The 2011–12 Pittsburgh Penguins season was the franchise's 45th season in the National Hockey League. The Penguins, led by head coachDan Bylsma, would start the season without captain center Sidney Crosby. The team still managed a 51–25–6 record, an East-best 29 home wins, and their 108 points second-best in the Eastern Conference. In February, the team began the league's longest season winning streak and also saw the return of Crosby after missing more than 40 games with concussion like symptoms, before they saw the streak end in March at 11 games. CenterEvgeni Malkin was able to play in 75 games despite difficulties associated with recent knee surgery and recorded his greatest goal tally in a season on the way to winning his second Art Ross Trophy. Marc-Andre Fleury tied a franchise record for goalie wins in a victory against the Atlantic division winning-New York Rangers. The four-seed Penguins would see their playoff run end to the same team which halted their regular season winning streak, the Philadelphia Flyers, losing the first three games before perishing in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. On April 27, Malkin was one of three finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy, marking his third-career nomination for the award. On June 20 Malkin finished first in votes for the Hart Trophy, earning his first career MVP award.
Presented by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association to the player who the local media of the PHWA want to acknowledge for his cooperation throughout the year. The award is presented in memory of the late Aldege "Baz" Bastien, Penguins general manager from 1976–83. Sponsor: UPMCSports Medicine
The Pittsburgh Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association votes for the Penguins' Masterton nominee. Each NHL team selects a Masterton candidate from which the overall winner is chosen. The Masterton candidate is nominated as the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Sponsor: Trib Total Media
Evgeni Malkin
A. T. Caggiano Memorial Booster Club Cup
Presented in memory of A.T. Caggiano, long-time Penguins' locker room attendant & Booster Club supporter, the award is presented by Penguins Booster Club members, who vote for the three stars after every home game and tally votes at the end of the regular season.
Brooks Orpik
Player's Player Award
The players hold a vote at the end of the season for the player they feel exemplifies leadership for the team, both on and off the ice, a player dedicated to teamwork. Sponsor: Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Evgeni Malkin
Edward J. DeBartolo Award
The award recognizes the player who has donated a tremendous amount of time and effort during the season working on community and charity projects. Sponsor: Verizon Wireless
The Penguins' third-round pick went to the Phoenix Coyotes as the result of a trade on June 7, 2011, that sent Ilya Bryzgalov to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Matt Clackson, future considerations and this conditional pick. The condition – Philadelphia signs Bryzgalov before the start of the third round of the draft – was converted on June 23, 2011. Philadelphia previously acquired the pick as the result of a trade on June 25, 2010 that sent Dan Hamhuis to Pittsburgh in exchange for this pick.
The Penguins' fourth-round pick went to the Edmonton Oilers as the result of a trade on January 17, 2009, that sent Mathieu Garon to Pittsburgh in exchange for Dany Sabourin, Ryan Stone and this pick.
The Penguins' seventh-round pick went to the Ottawa Senators as the result of a February 24, 2011, trade that sent Alexei Kovalev to the Penguins in exchange for this pick, the specific pick being conditional at the time of the trade. The condition – Pittsburgh does not advance to the 2011 Eastern Conference Semifinals – was converted on April 27, 2011.
The San Jose Sharks' seventh-round pick went to the Penguins as the result of a trade on June 26, 2010, that sent a seventh-round pick in 2010 to San Jose in exchange for this pick.
