Andy Bathgate

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Bathgate arrived in Pittsburgh as a proven NHL superstar, having won the Hart Memorial Trophy with the New York Rangers just eight years prior. In the 1967–68 season, he immediately etched his name into the franchise's record books by netting the very first goal in Penguins history. His tenure was brief but impactful; after one season, he returned to the WHL's Vancouver Canucks, where he dominated with 108 points in the 1969–70 campaign, earning the George Leader Cup as the league's top player and leading them to two consecutive Lester Patrick Cup victories. He later returned to Pittsburgh for the 1970–71 season, capping his North American career there before serving as a playing coach in Switzerland and briefly attempting a comeback with the WHA's Vancouver Blazers.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Bathgate's time in Pittsburgh is bookended by historic firsts and final bows. Selected in the 1967 Expansion Draft, he wasted no time making an impact, firing home the inaugural goal for the new franchise. While his initial stint lasted only one season, his return three years later to finish out his career in 1970–71 highlighted his enduring skill. Before joining Pittsburgh, Bathgate had already reshaped the game; during a game against the Montreal Canadiens, he shot the puck into Jacques Plante's face, forcing the goaltender to wear a mask upon his return—a moment that sparked a mandatory safety trend for all goalies. His career was also marked by a fierce stand against brutality in 1959, when he wrote 'Atrocities on Ice,' exposing spearing tactics and taking a $1,000 fine from the NHL to advocate for player safety.

Reader's Guide

Andy Bathgate is best known to Pittsburgh fans as the pioneer who scored the franchise's first goal. He played two separate stints with the Penguins: first in the inaugural 1967–68 season and again in his final North American professional year, 1970–71. A right wing by trade, Bathgate brought a wealth of experience from a 17-season NHL career that included ten years with the Rangers, a Stanley Cup win with Toronto, and time with Detroit. His statistical peak in Pittsburgh came during his WHL resurgence with Vancouver, where he tallied 108 points, but his legacy in the Steel City remains rooted in those historic first moments. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1978 and named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in 2017.

Did You Know?

• Bathgate scored the very first goal in Pittsburgh Penguins history after being selected in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft.
• His powerful slapshot once broke goaltender Jacques Plante's face, leading to Plante returning with a mask and changing hockey safety forever.
• He was fined $1,000 by the NHL for writing an article titled 'Atrocities on Ice' that criticized spearing tactics in 1959.
• Bathgate returned to the WHL's Vancouver Canucks after his first Penguins season, winning the George Leader Cup with 108 points in 1969–70.
• He played his final North American professional game for the Penguins in the 1970–71 season before attempting a brief comeback with the WHA.