A Decade Later, Penguins' 2016 Stanley Cup Team Reunites in an Emotional Homecoming
Ten years may have passed, but for the 2016 Pittsburgh Penguins, time stood still this weekend.
In a night packed with emotion, nostalgia, and the kind of brotherhood only a Stanley Cup run can forge, the Penguins honored their 2016 championship team in front of a roaring home crowd at PPG Paints Arena. And if you were anywhere near the building, you could feel it - the energy, the memories, the love.
The pregame ceremony ahead of Pittsburgh’s matchup with the New York Rangers brought both current and former players to center ice, one by one, greeted with standing ovations and heartfelt cheers. But it was Sidney Crosby, the heartbeat of that team then and still the soul of the franchise now, who captured the night’s emotional peak.
“It’s just a lot of love for these guys,” Crosby said, visibly moved as a tribute video played on the scoreboard. “Seeing those clips years later, they bring back a lot of good memories.
I love that group. I love the experiences and the memories I’ve had.
That’s how it comes out.”
For a player who’s built a legacy on composure and consistency, Crosby’s tears said it all. The deeper you get into your career, the more those moments hit - and Saturday night hit hard.
Rust, Kuhnhackl, and the Power of Shared History
Bryan Rust echoed that sentiment. A key contributor during that 2016 run, Rust reflected on just how meaningful it was to be back on the ice with his old teammates - not in competition, but in celebration.
“We were hockey players, and that’s our goal: to win Stanley Cups,” Rust said. “To be able to do that with the group we had, and all the amazing memories… it brings back so many smiles. Happy tears, too.”
Tom Kuhnhackl, another member of that championship squad, described the moment he stepped onto the ice again in Pittsburgh as “instant goosebumps.”
“The crowd, the energy - it brought me right back,” he said. “This city works hard, and that’s what we did in 2016. We grew together as a team, and you felt that again tonight.”
Familiar Faces, Forever Bonds
The reunion wasn’t just about the players. Then-General Manager Jim Rutherford, now with the Vancouver Canucks, and then-Head Coach Mike Sullivan, currently behind the Rangers bench, also returned to be part of the celebration.
“This place was home for my family for ten years,” Sullivan said. “I always knew how privileged I was to coach that team. This city will always hold a special place in my family’s heart.”
Sullivan arrived with the Rangers on Friday, the same day many of the 2016 players began trickling back into town. The organization had a happy hour lined up to kick off the weekend, but for Patric Hornqvist and Carl Hagelin, the reunion started with a drive down memory lane - literally.
“We rented a car to see our old houses, where the kids went to school, the grocery stores,” Hornqvist said. “It felt like we lived our old life again for a day.
And then that night, you see these guys who are like family. When you win, that’s how close you get.”
Time Has Passed, But the Chemistry Hasn’t
You wouldn’t know it had been a decade since they lifted the Cup in San Jose. The camaraderie?
Still there. The laughs?
Nonstop. The bond?
Unbreakable.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s been five or ten years - it feels like we saw each other yesterday,” Hornqvist said. “That Cup win glued us together.
They’re great hockey players, but even better people. That’s what I love.”
Before the on-ice ceremony, the team took part in a live event called 2016 Cup Chronicles, hosted by Paul Steigerwald. It was a chance to relive stories from that unforgettable season - the highs, the challenges, and the characters who made it all work.
Phil Kessel wasn’t able to attend, but that didn’t stop his teammates from sharing their favorite "Phil stories" - the kind of tales that paint a picture of a locker room full of personality and trust. A video montage followed, filled with behind-the-scenes moments and the kind of humor that only comes from a team that truly enjoyed each other.
“I saw myself in those clips and got a little embarrassed,” Hornqvist laughed. “But it’s fun. When guys start talking about Phil and Geno, you remember how they kept the room light, no matter the moment.”
A Locker Room Full of Memories
After the event, the players gathered in the locker room - the same space where it all came together ten years ago. Tom Kuhnhackl spotted the team photo from that championship group.
“I’ve got that picture framed in my house,” he said. “When I go down to the basement, there are jerseys on the wall, and that photo.
It brings back so many memories. I was just very fortunate to be part of it.”
From dinner the night before to watching the game together in a suite with their families, the reunion was more than just a trip down memory lane - it was a celebration of something rare: a team that not only won but stayed connected.
“Ten years went by so fast,” said Marc-Andre Fleury. “There are guys I hadn’t seen in a while, but you sit down, have a beer, and it’s like no time has passed. That’s what’s so cool.”
A Fitting Finish
After the Penguins’ win on the ice, the 2016 crew made their way down to the locker room to congratulate the current team. Patric Hornqvist led the charge, and Mario Lemieux brought up the rear - a perfect blend of past and present.
Later that night, the players got together for a private dinner to close out the weekend. No cameras.
No fans. Just teammates reconnecting over the thing that brought them together in the first place - the pursuit of hockey’s greatest prize.
“At the end of the day, we all competed for the same thing,” Hornqvist said. “We always wanted to win the Stanley Cup.
We always wanted the best for our teammates, for our fans, and for the organization. That’s what brings this group together.”
And ten years later, that bond is as strong as ever.