Ab McDonald, the Penguins' first captain, died on Tuesday night. He was 82 years old.
McDonald's career began with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1957-58 season, where he won three consecutive Stanley Cups. He won a fourth Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1961. After stints in Boston and Detroit, he was sent to the minor-league Pittsburgh Hornets in 1966-67.
McDonald led the Hornets to a Calder Cup championship, amassing 25 goals and 31 assists in 61 regular season games, and five goals and two assists in nine playoff games.
Liking what they saw, the Penguins selected him with their sixth pick in the 1967 Expansion Draft, and named McDonald their inaugural captain.
McDonald wasn't a Penguin for long -- only the 1967-68 season. In the Penguins' opener against Montreal on Oct. 11, 1967, Andy Bathgate scored the franchise's first-ever goal. Noel Price and McDonald earned the assists. McDonald finished second on the team in scoring with 22 goals and 21 assists in 74 games.
The Penguins traded McDonald to the St. Louis Blues that summer for Lou Angotti.
McDonald retired in 1974 after a 15-year NHL career, and two seasons with his hometown Winnipeg Jets in the WHA.
McDonald attended the Penguins' 50th season celebrations in 2016.
Ab McDonald: "I find it hard to believe it was 50 years ago that we were here. It's amazing. It's great to be back - it really is." #Pens50 pic.twitter.com/Cgejn4JOvs
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 15, 2016
"I find it hard to believe it was 50 years ago we were here," McDonald said. "It's amazing. It's great to be back, it really is."
McDonald showed support for the Penguins' current captain during his visit to Pittsburgh.
"What are those crazy people talking about?" said McDonald in response to early criticism of Sidney Crosby in 2015-16. "And seeing what happened, that guy played so well down the stretch and then he comes back again this year and wins the World Cup. That guy is the best player in the world and when I heard them say he's finished I was like, 'no, no.'"
In a 2013 story with The Hockey News, McDonald said that he was still receiving around 10 autograph requests a week, and he signed every one of them.
“I’m not just the run-of-the-mill player – I won four Stanley Cups,” McDonald said. “I sign it and I send it back.”
The steady stream of requests was flattering, he said.
"When they stop coming around. They’ve forgotten about you.”
The Penguins offered their condolences to McDonald's family and friends on Wednesday afternoon.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of the Penguins' first captain, Ab McDonald. We offer our heartfelt condolences to Ab's family and friends. pic.twitter.com/YXhWMXvaQy
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) September 5, 2018