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 my organization, 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.
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Name: Tim Wallace
Number: 63
Position: Right wing
Born: August 6, 1984 in Anchorage, Alaska
Seasons with Penguins: 2008-11
Statistics with Penguins: 24 games, 2 assists in regular season
WHY WALLACE?
Tim Wallace was in the Penguins organization for five years, and only played 24 games in Pittsburgh. Only 16 of those games were played while wearing No. 63 -- he changed to No. 22 in 2009.
After two years in the minors with Wheeling and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Wallace made his NHL debut on Dec. 10, 2008 against the New Jersey Devils on a line with Jeff Taffe and Max Talbot. The Alaska native played 16 games in Pittsburgh that season.
Pittsburgh didn't call on Wallace much in 2009-10; he only came up for one game. Wallace's most memorable moment as a Penguin came the following season, in February 2011.
Feb. 6, 2011. It was Super Bowl Sunday for the Steelers and Packers, but first, the Penguins and Capitals had an afternoon matchup at the Verizon Center. It was the first time the Penguins and Capitals met following the Winter Classic.
Sidney Crosby was still out of the lineup with a concussion sustained on a blindside hit by David Steckel. The Penguins wanted revenge, and Steckel would have to follow hockey's code and answer for his hit.
The day before the game, the Penguins summoned Wallace from Wilkes-Barre for the first time that season. Wallace played under eight minutes that night; he only had one job. Eight minutes into the third period, with the Penguins trailing, 2-0, Wallace and Steckel dropped the gloves.
Steckel, who wasn't much of a fighter, held his own against Wallace. It wasn't that great of a fight, but Wallace did manage to get in a few uppercuts. Matt Cooke later injured Alex Ovechkin with a knee-on-knee hit, Brooks Orpik sent a slapshot into the ear of Mike Green, the Penguins lost 3-0 and the Steelers lost the Super Bowl. It was an eventful day.
Wallace played seven games in total that February before being re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre. The Penguins did not re-sign him that summer.
Wallace remains 10th all-time in points (137) and third all-time in games played (304) for Wilkes-Barre.
WHAT'S HE DOING NOW?
After not being re-signed by the Penguins following the 2010-11 season, Wallace signed with the Islanders. He played in the Islanders, Lighting, and Hurricanes organizations before heading overseas in 2013-14. After two years in the Swedish Hockey League, Wallace joined the German DEL for 2015-16.
Wallace returned to North America for the 2016-17 season, suiting up for his hometown Alaska Aces of the ECHL in the franchise's final season. He earned a seven-game tryout with one of his former AHL teams, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
Last season, Wallace played for the Sheffield Steelers in the Elite Ice Hockey League, based in the United Kingdom. He recorded six goals and 24 assists in 55 games.
Wallace will remain in the EIHL for 2018-19, joining the Milton Keynes Lightning in Buckinghamshire, England.
IT WAS SPOKEN
“You send out a guy you call up ... To me, it was crap.” -- Bruce Boudreau on the Penguins summoning Wallace for the fight
"It always seems like it's Tim Wallace who gets to the red line and just puts a little soft puck in and goes and gets it himself. Our entire bench goes, 'There it is. That's how we need to play.' He is the perfect example for buying into that. The goals and the numbers he's put up this year, they've all, for the most part, come from right around the blue paint." -- Todd Reirden on Wallace in Wilkes-Barre
HONORABLE MENTIONS AT NO. 63:
None
ANY DEBATE?
No other Penguin has worn No. 63.
Tomorrow: I have No. 65.
Yesterday: Carl Hagelin
