The organizational history of the Pittsburgh Penguins has a plethora of great players, and we decided to examine the best Penguins players to wear each jersey number. Today, we continue the list by naming the best number 2 in Penguins history.
There are 22 players who have worn the number 2. Many of them were defensemen, but one defenseman – Jim Paek – stands out from the rest.
© Pittsburgh Penguins
Paek was the first Korean player to play in the NHL. Born in Seoul, South Korea, he was drafted by the Penguins in the ninth round of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft. He played for the Penguins from 1990 to ’94, winning two Stanley Cup championships and recording four goals and 30 points in 170 regular season games with the team.
He also scored a goal and five points in 27 games between the 1991 and 1992 playoffs, including a memorable game in Game 6 of the 1991 World Cup championship:
Known for his strong defensive play, Paek was a mainstay on the Penguins’ blue line during their first two World Cup matches. He also didn’t hesitate to drop the gloves from time to time:
Paek remained in Pittsburgh until he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings during the 1993-94 season. He played the final season of his NHL career in 1994–95 for the Ottawa Senators and spent time in the International Hockey League (IHL) and British Ice Hockey Super League with the Nottingham Panthers before retiring in 2003.
He went on to coach with the World Hockey Association and American Hockey League (AHL) Grand Rapids Griffins, who won the Calder Cup in 2013. He is currently the hockey director for the Korean Ice Hockey Association. in South Korea.
Related: Best Penguins for Jersey Number: #1
Related: Revisiting the Penguins’ Kevin Stevens Trade to the Bruins
Related: Throwback Thursday: Revisiting the career of the Penguins’ all-time greatest defenseman
