Craig Patrick Timeline
Highs and lows from Craig Patrick's 17-year run as Penguins general manager:
1989
Dec. 5: Penguins hire ex-New York Rangers general manager Craig Patrick as GM and head coach, replacing Tony Esposito and Gene Ubriaco, respectively.
1990
June 12: Hires Bob Johnson as head coach and Scotty Bowman as director of player development and labels his new group "the best management team in the NHL."
June 16: Drafts Jaromir Jagr fifth overall, taking the risk Jagr could be lured from Czechoslovakia.
1991
Mar. 4: Acquires Ron Francis, Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings from Hartford for John Cullen, Zarley Zalapski and Jeff Parker.
May 25: With an 8-0 victory over the Minnesota North Stars, the Penguins win their first Stanley Cup.
Oct. 1: Scotty Bowman named head coach.
1992
Jan. 30: Patrick signs five-year contract.
Feb. 19: Trades Paul Coffey to Los Angeles for Brian Benning and Jeff Chychrun, then acquires Rick Tocchet, Kjell Samuelsson and Ken Wregget from Philadelphia in exchange for Mark Recchi, Benning and a first-round draft pick.
June 1: Penguins defeat the Chicago Blackhawks in four straight to win a second straight Cup.
1993
June 22: Names Eddie Johnston coach.
June 26: Drafts Stefan Bergkvist in first round, marking a run where Pens will draft first-round busts in five of six years.
1996
Mar. 20: Trades Markus Naslund to the Vancouver Canucks for Alek Stojanov.
June 27: Signs new five-year contract.
1997
June 12: Names Kevin Constantine coach.
1998
Nov. 25: Acquires Alexei Kovalev from New York Rangers in exchange for Petr Nedved, cash and other players.
1999
Dec. 9: Fires Kevin Constantine and replaces him with Herb Brooks.
2000
June 21: Names Czech legend Ivan Hlinka as replacement for Herb Brooks.
2001
June 20: Patrick signs five-year extension that pays him a starting annual salary of $1.5 million.
July 11: Under ownership pressure, trades Jaromir Jagr to Capitals in exchange for prospects Kris Beech, Michal Sivek, Ross Lupaschuk and cash.
Oct. 15: Fires Ivan Hlinka and replaces him with Rick Kehoe, who has no head coaching experience.
2003
June 11: Hires team television analyst Eddie Olczyk as head coach, informs media that no other candidates were interviewed. Olczyk has no coaching experience on any level.
June 21: Trades up to draft goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury first overall.
2004
June 26: Drafts Evgeni Malkin second overall.
2005
July 9: Signs Mark Recchi as unrestricted free agent.
July 22: Penguins win draft lottery -- on a 6.25-percent chance -- and the right to select Canadian phenom Sidney Crosby.
Aug. 3: Signs free-agent defenseman Sergei Gonchar to a five-year, $25 million contract.
Aug. 8: Signs Ziggy Palffy to a three-year, $13.8 million contract.
2006
Jan. 18: Ziggy Palffy abruptly retires.
Jan. 19: Mario Lemieux announces team is for sale, soon steps down as CEO.
Mar. 9: Trades Mark Recchi to Carolina.
April 18: Penguins finish second-last in the NHL standings.
April 20: Team president and CEO Ken Sawyer announces Patrick's contract will not be renewed.
