Revisiting a little work I did back at my old blog, the Penguins haven't had a notable contributor that they've selected in the 2nd round since Greg Malone. Greg is, famously, the father of ex-Penguin Ryan Malone and his "curse" is an ironic one, since he was a member of the Penguins front office for many years, including a long stint as the head of the scouting department.

Here's the ugly run down:

Total Busts

1978 - Mike Meeker (25th overall) 4 games, 0 points, 5 PIMs

1985 - Lee Giffin RW (23rd overall), 27 games, 4 points (1g + 3a), 9 PIMs

1988 - Mark Major LW (25th overall) 2 games, 0 points, 5 PIMs

1991 - Rusty Fitzgerald C (38th overall) 25 games, 4 points (2g + 2a) 12 PIMs

1992 - Marc Hussey D (43rd overall) 0 games

1996 - Pavel Skrbek D (28th overall) 12 games, 0 points, 8 PIMs

1997 - Brian Gaffaney C (44th overall) 0 games

1998 - Alexander Zevakhin LW (54th overall) 0 games

1999 - Jeremy Van Hoof D (57th overall) 0 games

2000 - Shane Endicott C (52nd overall) 45 games, 3 points (1g + 2a) 47 PIMs

2002 - Ondrej Nemec D (32nd overall), 0 games 2004 - Johannes Salmonsson LW (31st overall), 0 games 2005 - Michael Gergen RW (61st overall), 0 games





At least they kinda made it

1977 - Jim Hamilton LW (30th overall) 94 games, 32 points (14 g + 18 a), 28 PIMs

1979 - Paul Marshall (31st overall), 95 games, 33 points (15g + 18a), 17 PIMs

1981 - Steve Gatzos F (28th overall), 89 games, 35 points (15g + 20a) 83 PIMs

1982 -Tim Hrynewich LW (38th overall), 55 games, 14 points (6g +8a) 82 PIMs

1983 - Todd Charlesworth D (22th overall), 93 games, 12 points (3g + 9a) 47 PIMs

1986 - Dave Capuano LW (25th overall) 104 games, 56 points (17g + 38a) 56 PIMs [only played 6 games with Pittsburgh for 0 points]

1987 - Rick Tabaracci G (26th overall), 1 game played with Pittsburgh

1993 - Dominic Pittis (52nd overall), 86 games, 16 points (5g + 11a) 71 PIMs [1 game with Pittsburgh]

1999- Matt Murley LW (51st overall) 62 games, 9 points (2g, 7a) 38 PIMs 2001 - Noah Welch D (54th overall) 73 games, 9 points (4g + 5a) 358 PIMs...(has been in the AHL all season) 2003 - Ryan Stone LW (32nd overall) 35 games, 7 points (0g, 7a) – 2 points in 7 games with Pittsburgh



Too early to tell

2006 - Carl Sneep D (32nd overall), senior season at Boston College, having his best statistical season of his collegiate career

2007 - Keven Veilleux C, (51st overall) first professional season (out for year with injury) 2009- Philip Samuelsson D, (61st overall), freshman season at BC, 8 points in 20 games





Possibly the exceptions to the rule

1989 Paul Laus D (35th overall) 530 games, 72 points (14g + 58a), 1702 PIMs [All games played with Florida Panthers]

1994 Richard Park LW (50th overall), 654 games and counting, 211 points (90g + 121a) 240 PIMs [58 games with Pittsburgh for 11 points] The breakthrough? 2004 - Alex Goligoski D (61st overall) 90 games, 45 points (12g + 33a), 32 PIMs



Goligoski has been in a rut lately, at times it seems hard to remember he only has 90 career NHL games under his belt. Richard Park keeps plugging along with the Islanders and Stone remains on in the NHL up in Edmonton. Those are the only three currently in the NHL, and likely the only on the horizion for the foreseeable future.

It hasn't been the prettiest of pictures for Pittsburgh when it comes to the 2nd round. However with Goligoski a solid contributor, if the team can develop guys like Sneep and Veilleux we may finally be able lay the curse of Greg Malone to rest.