When Larry Murphy first got the call from Kyle Dubas saying he would be part of this year’s class for the Penguins Hall of Fame, he was excited to join a handful of teammates who helped bring the first two championships to Pittsburgh.
“When you look at who else is in there, and you’re now a part of that group, it’s quite an honor,” Murphy said.
With Ron Francis and Kevin Stevens being inducted last year, Murphy will have a weekend to reflect on and be honored for his time with the Penguins at the Hall of Fame Game on Saturday, November 14. He joins Jim Rutherford, Marc-Andre Fleury and Jack McGregor in this year’s group of inductees. Tickets can be found here.
“I knew that (Pittsburgh) was a great opportunity for me,” Murphy said. “It didn’t disappoint from the moment that I got there. It was just a great team to play for, and it was a tremendous opportunity. It went as well as I could have ever imagined. As I say, the rest is history.”
In terms of how it started for Murphy, during the 1990-91 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins were on a quest for their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. Having an already loaded roster of talent with the likes of Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Paul Coffey, and many others, General Manager Craig Patrick made a move to help put the Penguins over the edge.
On December 11, 1990, Pittsburgh acquired 29-year-old defenseman Murphy from the Minnesota North Stars.
While the trade caught Murphy off guard initially, he knew right away that the environment in Pittsburgh would be a perfect fit.
“It was just a perfect situation for you to walk into a team that was about puck possession,” Murphy said. “Basically, the philosophy was that we were just going to outplay the opposition and not let them have the puck. I’m going, ‘Yeah, that’s right in my wheelhouse.’”
The Penguins went on to win the Patrick Division and ultimately became one of the favorites heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
However, Coffey suffered a scratched cornea and a broken jaw, which caused him to miss 12 games during the playoffs. That opened the door for Murphy to slot in as the team’s top defenseman.
“It was an opportunity,” Murphy said. “You play a lot. In terms of points, you don’t put up those numbers unless you get the opportunity, and that was the case. I had that opportunity. Just played to the best of my ability. Of course, you had the expectation that everyone else was going to do the same.”
During the 1991 playoffs, Murphy set a single-season playoff record with 23 points (5 goals, 18 assists) en route to winning the Stanley Cup.
Murphy praised his defensive partner, Gordie Roberts, who was the perfect complement and helped him perform at such a high standard during his time in Pittsburgh.
“He was like the ideal partner,” Murphy said. “He was a real smart player and very responsible with the puck. For me, it just made my job a lot easier just having him out there because he was so steady and responsible. He had the biggest impact on me in that sense”
While there are countless memories and iconic moments that stemmed from the back-to-back championships in ’91 and ’92, Murphy tends to remember how the team rose in the highest moments.
Trailing the North Stars 2-1 in the Stanley Cup Finals, the Penguins went on to win three consecutive games and outscored Murphy’s former team 19-7.
“By the end of that final series, we were by far the best team and deserving to win the Stanley Cup,” Murphy said. “It just seemed to be as a team, as playoffs went along, we just kept getting better and better. We found our way, and by the end, it was like we were never going to lose another game. That’s just the way that it felt.”
While Murphy admits that he was never the fastest skater on the ice, or had the hardest shot, he took pride in finding ways to produce for the team when the stakes were raised. Evidently, Murphy trailed only Lemieux during the ’91 and ’92 Stanley Cup Final games, with 13 points across those two series.
On-ice success aside, Pittsburgh will forever hold a special place in Murphy’s heart. Having the chance to play in the Mellon Arena was a unique opportunity that brought him closer to the fans and the city of Pittsburgh.
“I loved playing in the Igloo. All of the fans were right on top of you, and it was just a great atmosphere,” Murphy said. “(Pittsburgh) always felt safe and it felt friendly. Along with the fans, of course, that was probably the greatest thing about it.”
More information on the Penguins Hall of Fame *can be found here*.
