Penguins’ 2022-23 reverse retro jerseys to function Nineteen Nineties ‘Robo Penguin’ brand: Sources

September 16, 2022

Robo Penguin. The Pigeon. Name it what you need: The Pittsburgh Penguins’ outdated “new” brand is coming again.

The Penguins’ 2022-23 reverse retro jerseys will function the brand Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr wore all through most of their Nineteen Nineties run collectively, a number of trade sources instructed The Athletic. The emblem, first launched for the 1992-93 season, will seem on the entrance of jerseys worn by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for a yet-unspecified variety of video games in 2022-23.

The Penguins haven’t worn the brand as the primary emblem on their jersey because the 2001-02 season.

The Robo Penguin was the primary brand on white house jerseys for the Penguins all through the Nineteen Nineties. It additionally appeared on a black third jersey with a grey gradient within the late Nineteen Nineties. It’s in style amongst followers that grew up cheering for these golf equipment, which had been essentially the most profitable in franchise historical past earlier than the three-time Cup winners led by Crosby and Malkin. The emblem has been divisive, although: Some elder followers of the franchise had been initially skeptical of the Robo Penguin brand and new uniforms that debuted in 1992-93, and the Penguins’ failed three-peat bid within the first season in these uniforms solely added to that skepticism.

Nonetheless, there was a clamoring, particularly on social media, for the Robo Penguin to return lately. Pleasure among the many pro-Robo-Penguin crowd intensified after SportsLogos.web not too long ago captured leaked pictures from the NHL’s store that confirmed merchandise that includes the brand.

The Penguins plan to unveil their retro jerseys that includes the Robo Penguin inside just a few weeks, the trade sources mentioned. It’s unclear whether or not the jerseys might be white or black. This season, the Penguins will put on their present house and highway jerseys, their diagonal Pittsburgh alternate jerseys, the reverse retros jerseys that includes the Robo Penguin, and a particular jersey for a Winter Traditional recreation in opposition to the Bruins at Boston’s Fenway Park on Jan. 2, 2023.

The Robo Penguin was commissioned by former Penguins co-owner Howard Baldwin not lengthy after his group bought the membership within the early Nineteen Nineties. Gary Adams, whose agency designed the then-new brand, instructed The Athletic’s Sean Gentille in April 2020 that Baldwin “hated (the Skating Penguin) brand,” which the Penguins had been utilizing — a declare Baldwin disputed within the story.

Adams additionally mentioned Baldwin thought the Skating Penguin brand was “mushy.”

The Penguins resumed utilizing the Skating Penguin, which was a part of their authentic brand, on all jerseys on the request of co-owner Lemieux starting within the 2002-03 season. Lemieux loathed the Robo Penguin brand and instructed associates it will not seem once more as a fundamental brand beneath his stewardship.

Lemieux and accomplice Ron Burkle offered the Penguins to Fenway Sports activities Group final season, although Lemieux retains a small share share within the franchise.

The Robo Penguin was famously featured within the film “Sudden Demise” starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, launched in late 1995.

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The within story of the Penguins’ ‘Pittsburgh Pigeon’ brand

(Photograph of Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux in 2000: David Maxwell / AFP through Getty Photographs)

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