As teams play for the final playoff births, the numerous Franchises start to consider Stanley Cup triumph and the possibility of earning the Stanley Cup. We will peek at the Franchises and give proof of how they set off from a Franchise For Sale, exposed across the globe to the leading Franchises of the US sports market today. The US market has been insecure for lots of years, from lots of teams finding it difficult to pay contracts, to a lot of teams being able to splash out millions of dollars on acquiring players. At this present phase the market is more secure as great amounts of expenditure is being saved, as economic difficulties have touched the hockey market. All of the Franchises are decreasing their spending and running with their gained assets, which is having a great benefit on the opportunity of a Franchise For Sale on the market. Many team investors for lots of years have judged their Franchises as a Home Based Franchise, the team investors work with their club keenly and they take it everywhere with them. This is utterly like any other Home Based Franchise within the present market and as a result very important to a potential team investor looking for a Franchise For Sale in the market. The investor will have the reliance that the club has been well focussed and cared for as if it were a Home Based Franchise.

Here is a small account of one of the NHL Franchises that have had much success and troubles over the years including change in managers and players.

The Pittsburgh Penguins joined the NHL as an expansion team in 1967. Their first year saw them place fifth in the western division and out of the playoffs. The team wasn’t a year old before ownership troubles came to the front. As they worked through the financial troubles, the Penguins would get their first taste of posteason play in their third year. They concluded second in their division, making the NHL playoffs before being beaten by the St Louis Blues in the semi-finals. After yet another adjustment in ownership and front office moves, the Penguins were back in the playoffs in 1971, only to be swept by the Chicago Blackhawks. In 1979 the Penguins uncovered a new uniform, relegating their blue and white uniforms for a black and gold outfit, like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates.

The 1983-84 season saw the team fall to last place overall in the NHL. The upside was the power to draft Mario Lemieux as their 1st overall pick in the 1984 NHL entry draft. Mario scored 100 points in his 1st year and won the Calder trophy as the best NHL rookie.

Craig Patrick came in as the general manager in late 1989, and would go on to put his stamp on the lineup. Soon after in the 1990 NHL entry draft, Patrick made two equally major moves by drafting Jaromir Jagr as their 1st round draft pick and hiring Bob Johnson as coach.

These additions had an almost instant impact. The Penguins finished first in the Patrick division during the 1990-91 season. They worked their way through the playoffs and defeated the Minnesota North Stars in a six game series to win their first ever Stanley Cup championship. The club continued to take advantage of Lemieux’s offensive dominance the next season as the high scoring lineup won its second straight Stanley Cup championship.

The Franchises playoff performances seemed to fall short of the two Stanley Cups they won in the early ’90s. Lemieux came back in 1995, scoring a league leading 161 points and bagging the Art Ross trophy. Injuries though would continue to hamper his play and he finally revealed his retirement at the end of the 1996-97 season.

The economics of the game put a huge strain on the team, which could still field a very potent lineup. The team have continued to struggle with the economic realities of today’s NHL, having to trade Alexei Kovalev to the Rangers and choosing to go for a young (and inexpensive) lineup under coach Eddie Olczyk with Mario Lemieux handling the numerous roles of player, Chairman and CEO of the Penguins.

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