Mario Lemieux: Legacy interrupted

24 years ago today, the NHL was rocked by the announcement Mario Lemieux had non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. 24 years later, his legacy is defined by the moment it was interrupted.

Mario Lemieux has a very special place in hockey history. Some say he’s the best NHL player of all-time. At the very least, he’s worthy of considering in the same category as Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Orr, and Gordie Howe. In Pittsburgh Penguins history, he’s known simply as the franchise’s savior. On Jan. 12, 1993, he became so much more. That’s the day his ascent into legend status began.

Lemieux battled many obstacles throughout his career, none of them more significant than non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. In 1993, he announced he had the rare form of cancer. And The Magnificent One did so with the confidence of an NHL star.

“I’ve faced a lot of battles since I was really young, and I’ve always come out on top,” Lemieux said. ”I expect that will be the case with this disease.”

Not only was Lemieux’s career in jeopardy, his very survival was. This came at a time before the internet culture of today when many may not have known about Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. It came as a complete surprise to everyone.

NHL World Reacts To The News

“[Lemieux] was always battling injuries so we were kind of used to him being out for games at times,” said teammate Dave Tippett, via NHL.com. “But when we found out and he had the press conference it was a shock to everyone. So much is unknown, even more at that time, when you hear the word ‘cancer.’  Everyone was taken aback, especially when you see this big, strong, superior athlete in the prime of his career.”

The news stunned everyone. Lemieux, his agent, his team, his opponents, and the league included.

“[Mario Lemieux] was stunned,” Tom Reich, his agent said, via the New York Times. “The initial shock was mitigated a little, because the prognosis was good. But this had come out of the deep, deep, distant blue.”

“This was like a kick in the teeth, or some other part of the anatomy,” said Penguin owner Howard Baldwin, via Sports Illustrated. ”Actually, I’ll tell you where it hits me: right in the soul.”

It especially hit close to home for his fellow players. They knew and respected Lemieux a lot. Not much was known about non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma back in 1993. The internet was considered uncharted territory and had yet to realize its true potential. Twitter didn’t exist. So the news literally came from out of nowhere. The press conference was the first time many had heard of his diagnosis.

“You’re taking away a guy who is not only one of the best players of all time, but one of the players people most enjoy watching,” added former teammate Bryan Trottier, via LA Times.

Two months of aggressive treatment later, Lemieux returned on March 2 against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Mario Lemieux Returns

“I remember the night he came back. We were in Philadelphia and he scored a goal and the Philly fans gave him a standing ovation,” Tippett said, via NHL.com. “I don’t think that’s ever happened to a Pittsburgh player there before or since. But you could see the respect and admiration all hockey fans had.”

Philly fans have a reputation for being rowdy and hating the Penguins with all their might, so it’s quite telling the legend received a standing ovation from them. It’s a sign of the respect everyone, even the people he did so much damage against, had for him.

Lemieux had two points in a 5-4 loss to the Flyers. After coming back, he was down 12 points to Pat Lafontaine of the Buffalo Sabres in the scoring race. It’s what happened after the loss to the Rangers which cements Lemieux’s legacy. With Lemieux back, the Penguins won 17 straight games, the longest streak in NHL history. Super Mario, naturally, played a huge role in the winning streak with 47 points on 26 goals and 21 assists.

Even when the streak ended with a tie against the New Jersey Devils on the last game of the season, he recorded three points. This gave him 50 points in his last 18 games and wound up topping Lafontaine for the NHL’s scoring title by 12 points. Lemieux won his second consecutive Art Ross Trophy and his fourth overall.

But the most impressive stat from the season?

Lemieux averaged 2.67 points per game during the season. That’s the third highest total in any single season, behind only Gretzky’s 1983-84 and 1985-86 averages. After battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, Lemieux had 52 points in 20 games, averaging 2.6 points per game in the process. And he didn’t even get time off after his last treatment – his game against the Flyers came the same day as his final treatment.

His skill has always been elite but overcoming Hodgkin’s Lymphoma confirms how determined and tough he is. Not like it needed any confirmation, as Lemieux’s various ailments and obstacles would have been enough to make many other players retire. It also put him in the same category as number 99. Sure, Gretzky might have been more skilled but Super Mario had power and size on his side. He was equally adept at hockey as The Great One, except Gretzky was listed at 6-foot-0 and 185 pounds while Lemieux was 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds.

Mario Lemieux Saves Hockey in Pittsburgh

Lemieux was always a fighter. Maybe it’s because he had to be one in order to save the Penguins. Before he arrived, there were legitimate efforts to move the Penguins. Nobody came to games because they were terrible. However, everything changed with the 1984 draft. The Penguins were wise to confirm they would finish in last place during the 1983-84 season, making several moves to tank their season. Lemieux was well worth tanking for.

Even early in his career, Lemieux couldn’t take the Penguins to the playoffs. But at the very least, fans went to games just to see him play. Despite winning a scoring title during the 1987-88 season, Pittsburgh still didn’t make the playoffs. It wasn’t until the 1988-89 season Super Mario got to show off his talents in the postseason. Lemieux battled significant back pain (and an infection) to lead the Penguins to their first Stanley Cup in the 1990-91 season, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in the process. Despite his injuries, he recorded the second-highest playoff point total of all-time with 45 points.

Lemieux put together an extremely impressive career. It’s hard to pick one defining moment, but overcoming Hodgkin’s Lymphoma to win a scoring title is probably it. Lemieux overcame many things in his career, including multiple back issues, multiple hip issues, and cancer (twice). All of these factor into The Magnificent One’s legacy, both in the NHL and with the Penguins.

However, his legacy in Pittsburgh is even greater than his legacy around the league. Lemieux saved the Penguins not once, but twice. He saved them as a player and as an owner. During the 1998-99 season, with Lemieux retired, the Penguins declared bankruptcy. They were expected to either fold or relocate. The front office owed deferred salaries to a lot of players, including over $32.5 million to Mario Lemieux. He became the owner of the Penguins, committed to keeping them in Pittsburgh.

To this day, it’s a promise Lemieux has kept. He won four Stanley Cups, two as a player and two as an owner. And knowing what he’s overcome, he’s not done yet. But Mario Lemieux’s legacy wouldn’t be the same without Jan. 12, 1993.