Today In Penguins History (9/10/2009)

2009 Pittsburgh Penguins trip to the White House

Today in 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins made the trip to Washington D.C. and visited President Barack Obama after winning their third Stanley Cup in franchise history.  Accompanied by the team owner, Mario Lemieux, as well as team management, coaches, and staff, the players flanked the President during his brief, 10-minute speech.

President Obama congratulated the team on their victory and commented on how hard it is to win the Stanley Cup.  He also credited the Penguins for the charity work, including their hockey clinic they put on earlier as part of the President's "United We Serve" campaign.  Probably the most interesting comment the President made was regarding the playoff beard phenomenon.  "All of you look pretty good without your playoff beards," he claimed. "They're pretty good looking guys without all that."  He also made a comment about how Sidney Crosby is small so he must make up for that in speed.

That photo above would later serve as the inspiration for the sketch used by Upper Deck to adorn the 2012 Goodwin Champions card of Sidney Crosby.  I'm only speculating here but I would be shocked if it wasn't.  You decide.

2012 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions

More on the visit to the White House

President Obama hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins aat the White House on Thursday and celebrated the hockey team for its performance on and off the ice. The Pens won the cup in June and since then, have taken it on a road trip to thank their fans, an act that earned the players the thanks of a grateful president.

“They took it on fishing trips and stopped by neighborhood barbecues. They visited elementary schools and brightened the days of children recovering in the hospital,” Obama said during his speech. "This is a team that understands that being a champion doesn’t end when you step off the ice,” Obama added.

The Pens got to meet with the President and get a tour of the White House before the ceremony. The earlier part of the day was spent with the kids from the Fort Dupont Ice Rink and the Hockey in the Hood program. As reported by NHL's blog about the trip, the kids seemed shy and took a while to warm up to the guys but once they did, it was a great day. Crosby mentioned that the best question came when one of the kids asked if he and Malkin were brothers. Bill Guerin chimed in that they certainly looked alike.

“That’s what the Stanley Cup is all about. Not just having your names engraved alongside the best players in history, but also giving back to others along the way,” the president said. “And this spirit of service helps to strengthen our communities, it strengthens our country, and I know the team gets a lot in return for it as well.”

Awesome stuff!! Here is some video: