Although he was a proven scorer with the Maple Leafs, he was not a fan-favorite in Toronto. As the Leafs were looking to rebuild anyway, Kessel was shopped around in the summer of 2015.  They found a taker in Pittsburgh, and it turned out to be one of the smartest transactions that the Penguins ever made.

Martin Straka came to Pittsburgh as a 1992 1^st Round Pick from Czechoslovakia, and he debuted that year, appearing in 42 Games for the team.  Straka had a strong sophomore season in 1993-94, scoring 64 points, but the young forward was traded for a pair of gritty performers, Troy Murphy and Norm MacIver.  This deal, however, would not be the end of Straka in Pittsburgh.

Dave Burrows debuted in the NHL in 1971 with Pittsburgh after he was claimed from the Chicago Blackhawks in the Intra-League Draft.  Burrows was a defensive cornerstone for the Penguins in the '70s, focusing on his end of the ice.  Twice named an All-Star with Pittsburgh (1974 & 1976), Burrows would finish 10^th Hart Trophy voting in 1975-76.  He wasn’t known for scoring but did accumulate 108 Assists for Pittsburgh.

Syl Apps was the son of Syl Apps Sr., who was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame.  As the son of a legend, it was not easy to play hockey, but Apps Jr. was a very good player in his own right.