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Mario Lamieux was 19 when the Pittsburgh Penguins
drafted him into the NHL. The year was 1984 and this turned around a
troubled penguins organization. On his very first game, his very
first shift, and very first shot, came his very first goal of his NHL
career. From that day on he became a great NHL star. |
| It took a few years for the pens to get to the
playoffs and in 1990 they won their first Stanley cup. Then in the
following year they won their second cup. They are one of a select few
teams to win back to back cups. But then in 1994 troubles occurred.
He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. He got over it but in order to do
so he had to take off the 1994-1995 season. He came back in 1996 and
then retired in the 1997-1998 season. When he left the pens went into a
little bit of a slump without their star player. They retired his
jersey number so that no one else could ever again choose number 66 for
the Pittsburgh penguins. |
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When the pens were going into bankruptcy Mario loved
the penguins and the city of Pittsburgh so much he bought the team and
kept them in Pittsburgh. When the news got out that he did he was
one of the most loved men in Pittsburgh history. Then came the
2000-2001 season and the pens needed a serious change because they were
losing fans and games. So about mid year there where rumors about
Mario Lemieux making a come-back. When they found out this was true
he addressed the city of Pittsburgh as well as the rest of the
USA. |
| His comeback was a success. In only the half
year he played he ranked 5th in points with a total of 76. On the
night of his comeback the arena was packed to its full capacity.
They took down his retired jersey number and the game went on. They
were playing the Toronto Maple leafs. When the second period came around
it was time for Lemieux to show why his is considered the best. He
and another player came down on a 2 on 1 on the defensemen and the other
player could have taken the shot put passed it to Mario instead and he
scored his first goal of his comeback. My cousin was there and he
said he couldn't hear what his dad was saying right next to him. And from
that day until now he has helped the Penguins become a good team again. |
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