September 17, 1980. Absent was Russ Anderson who was entering the option year on his contract.
Iceoplex at Southpointe, a state-of-the-art training facility located in the Southpointe Development Project, a multi-purpose park in Cecil Township, in Washington County, PA adjacent to the Southpointe Golf Club opened its doors to the public on May 20, 1995. The facility had its Grand Celebration on September 16, 1995, as the Pittsburgh Penguins opened their training camp for the 1995-96 NHL season. Southpointe Rink Associates, a partnership between the ownership of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Howard Baldwin, Morris Belzberg and Thomas Ruta, and Penguins superstar Mario Lemieux, entered into an agreement with Ice Specialty Entertainment Inc. in May 1994 to build the facility.
The multi-purpose facility featured an NHL regulation ice surface and served as the official training home of the Pittsburgh Penguins from 1995 to 2015. The facility contained a separate area for a Penguins locker room, training room, weight room, lounge area, video room, and offices for the general manager and coaching staff.
The multi-purpose facility featured an NHL regulation ice surface and served as the official training home of the Pittsburgh Penguins from 1995 to 2015. The facility contained a separate area for a Penguins locker room, training room, weight room, lounge area, video room, and offices for the general manager and coaching staff.
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Opening in August 2015, the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex has served as the primary training facility for the Pittsburgh Penguins for the past 11 seasons. The 185,000 square foot facility features two hockey rinks with approximately 1,500 seats, a walk-in orthopedic injury clinic, a physical therapy gym overlooking the Penguins practice rink, a sprinting track and batting cages, a PensGear store, 14 locker rooms, and an on-site cafe.
Construction of the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex began on October 2, 2013 in a groundbreaking ceremony with Penguins owner Mario Lemieux and UPMC CEO Jeffrey Romoff. At a cost of $70 million, the complex also serves as a UPMC medical facility staffed with doctors and includes a concussion clinic, imaging, physical therapy, and sports performance training.
Construction of the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex began on October 2, 2013 in a groundbreaking ceremony with Penguins owner Mario Lemieux and UPMC CEO Jeffrey Romoff. At a cost of $70 million, the complex also serves as a UPMC medical facility staffed with doctors and includes a concussion clinic, imaging, physical therapy, and sports performance training.
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