Michael T. Mondak speaks: 40 til 40 day 10 (end of first quarter)

It’s day ten of this series of blog entries titled 40 til 40, which means this is the end of the first quarter of entries about anything and everything relevant to the number 40, leading up to my 40th birthday on July 10.

My last entry talked about the 40 most influential people in my life, not counting immediate or extended family.  Today I will speak about the 40 best moves that were made by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates and Penguins.  Special consideration is given to those that helped win championships.

40. November 5, 1976:  The Pirates traded Manny Sanguillen to the Oakland Athletics for Chuck Tanner.

39. September 10, 1983:  The Penguins traded Anders Hakansson to the Los Angeles Kings for the rights to Kevin Stevens.

38. February 9, 2008:  The Penguins traded Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, the rights to Angelo Esposito and a 2008 first round draft pick to the Atlanta Thrashers for Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis.

37. July 20, 1990:  The Penguins signed Bryan Trottier as a free agent.

36. June 21, 2003:  The Penguins drafted Marc-Andre Fleury number one overall.

35. May 21, 1968: The Penguins traded a 1968 first round draft pick to the Boston Bruins for Jean Pronovost, John Arbour and cash considerations.

34. May 20, 2006:  The Penguins hired Ray Shero as general manager.

33. October 9, 1969:  The Pirates rehired Danny Murtaugh as manager.

32. June 17, 1990:  The Penguins traded their 1990 second round draft pick to the Calgary Flames for Joe Mullen.

31. January 26, 1971: The Penguins traded Glen Sather to the New York Rangers for Syl Apps Jr. and Sheldon Kannegiesser.

30. November 8, 1988:  The Penguins traded the rights to Darrin Shannon to the Buffalo Sabres for Tom Barrasso.

29. June 24, 2006:  The Penguins drafted Jordan Staal number two overall.

28. June 9, 1970: The Penguins claimed Lowell MacDonald from the Los Angeles Kings in the Intra-League Draft.

27. December 11, 1990:  The Penguins traded Jim Johnson and Chris Dahlquist to the Minnesota North Stars for Larry Murphy and Peter Taglianetti.

26. June 19, 2023:  The Pirates drafted Paul Skenes number one overall.

25. November 7, 1998:  The Pirates traded Ricardo Rincon to the Cleveland Indians for Brian Giles.

24. November 27, 1987:  The Penguins traded Moe Mantha, Chris Joseph, Dave Hannan and Craig Simpson to the Edmonton Oilers for Paul Coffey, Wayne Van Dorp and Dave Hunter.

23. February 19, 1992:  The Penguins traded Paul Coffey to the Los Angeles Kings for Jeff Chychrun, Brian Benning and a 1992 first round pick, then traded Benning, Mark Recchi, and Los Angeles’ 1992 first round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers for Rick Tocchet, Kjell Samuelsson, Ken Wregget and a 1993 third round draft pick.

22. June 19, 2004: The Penguins drafted Evgeni Malkin number two overall.

21. May 21, 2014:  The Penguins hired Jim Rutherford as general manager.

20. April 24, 2003:  The Steelers drafted Troy Polamalu sixteenth overall.

19. July 30, 2005: The Penguins drafted Sidney Crosby number one overall.

18. February 15, 2009:  The Penguins fired head coach Michel Therrien and replaced him with Dan Bylsma.

17. December 5, 1989:  The Penguins fired general manager Tony Esposito and head coach Gene Ubriaco and replaced them with Craig Patrick.

16. June 16, 1990:  The Penguins drafted Jaromir Jagr fifth overall.

15. January 27, 2007:  The Steelers hired Mike Tomlin as head coach following the resignation of Bill Cowher.

14. April 21, 2004: The Steelers drafted Ben Roethlisberger eleventh overall.

13. December 12, 2015:  The Penguins fired head coach Mike Johnston and replaced him with Mike Sullivan.

12. April 20, 1996:  The Steelers traded their 1996 second round pick and 1997 fourth round pick to the St. Louis Rams for Jerome Bettis and the Rams’ 1996 third round pick.

11. June 9, 1984:  The Penguins drafted Mario Lemieux number one overall.

10. June 12, 1990:  The Penguins hired Badger Bob Johnson as head coach and Scotty Bowman as director of player development and recruitment.

9. January 5, 1969:  The Steelers drafted Mean Joe Greene fourth overall.

8. January 8, 1972:  The Steelers drafted Franco Harris twelfth overall.

7. November 9, 1958:  The Pirates traded Frank Thomas, Jim Pendleton, John Powers and Whammy Douglas to the Cincinnati Reds for Harvey Haddix, Don Hoak and Smoky Burgess.

6. January 29, 1974:  The Steelers drafted Lynn Swann, Jack Lambert, John Stallworth and Mike Webster.

5. January 21, 1992:  The Steelers hired Bill Cowher as head coach following the retirement of Chuck Noll.

4. January 27, 1970:  The Steelers drafted Terry Bradshaw number one overall and Mel Blount in the third round.

3. December 8, 1899:  The Pirates traded Jack Chesbro, George Fox, Art Madison, John O’Brien and $25,000 cash to the Louisville Colonels for Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke, Bert Cunningham, Patsy Flaherty, Mike Kelley, Tacks Latimer, Tommy Leach, Tom Messitt, Deacon Phillippe, Claude Ritchey, Rube Waddell, Jack Wadsworth and Charles Zimmer.

2. January 3, 1969:  The Steelers hired Chuck Noll as head coach.

1. March 4, 1991:  The Penguins traded John Cullen, Zarley Zalapski and Jeff Parker to the Hartford Whalers for Ron Francis, Ulf Samuelsson and Grant Jennings.