Who wore it best: No. 12, Bob Errey taken at Highmark Stadium (Penguins)

Welcome to our series on who wore each number best for the Penguins.

The idea is being openly borrowed from our new hockey writer, Cody Tucker, and his project at the Lansing State Journal covering all the uniform numbers worn through Michigan State football history, one that's been well received by their readers and prompted heavy discussion and debate.

Under the organization of Taylor Haase, and following the voting of a big chunk of our staff, we'll publish one new one each day until completion, which should be right around the start of training camp.

___________________

Name: Bob Errey

Number: 12

Position: Left wing

Born: Sept. 21, 1964 in Montreal

Seasons with Penguins: 1983-1993

Statistics with Penguins: 572 games, 132 goals, 140 assists in regular season, 49 games, 9 goals, 4 assists in playoffs

Bob Errey. - PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

WHY ERREY?

Fans of a certain age might remember that before he was a broadcaster, Errey was a hockey player of some renown. The former Peterborough Pete was the 15th overall pick in the 1983 draft, which included junior teammate and linemate Steve Yzerman, who went fourth overall to Detroit. Errey scored 22 points to go along with his minus-22 rating during his rookie year in 1983-84. Of course that season is best remembered as the one when GM Eddie Johnston's team played poorly enough -- intentionally or not -- to earn Mario Lemieux with the No. 1 overall pick in the '84 draft.

Errey and Lemieux would become stalwarts on a team that grew slowly into a contender in the late '80s. But it wasn't always smooth sailing for No. 12. Errey played 59 games in 1984-85 in AHL Baltimore and 18 more there the following season before settling into a full-time role in the NHL in 1986-87. Though slight in build at 5-10 and 185, Errey played with an edge. He was relentless. Though he was one of the few Penguins to play with a defensive conscience, he went on to average 21.25 goals per season between 1988 and '92. The best of those seasons came in 1988-89 playing on a line with Lemieux and Rob Brown when Errey set career highs in goals (26), assists (32) and points (58) in helping the Penguins to their first postseason appearance in six years. Two years, Errey and the Penguins reached the mountaintop. In the spring of '91, Errey scored five goals in 24 playoff games, including one at 13:15 of the second period at the Met Center as the Penguins finished off the Minnesota North Stars in Game 6 to capture Pittsburgh's first Stanley Cup.

Errey missed seven of the Penguins' 21 playoff games the following spring, including the Wales Conference final against Boston after suffering a shoulder injury the previous series against the Rangers. Still, he managed three goals, including a shorthanded marker in the first period of a 3-1 win in Game 2 of the Cup Final against the Blackhawks.

Although many consider the 1992-93 Penguins their best team, they lacked the grit that Errey provided. Errey was dealt in March of '93 to Buffalo for defenseman Mike Ramsey.

Errey went on to play six more seasons. He captained the San Jose Sharks and reunited with Yzerman in Detroit and helped the Red Wings to the Cup Final in 1995. But he was never able to recapture his Pittsburgh glory days. He retired in 1999 at age 33.

WHAT'S HE DOING NOW?

Errey attempted to come out of retirement in 2001 but quickly nixed that. He soon settled into the broadcast booth where he has served as a color commentator -- with a very Canadian accent -- the past 17 years with Paul Steigerwald and, most recently, Steve Mears. Errey has also done national work on NHL Network and TSN in Canada.

IT WAS SPOKEN

"This means a great deal. You don't really realize how much it means until you reflect on past years, all the struggles that the team has gone through.” -- Errey, after Penguins won the 1991 Patrick Division on March 27. It was the club's first title of any kind in 24 years.

“There were a lot of tears shed. I remember standing around center ice, looking up into the banners when they raised the banner the following season, the tears coming down our faces. 'A great day for hockey’ will live on forever, and he was just a tremendous man.” -- Errey, on the death of Bob Johnson in November, 1991.

HONORABLE MENTIONS AT NO. 12

Ken Schinkel

Greg Malone

Ryan Malone

Any debate?

There were certainly plenty of conversations about this one. Greg Malone was an All-Star and scored 35 goals in 1978-79. His son, Ryan, averaged 21.75 goals per season over a four-year stretch and helped the Penguins to the 2008 Cup Final. Pretty compelling arguments could be made for each but, c'mon, it has to be Bibs, right?

Tomorrow: Taylor Haase has No. 13.

Yesterday: Jordan Staal

Loading...
Loading...