Mario Lemieux is one of the greatest players in NHL history and a defining figure in the story of the Pittsburgh Penguins. During his 17-year playing career with the Penguins, Lemieux combined size, skill, and vision in ways few ever have. At the conclusion of his career, he amassed six Art Ross Trophies as the league’s leading scorer, three Hart Trophies as MVP, and two Conn Smythe Trophies as playoff MVP. His peak years helped transform the Penguins from a perennial underdog into Stanley Cup champions, with back-to-back titles in 1991 and 1992.

Lemieux’s career was marked not only by brilliance but by resilience. He battled chronic back issues, a rare form of cancer (Hodgkin’s lymphoma) and even retired twice—once in 1997 and again in 2006. Yet each time he returned, his impact was immediate. Despite his health issues, Lemieux posted staggering numbers, as he retired in 2006 as the Penguins all-time leader and No. 7 scorer in NHL history with 1,723 points. He also ranked eighth all-time in goals (690) and 10th in assists (1,033) at the time of his retirement. During his career, Lemieux topped the 100-point plateau a whopping 10 times, including a single-season franchise record of 199 points in 1988-89.

Off the ice, Lemieux’s influence was just as significant. In 1999, with the Penguins facing bankruptcy and the threat of relocation, he led a group that bought the team, making him the first former player to become majority owner of his former franchise. His stewardship kept the Penguins in Pittsburgh, stabilized the franchise, and paved the way for its eventual renaissance led by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. As an owner, Lemieux captured three more Stanley Cups in a nine-year span from 2009-17 (2009, ’16, ’17).

By the time Lemieux fully stepped away from playing in 2006, his legacy was unmatched: a career-long Penguin, a Hall of Famer, a two-time Stanley Cup-winning captain, and the owner who ensured the team’s survival and future success. Today, his No. 66 jersey hangs from the rafters at PPG Paints Arena, serving as a permanent reminder that without Lemieux, there may not have been an NHL franchise in Pittsburgh today.