BUFFALO \u2014 Craig Patrick, the legendary former Penguins general manager, is famously reserved.<\/p>\n
But his former players know how he feels about them, and they\u2019re making it very well known how they feel about him.<\/p>\n
Patrick, 79, suffered a severe stroke in late December while getting ready for a function at his home and has been in a local Pittsburgh hospital since.<\/p>\n
\u201cCraig has been in acute care and recovery for the past month and is expected to return home next week to begin the therapy and rehabilitation process,\u201d the Penguins said in a statement to The Athletic. \u201cThe entire Penguins organization, both past and present, extend their love and support to the Patrick family.\u201d<\/p>\n
That love has been apparent as giants in the Penguins universe have spent time with Patrick in recent days. Mario Lemieux visited Patrick recently, as did current general manager\/president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have learned that one of the great honors of working for the Penguins has been getting to be around franchise icons Eddie Johnston and Craig Patrick on a daily basis,\u201d Dubas said. \u201cThe franchise was built off of their efforts across many decades and to have them be around the team and we build again,\u00a0means such a great deal to our entire hockey operations department and our players.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dubas and Patrick have developed a strong relationship over the past few years. Patrick has gone out of his way to share his wisdom with Dubas, who is in his third season with the surprisingly thriving Penguins.<\/p>\n
\u201cCraig has been a wonderful source of wisdom and guidance for me in my time here,\u201d Dubas said. \u201cHe\u2019s a key participant in our scouting meetings and a great support to all of our management team. As such, supporting Craig and his whole family during this time is vitally important to the Penguins. We look forward to seeing Craig back at his usual seat in the press box very soon.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Penguins have long prided themselves on their family atmosphere, and Patrick, who still works for the organization as a scout, is very much part of the family.<\/p>\n
The first person to visit Patrick in the hospital was Bryan Trottier, whom Patrick signed as a free agent with the Penguins in the summer of 1990, 10 months before the franchise won the Stanley Cup for the first time. This marked a remarkable eight-month stretch in which Patrick brought seven future Hall of Famers \u2014 Trottier, Joey Mullen, Jaromir Jagr, Larry Murphy, Ron Francis, Bob Johnson and Scotty Bowman \u2014 into the Penguins organization.<\/p>\n
\u201cI cherish his friendship and love our history together,\u201d Trottier said. \u201cHis family is strong and his world is packed with friends ready to rally at a moment\u2019s notice. He\u2019ll never be alone in any battle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrick was the Penguins\u2019 general manager from 1989 through 2006. The Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 1991 and 1992 and along the way became the NHL\u2019s glamour team of that era, largely because of the moves Patrick orchestrated.<\/p>\n
The soft-spoken Patrick drafted some of the greatest players in NHL history, including Jagr, Marc-Andr\u00e9 Fleury, Evgeni Malkin and, in his final draft, Sidney Crosby.<\/p>\n
Crosby, who holds Patrick in high regard, shared his thoughts with The Athletic following Thursday\u2019s morning skate in Buffalo, where the Penguins were preparing to play the Sabres hours later.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a really good relationship with him,\u201d Crosby said. \u201cHe was so good to me when I was 18. I was so young, getting a lot of attention. And he was so patient, so understanding of what it was like. He was helpful to me in many ways.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrick has been a fixture at PPG Paints Arena in recent seasons, a steady presence not only in his scouting role but also as a living legend in the hockey management world.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s funny because my first year was his last year (as general manager),\u201d Crosby said. \u201cBut I love that he\u2019s been around the team all these later years. You can see how much pride he has in the Penguins, how much he loves being around. I love hearing him talk, hearing the old Olympic stories.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrick is widely considered one of the great general managers in NHL history, but he rose to prominence long before then, namely during his stint as Herb Brooks\u2019 assistant during the Miracle on Ice.<\/p>\n