As a token of their appreciation for the fan support they have received this past season, players from the Pittsburgh Penguins have delivered (by hand, not by mail) season tickets to 35 season ticket-holders around Pittsburgh. Head coach Michel Therrien helped with the delivery as well as the following players from the Penguins: Sidney Crosby, Jordan Staal (pictured above), Marc-Andre Fleury, Pascal Dupuis, Sergei Gonchar, Jeff Taffe, Brooks Orpik, Maxime Talbot, and Tyler Kennedy
Sidney Crosby said, “I don’t think there are a lot of teams that do this in any sport. It’s a pretty unique thing we do. As players, we appreciate it, and it’s a way to kind of give back more on a personal level. I think people appreciate that. We tried it last year for the first time. It was a pretty big hit, and the guys had a lot of fun doing it, and I think the people enjoyed it. I think it’s a nice thing to do.”
The Penguins had also done this hand-delivery last year. The lucky season-ticket-holders that would receive the tickets from a Penguins player were randomly selected from the Penguins’ season ticket base. However, the lucky ticket-holders were simply notified that they would get a “special delivery” within a certain time frame; little did they know what was so “special” about it.
David Morehouse, president of the Pittsburgh Penguins, said, “We think it’s a great thing that our players and coaches reach out to our season ticket holders in this way. The success that we’ve had in recent years has been built on the foundation of our season ticket holders, and this is a tremendous opportunity to say thank you.”
Crosby also said, “I am sure they had a sense of anticipation knowing someone is going to be there, whether it’s me or someone else, I am sure they were excited. It’s fun for us to do, and we know the people enjoy it. We appreciate all the support we get, too, so it’s the least we can do.”
Pittsburgh General Manager Ray Shero was happy to see this act of kindness from the players.
Shero said, “I think it’s great, I really do. When you see how you can touch the fans and the excitement that they have, I think it’s always great for the players to understand what they mean to some of the people. These guys have an effect on people, and it’s a positive one. I think it’s always good for them to be reminded of that. When they see the positive impact they have on people, I think it’s going to be great for them. It’s another benefit of playing in Pittsburgh. There’s genuine excitement about this hockey team and the players who play for us. The players represent the community well, and this is another step in that direction.”
Last year, Pittsburgh won the Atlantic Division and reached the Stanley Cup Finals before falling to the Detroit Red Wings in six games. The team sold out all home games in a season for the first time in team history, extending their sellout streak to 67 games.
