2001–02 Pittsburgh Penguins season

The 2001–02 Pittsburgh Penguins season was the team's 35th year in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Penguins finished the year with a sub-.500 points percentage and failed to qualify for the playoffs, both for the first time since 1989–90. This was the Penguins' last season with the "RoboPenguin" logo introduced during the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins season. The Penguins reverted to using their original skating penguin logo afterwards.

Off-season
On July 11, 2001, the Penguins shipped star right winger Jaromir Jagr, along with journeyman defenseman Frantisek Kucera, off to play for the Washington Capitals. In return, the Penguins received Kris Beech, Michal Sivek, Ross Lupaschuk, and future considerations. The New York Rangers also made an offer for Jagr, consisting of Kim Johnsson and Mike York. The Rangers maintain that Patrick traded Jagr to the Capitals because he was angry with their general manager, Glen Sather. The trade still ranks as the fifth-worst trade in team history.

Regular season
After an 0–4 start, head coach Ivan Hlinka was relieved of his duties and replaced by Rick Kehoe.

Schedule and results

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 * Legend:      = Win       = Loss       = OT Loss       = Tie

Player statistics

 * Skaters

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Penguins. Stats reflect time with the Penguins only.
 * Goaltenders

‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Penguins only.

Awards and records

 * Mario Lemieux became the first person to score 1600 points for the Penguins. He did so in a 4–5 Loss to Los Angeles on February 27.
 * Kevin Stevens ended his career as the franchise record holder for penalty minutes (1048). He had set the record the year before.

Transactions
The Penguins were involved in the following transactions from June 10, 2001, the day after the deciding game of the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals, through June 13, 2002, the day of the deciding game of the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals.

Draft picks
The Penguins selected the following players in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida:
 * Draft notes
 * Compensatory pick received from NHL as compensation for free agent Ron Tugnutt.
 * Compensatory pick received from NHL as compensation for free agent Peter Popovic.
 * The Pittsburgh Penguins' sixth-round pick went to the Columbus Blue Jackets as the result of a March 13, 2001, trade that sent Frantisek Kucera to the Penguins in exchange for this pick.
 * The Pittsburgh Penguins' ninth-round pick went to the New York Islanders as the result of a November 14, 2000, trade that sent Dan Trebil to the Penguins in exchange for this pick.

Farm teams
The American Hockey League's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, after losing in the Calder Cup Finals the previous season, finished last overall in the Western Conference with a 20–44–13–3 record.

The ECHL's Wheeling Nailers finished fifth in the Northern Conference's Northwest Division with a 36–32–4 record. It was their first year under John Brophy.