Chris Conner and Brett Sterling are Larger Than Life for the Pittsburgh Penguins

As the saying goes, good things come in small packages.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have proven that true after Chris Conner agreed to terms on his qualifying offer and Brett Sterling signed a one-year deal.

What else do Brett Sterling and Chris Conner have in common, besides the fact that they are both the scoring winger type that the Penguins were looking for?

They are both under six feet tall, and despite their smaller frames, they have had relatively successful professional hockey careers.

Let’s take a look at Conner.

Conner comes in at 5’8” and 175 pounds.

Before coming to the Penguins in 2009, he played in the Dallas Stars organization. He played three seasons with the team from 2006-2009, scoring 24 points in 71 games. 

In a tough 2009-2010 season for the Baby Penguins, Conner set himself apart. In February, he had two consecutive home hat tricks and earned the AHL Player of the Month Award for his performance.

After setting a franchise record with five points in a win at Syracuse on January 23rd, Conner broke his own record the next month, with six points in a 9-2 Penguins win against the Albany River Rats.

He played eight games with Pittsburgh, recording two goals in a Penguins win against the New York Rangers.

What makes Conner special is that he was undrafted.

He worked his way up, starting in the North American Hockey League before playing in the NCAA with Michigan Tech. He came out of college and earned himself a spot in the Stars organization.

Oh, and to give you an even better idea of how short Conner really is: I purchased a game worn jersey of his from when he played with the Peoria Rivermen of the AHL. The jersey is a size 54, yet when I put it on it was obvious it was hemmed to fit his smaller frame. The sleeves are shorter, and it doesn’t even come to my knees.

Crazy, isn’t it?

What about Brett Sterling?

Sterling is an inch shorter than Conner, standing at 5’7” and also weighing 175 pounds.

Unlike Conner, Sterling was taken in the NHL Entry Draft. The Atlanta Thrashers selected him in the fifth round in 2003.

After four years at Colorado College, Sterling joined the Chicago Wolves, Atlanta’s AHL affiliate. In his rookie year, he put up 97 points in 77 games and 12 points in 15 playoff games.

Sterling was once an enemy of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton fans.

In 2008, he helped dash Baby Penguins fans’ hopes for a Calder Cup by scoring eight points in 16 playoff games. In the regular season, he was once again a point per game player with 71 points in 70 games.

Sterling has not had as much time in the NHL as Conner. He has played 19 games with Atlanta and only put up four points.

But Sterling is a proven winner at the AHL level, and that had to be attractive to the Penguins as they look to bring excellence back to their minor league team.

When free agency started, the Penguins were looking for scoring wingers. Ray Shero never indicated that size mattered. They just had to be able to put up the points.

Conner and Sterling can bring that.

If I had to pick the more likely call up, I would go with Conner.

But Sterling, despite his limited NHL experience, should not be counted out either. He is getting a fresh start and is excited about playing with the Penguins.

In a recent interview with NHL.com, he said he does not see his size as a hindrance, and that his size should not mean anything if he can stand out.

Both players have shown dedication to being the best professional players they can be.

And in the end, it shouldn’t matter if they are 5’7” or seven feet tall.