Pittsburgh Penguins -Team

Pittsburgh Penguins

Season	Trainer	Equipment Manager	Assistant Trainers	Assistants Equipment
1967-1968 (74)	Ken Carson Ken Carson Close Ken “Kit” Carson – Pittsburgh Penguins/Toronto Blue Jays Ken was also an original member of PHATS/SPHEM as he was elected to the position of Treasurer on the inaugural board for the NHLTA. Kenny got his start in training in his hometown of Barrie, Ontario when then Barrie Flyers trainer, Buddy LeRoux took him under his wing. He amassed sixty-five years in pro sports. After the 1960 season he followed the team as they relocated to Niagara Falls of the OHA, the forerunner of today’s OHL and was the youngest head trainer at the ripe old age of 19. From there he left the Boston Bruins farm system and arrived in Rochester in 1965 in the Toronto Maple Leafs system. NHL expansion arrived in 1967 and Ken became the first trainer for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ten years later he would become the first trainer for the newly formed Toronto Blue Jays of the MBL. He also has the distinction of being the only person to work two All-Star games in 2 major league sports. During his days in hockey, he was also an innovator. At the time, game sweaters did not come with “tie downs”, some players would take a quarter and a skate lace and configure one. Ken came up with the concept of taking garter belt straps and sewing them directly to the sweater which then could attach to the pant buttons. Several years ago, many of you began adding “Plate Protectors” to gloves. Ken worked with Spalding, who were in the hockey biz in Canada, to design what we called a “Fastback glove” designed to add extra protection. It was also introduced by other manufactures like Cooper and Jofa. Kenny left the training room behind in 1987 to become GM of the Dunedin Blue Jays and Director of the Jays training facility. 2007 saw him become a senior consultant and joined the Minor League Board of Trustees representing the Florida State League where he became President in 2015 till his retirement in 2019. In 2007 he was inducted into the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame and the Florida State League Hall of Fame in 2012. During his career he was part of a Memorial Cup, Calder Cup (2) and two World Series winners. Ken and his wife Lillian were married on the mound of Rogers Center prior to a Jays game in 2012. Ken jokes that he wishes the fans in attendance had passed the hat that day. They have been guests of the Alumni at our convention in 2018. He has also authored a book titled “From Hockey to Baseball I Kept Them in Stitches” which chronicles his life in pro sports. The book is available on Amazon and is well worth the read. Career: Pittsburgh Penguins 10, Rochester Americans 2 (AHL), Niagara Falls Flyers 4 (OHA), Barrie Flyers 4 (OHA) Toronto Blue Jays 10 (MLB), Blue Jays Executive 29, Minor Leage Baseball Board of Trustee and President Florida Baseball League 5. 64 years in sports Barrie, Ontario Sports Hall of Fame 2007 10 NHL Seasons 1 ASG	Ron Junkin
1968-1969 (76)		Jim McKenzie (Deceased) 12 NHL Seasons Penguins & Flyers
1969-1970 (76)		Jim McKenzie (Deceased) 12 NHL Seasons Penguins & Flyers
1970-1971 (78)		John Doolan Penguins John Doolan Close As John explains it, his 38-year career in hockey started by being on the right street corner at the right time. At the age of 18 Ken Carson, the trainer of the Pittsburgh Penguins took a chance and hired him as his assistant in 1970. His only asset being the love of the game. After 3 seasons he returned to school at Sheridan College in Oakville Ontario enrolled in their athletic training program and interned with the Kitchener Rangers. Following that year, he spent the next two working for the Lansing Lancers of the IHL and Erie Blades of the N.A.H.L, made famous in the movie Slap Shot which was written during his time in Erie. John can confirm the film’s scenes with experiences he saw and had that year. The 1976 season resulted in his return to Pittsburgh as his Mentor Ken Carson became the first trainer in Toronto Bluejays history. John spent the next eleven seasons with the Pens before not having his contract renewed after the 1987-88 season. During his summers in Pittsburgh, John attended the University of Pittsburgh, receiving a degree in Business Administration. The next 3 years, he worked as a bracing and casting salesperson with 3M in their Health division. In 1990 he joined the New York Islanders as their equipment manager for six seasons. John likes to say, most people work themselves up the ladder, I took another route and worked my way down. For the next fifteen seasons he plied his trade in the IHL, AHL, ECHL and UHL. His last season was 2011-2012. During his career, he worked a total of 2860 games with 1556 at the NHL level. During his NHL time he worked the 1996 ASG in Boston and served on the PHATS executive as secretary-treasurer. John was one of the co-founders of the PHATS-SPHEM Alumni Association and continues as the Co-Chairman of the group. He is also the creator of “The Family Tree” which documents the training and equipment staff of every NHL team through the years.
1971-1972 (78)
1972-1973 (78)
1973-1974 (78)		Bob DeMarco
1974-1975 (80)
1975-1976 (80)
1976-1977 (80)	Ken Carson John Doolan	Bob DeMarco Danny Blair
1977-1978 (80)	Steve Thomas 11 NHL Seasons 1 ASG	John Doolan Penguins John Doolan Close As John explains it, his 38-year career in hockey started by being on the right street corner at the right time. At the age of 18 Ken Carson, the trainer of the Pittsburgh Penguins took a chance and hired him as his assistant in 1970. His only asset being the love of the game. After 3 seasons he returned to school at Sheridan College in Oakville Ontario enrolled in their athletic training program and interned with the Kitchener Rangers. Following that year, he spent the next two working for the Lansing Lancers of the IHL and Erie Blades of the N.A.H.L, made famous in the movie Slap Shot which was written during his time in Erie. John can confirm the film’s scenes with experiences he saw and had that year. The 1976 season resulted in his return to Pittsburgh as his Mentor Ken Carson became the first trainer in Toronto Bluejays history. John spent the next eleven seasons with the Pens before not having his contract renewed after the 1987-88 season. During his summers in Pittsburgh, John attended the University of Pittsburgh, receiving a degree in Business Administration. The next 3 years, he worked as a bracing and casting salesperson with 3M in their Health division. In 1990 he joined the New York Islanders as their equipment manager for six seasons. John likes to say, most people work themselves up the ladder, I took another route and worked my way down. For the next fifteen seasons he plied his trade in the IHL, AHL, ECHL and UHL. His last season was 2011-2012. During his career, he worked a total of 2860 games with 1556 at the NHL level. During his NHL time he worked the 1996 ASG in Boston and served on the PHATS executive as secretary-treasurer. John was one of the co-founders of the PHATS-SPHEM Alumni Association and continues as the Co-Chairman of the group. He is also the creator of “The Family Tree” which documents the training and equipment staff of every NHL team through the years. 20 NHL Seasons 1 ASG Penguins & Islanders
1978-1979 (80)
1979-1980 (80)
1980-1981 (80)
1981-1982 (80)
1982-1983 (80)
1983-1984 (80)
1984-1985 (80)
1985-1986 (80)
1986-1987 (80)
1987-1988 (80)		Ed Neisner
1988-1989 (80)	Skip Thayer HOF 2001 Past PHATS President	Steve Latin 26 NHL Seasons 2 ASG Red Wings, Whalers & Penguins
1989-1990 (80) All-Star Game Host
1990-1991 (80) Stanley Cup
1991-1992 (80) Stanley Cup
1992-1993 (84)	Corky Osborn
1993-1994 (84)	Skip Thayer 28 NHL Seasons 4 ASG's Canada Cup 81 View Chicago & Lightning
1994-1995 (48) Work Stoppage				Paul Flati 12 NHL Seasons
1995-1996 (82)			Greg Thayer (1961-2007) Penguins & Ducks
1996-1997 (82)
1997-1998 (82)				Paul Flati Paul Defazio
1998-1999 (82)	Scott Johnson		Mark Mortland 13 NHL Seasons
1999-2000 (82)
2000-2001 (82)
2001-2002 (82)
2002-2003 (82)
2003-2004 (82)
2004-2005 Lockout
2005-2006 (82)
2006-2007 (82)	Chris Stewart Chris Stewart Close After 29 years with the Pittsburgh Penguins their AHL affliate in Wilkes-Barre, longtime athletic trainer Chris Stewart stepped down from his role with the team. Stewart joined the Penguins for the 2006-07 season after winning the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006 and won three more rings during his time in Pittsburgh. The longtime Penguins athletic trainer got his start with the Johnston Chiefs in the ECHL and was a 2018 inductee into the Cambria County Sports Hall of Fame. As an athletic trainer, Stewart has worked more than 2,000 professional hockey games in his career. In 2022, the Johnstown native went to Las Vegas to represent both Eastern Conference Teams in the All-Star Game. In addition to his duties as Head Athletic Trainer for the Penguins, he was also responsible for handling all of the team’s compliance with the NHL’s protocol during the COVID-19 pandemic. 19 NHL Seasons Penguins - Hurricanes 4 X Stanley Cup Winner	Dana Heinze 23 NHL Seasons 1 ASG Devils, Lightning & Penguins	Mark Mortland & Scott Adams	Paul Defazio Paul Defazi0 Close Paul DeFazio returns for a second stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins’ equipment staff following five years as the head equipment manager for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. He originally worked on the Penguins’ equipment staff for 16 years between 1997-98 and 2012-13. DeFazio broke into the NHL with the Pens as an equipment assistant before spending the final 12 years of his first tenure as a full-time member of the staff. DeFazio, a Peters Township native, won a Stanley Cup ring with the Penguins in 2009, and he was also on the staff when the team made a Cup Final appearance in 2008. His first stint in Pittsburgh saw him work with the top-four offensive threats in Pens’ history – Mario Lemieux, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jaromir Jagr. As head equipment manager in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, DeFazio outfitted many of the young players who played starring roles in the Penguins’ back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and ’17. During both championship runs, DeFazio traveled to Pittsburgh and assisted with the Black Aces taxi squad. 24 NHL Seasons View Columbus Danny Krolll
2007-2008 (82)
2008-2009 (82) Stanley Cup
2009-2010 (82)
2010-2011 (82)
2011-2012 (82)			Scott Adams Dave Sanctis	Paul Defazio Danny Kroll Jon Taglianetti
2012-2013 (48)			Curtis Bell Patrick Steidle	Paul Defazio Danny Kroll Jon Taglianetti
2013-2014 (82)				Danny Kroll, Jon Taglianetti, Brett Hart
2014-2015 (82)				Teddy Richards, Jonn Taglianetti, Danny Kroll, Brett Hart
2015-2016 (82) Stanley Cup				Teddy Richards, Jonn Taglianetti, Danny Kroll, Brett Hart
2016-2017 (82) Stanley Cup				Danny Kroll, Jon Taglianetti, & JC Ihrig
2017-2018 (82)				Danny Kroll, Jon Taglianetti, & JC Ihrig
2018-2019 (82)				Paul DeFazio, Danny Knoll, Jon Taglianetti
2019-2020 (69)			Patrick Steidle	Paul DeFazio, Danny Knoll, Jon Taglianetti
2020-2021 (56)		Dana Heinze Jon Taglianetti		Paul DeFazio Danny Kroll
2021-2022 (82)		Jon Tablianetti 12 NHL Seasons		Dana Heinze, Paul DeFazio, & Danny Knoll
2022-2023 (82)			Brandon Mazza	Paul Defazio Paul Defazi0 Close Paul DeFazio returns for a second stint with the Pittsburgh Penguins’ equipment staff following five years as the head equipment manager for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. He originally worked on the Penguins’ equipment staff for 16 years between 1997-98 and 2012-13. DeFazio broke into the NHL with the Pens as an equipment assistant before spending the final 12 years of his first tenure as a full-time member of the staff. DeFazio, a Peters Township native, won a Stanley Cup ring with the Penguins in 2009, and he was also on the staff when the team made a Cup Final appearance in 2008. His first stint in Pittsburgh saw him work with the top-four offensive threats in Pens’ history – Mario Lemieux, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jaromir Jagr. As head equipment manager in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, DeFazio outfitted many of the young players who played starring roles in the Penguins’ back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and ’17. During both championship runs, DeFazio traveled to Pittsburgh and assisted with the Black Aces taxi squad. Danny Kroll
2023-2024 (82)
2024-2025 (82)	Kevin Elliott			Paul DeFazio Danny Knoll, Ryan Shoufer
2025-2026 (82)	Kevin Elliott			Danny Knoll Ryan Shoufer Mathew Mitchell

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