Patrick, 72, was Penguins general manager from 1989-2006, which included back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001 as a Builder.
"Derek (Clancey, director of professional scouting) has taken on more responsibility making player personnel decisions and has been more involved with free agency," Penguins GM Jim Rutherford said. "With that, I wanted to add someone to our pro scouting staff, and I knew that Craig was available. He became the obvious choice to me.
"I have tremendous respect for Craig for everything he's accomplished in his Hall of Fame hockey career. He always has been a great evaluator of talent and he brings a unique level of expertise to our scouting staff. It's also great to have Craig back here with the Penguins, where he built such a legacy of success. We're excited to add him to our staff."
Patrick was GM when the Penguins selected center Sidney Crosby with the No. 1 pick in the 2005 NHL Draft, which came one year after they took center Evgeni Malkin at No. 2. Crosby and Malkin were the centerpieces of Pittsburgh's runs to the Stanley Cup in 2009 and 2016.
Prior to joining the Penguins in 1989, Patrick was best known for being an assistant to Herb Brooks on the United States' "Miracle on Ice" gold medal-winning team at the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.
Patrick was GM of the New York Rangers from 1980-86. He also has been a senior adviser for the Columbus Blue Jackets (2011-14) and Buffalo Sabres (2014-15).
