Penguins Rally Around Craig Patrick After Stroke: “We All Love Him and Are Cheering for Him”
BUFFALO - Craig Patrick has never been one to seek the spotlight. But when you’ve built one of the NHL’s great dynasties and helped shape the modern era of Pittsburgh Penguins hockey, the spotlight tends to find you - especially when your hockey family is rallying around you.
Patrick, 79, suffered a severe stroke in late December while preparing for a function at his home. He’s been in a Pittsburgh hospital ever since, undergoing acute care and recovery. According to the Penguins, he’s expected to return home soon to begin therapy and rehabilitation.
“The entire Penguins organization, both past and present, extend their love and support to the Patrick family,” the team said in a statement. And that love has been on full display.
Over the past few weeks, some of the biggest names in Penguins history have made quiet visits to Patrick’s hospital room - a testament to the legacy he built and the relationships he forged. Mario Lemieux stopped by. So did current general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas.
Dubas, who has developed a close bond with Patrick since joining the organization three years ago, spoke candidly about what Patrick means to the team - and to him personally.
“Craig has been a wonderful source of wisdom and guidance for me in my time here,” Dubas said. “He’s a key participant in our scouting meetings and a great support to all of our management team.
Supporting Craig and his whole family during this time is vitally important to the Penguins. We look forward to seeing Craig back at his usual seat in the press box very soon.”
That press box seat has been empty in recent weeks - and people have noticed. Patrick, though no longer the face of the front office, has remained a vital part of the franchise as a scout and advisor. His presence has been part of the Penguins’ DNA for decades.
Bryan Trottier, the first to visit Patrick in the hospital, knows that better than most. Patrick signed Trottier as a free agent in 1990, a move that helped kick off one of the most transformative stretches in franchise history.
Over an eight-month span, Patrick brought in seven future Hall of Famers: Trottier, Joey Mullen, Jaromir Jagr, Larry Murphy, Ron Francis, Bob Johnson and Scotty Bowman. Less than a year later, the Penguins were Stanley Cup champions.
“I cherish his friendship and love our history together,” Trottier said. “His family is strong and his world is packed with friends ready to rally at a moment’s notice. He’ll never be alone in any battle.”
That’s the kind of loyalty Patrick inspires - not just because of the Cups he helped deliver in 1991 and 1992, but because of the way he led. Quietly.
Thoughtfully. With conviction and heart.
He wasn’t afraid to make the hard calls. Patrick traded away some of the most beloved players in Penguins history - Paul Coffey, Mark Recchi, Kevin Stevens - because he believed it was best for the team. But even when making those tough decisions, he never lost sight of the human side of the game.
“Craig was the reason we won the Cups,” Stevens said. “He had to make really hard decisions and made some really popular guys.
The thing about Craig is, he’s an even better guy than he was a general manager. Just a first-class guy.
We all love him and are cheering for him. Terrible news when I heard it.
A real gut punch.”
That sentiment echoes throughout the organization. Sidney Crosby, who was Patrick’s final draft pick as GM in 2005, reflected on the impact Patrick had on him as a teenager thrust into the spotlight.
“I have a really good relationship with him,” Crosby said. “He was so good to me when I was 18.
I was so young, getting a lot of attention. And he was so patient, so understanding of what it was like.
He was helpful to me in many ways.”
Crosby remembers that Patrick’s final year as GM was his first year in the league. But Patrick never really left.
He’s remained a constant presence around the team, and Crosby says he’s loved hearing Patrick’s stories - especially the ones from his time as assistant GM on the 1980 U.S. Olympic team.
A new Netflix documentary, Miracle: The Boys of ’80, has brought Patrick’s role in the Miracle on Ice back into the spotlight, just in time for the Winter Olympics in Milan. And while Patrick has always been reserved, those who know him say he’s opened up more in recent years - especially with former players.
“There is an obvious connection with him on a professional level,” said former Penguins defenseman Phil Bourque. “But I’ve gotten to know him on a personal level in later years.
You can put down the GM and player titles and just be hockey guys. He’s told me stories about the 1980 Olympic team, stuff like that.
It’s been so nice getting to know him in that way.”
That’s the legacy Craig Patrick leaves - not just the banners in the rafters or the names etched on the Cup, but the relationships, the mentorship, the unwavering commitment to the people around him.
“He has the biggest heart of any GM I ever played for,” said former forward Bob Errey.
And now, as Patrick faces this new battle, that same hockey family is showing up for him - just as he showed up for them, time and time again.