Simply the best.

[imgreat95]

Le Mieux is french for "the best" Is it any wonder, that a guy by the name of Lemieux would then be considered the best to ever play the game of hockey? Even at the age of 38, mario Lemieux continues to prove that he is the best hockey player to ever don a pair of skates.

Consider this... With a goal and 2 assists last night, Mario now has 23 points in 10 games. That is a pace for roughly 190 points. A total only reached by two men, I believe. One being Gretzky, the other being Lemieux himself. In this day and age in the NHL, that is an almost unheard of total. Especially when you consider that last season, the league leading point total was 196

True, Mario will probably finish short of that total, only because he will most likely not play in all 84 games. However, if he were to play in even 70 games, that would still give him close to 170 points.

Lemieux seems to be bringing the Pens back to the future. In the early 90s, when the Pens were on their Stanley Cup run, they would simply outscore the opponent. No one cared if they would give up 3 goals a night, because they were going to score 6. The only difference, this time, is that somehow, the Pens are playing defense. He simply makes those around him better. One needs to look no further than the #2 and #3 scorers in the scoring race to see that. Alexei Morozov and Alexai Kovalev are Lemieux's linemates. Kovie is on a pace to finish with around 120 points. Morozov with 112. Without knowing the numbers off-hand, I would venture to say that may end up being the highest scoring line in the history of the NHL.

Speaking of the defense, who the heck is Dick Tarnstrum?? I know that he is a defensemen picked up off waivers from the Islanders. But who would have expected him to play like he has? Obviously not the Isles, or else he would still be playing there. Tarnstrum, thus far, has reminded me a lot of Paul Coffey from the early 90s. With 10 points, he is 3rd among all defensemen in the league. And guess what, the guy can also play defense. Now, in now way am I saying he is the next paul Coffey. No one is. But he certainly isn't hurting things either.

All of this without Marty Straka?? What happens when he returns? How much better will this team be? Can you imagine a top line of Lemieux-Kovalev-Morozov along with a #2 line of Straka-Daigle-Hrdina? Doesn't seem too shabby to me.

Finally, let us not forget about the most important off-season free agent signing by the team. Yes, I am talking about the return to Pittsburgh of The Penguin. Is it any coincidence that our last Stanley Cup was won in the last season that we wore the Penguin? I don't know about anyone else, but I was VERY disappointed when they went to that THING that they tried to pass as a cool logo. Well, The Penguin is back.. and he is back with a vengence. Look out world.

Sort of makes you wonder why most of the "experts" picked the Pens to finish with the worst record in the Eastern Conference. Apparently, the had forgotten about The Best

[GiveHyzduashot]

Good post, Shawn.

Lemieux is playing exceptional hockey right now. The whole team is, for that matter.

Mario undoubtedly is the best to ever play the game. If he hadn't had back problems and cancer, he would shatter every and all records. He would put them so far out of reach, no one would ever catch him.

I agree the Penguins are playing good defense right now. Hedberg has also had two great back to back games.

Tarnstrom ... what is there to say? I never even heard of the guy until two weeks ago. I've heard he was a rookie with the Isles. If that's the case why would the Islanders get rid of him so soon? Whatever the scenario, I'm glad the Isles didn't like him.

Kovalev and Morozov are on pace for 100 point seasons, but I don't think Morozov can quite get there. I'd say he'd have at least 80 total, if Mario stays healthy. If Mario and Kovy score 100+ points, and Morozov gets 80, it's tough to argue that line would be the best in the NHL.

When Straka comes back, the Penguins will have two GREAT scoring lines. Who the heck is Robert Lang anyway?

[renuszm]

If there is anything Lemiuex has done that Gretzky couldnt, it's that he can still score a lot despite his age, Gretzky was a point-per-game player around this time, but he wasn't nearly as dominant.
Lemieux amazes me almost every season, just like his first game back of his latest comeback, it wasn't too long before the announces said "He's Back."

[imgreat95]

I know that there are many who do not agree, but i don't think that Gretzky could even carry Mario's skates. That is how much better I think that Mario is.

[imgreat95]

Savran: Lemieux setting shining example

Saturday, November 02, 2002

Pucks have been splitting the flesh of hockey players since the game was invented. From the frozen ponds in Canada's desolate backwoods to the 20,000 seat superstructures of today, it's an occupational hazard. It happens to all, even piercing the skin of the most super of superstars.

Still, when Mario Lemieux was smacked by a rocket of a ricochet off the stick of Alexei Kovalev Monday night, it was startling to see him return to the ice within minutes of the 25th suture being sewn into place, securing the flap that used to be his upper lip.

Of course, this is the code of honor that binds hockey players.

It's what hockey guys do.

It's what they are.

Still, we're talking Mario Lemieux. A third or fourth line grinder? Absolutely! But the brightest star in the game's galaxy?

This was not, after all, Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Final.

Not even a playoff game.

This was a late-October game; there will be 70 more just like it. Yet, there was Lemieux, his lip held together with surgical thread. And I wondered at the time, "Would Wayne Gretzky have done the same? Or Pavel Bure?"

That Lemieux scored what turned out to be the winning goal while leaving droplets of blood on the Mellon Arena ice was not nearly as impressive as what happened later that period.

Lemieux led a short-handed break, Kovalev serving as a side car. No doubt goaltender Craig Billington's life flashed before his eyes. But alas, Mario's backhander was wide.

When both players' momentum carried them past the goal line, the Capitals rushed the other way, in effect enjoying a five-on-two advantage with Lemieux and Kovalev out of the play.

They moved the puck to Jaromir Jagr, who was close enough to the Penguins' net to allow Johan Hedberg to smell his breath. But out of nowhere, cape flapping in the breeze, wind whistling through his rearranged lip, came Lemieux to save the day.

He walloped Jagr with a jarring check (Beauty, eh?), separating the former Penguin from the puck and eliminating the scoring chance.

Now remember, Lemieux was all the way behind the net at the other end of the rink, so he had to dig deep to get back.

Remember also that this was an early season hockey game. But here was Mario, playing as if it was the seventh game of a playoff series.

Can you imagine the impact that has on his teammates when they see that kind of butt-busting defensive effort from hockey's biggest star?

Every guy in that locker room feels the need to duplicate that kind of effort and dedication. Actually, you don't have to imagine the impact. Their record is proof positive.

It's prudent to point out that they have achieved this record without two of their potentially most productive offensive players, Martin Straka and Randy Robitaille.

Perhaps even more significant, given their anticipated weakness on defense, is that they have accomplished this without arguably their best all-around defenseman, Josef Melichar.

So what's different, Mario aside?

Obviously, the Penguins are built to take advantage of the new rules interpretation and the subsequent spate of power plays. But they have been better able to exploit their power play opportunities because they finally have a defenseman at the point that can move the puck quickly and jump up on the play when the situation dictates.

We know where Dick Tarnstrom came from, off waivers from the Islanders. Still we must ask, "Where did this guy come from?" he has been key.

Generally attached to a bundle of power play chances are an equal number of power plays to be killed.

The additions of Kent Manderville and Shean Donovan have been important. These two, especially Manderville, are penalty-killing specialists. This is their stock in trade, plus their presence should also lessen the need to use top line forwards in the role, given that penalty killing is the most physically exhausting part of the game.

Add in the active play of the third line, especially Ville Nieminen, the solid, sometimes spectacular play of Hedberg, a willingness to play Rick Kehoe's system, and you've got the better than expected start.

But it all flows from Lemieux. The example he sets, traversing the spectrum from scoring goals to setting them up and, perhaps most important, preventing them, has had a gigantic impact. It's called leadership.

You don't need me to magnify Lemieux's greatness. It's been on display for years, for all to see. But when it comes in the form of gravel in the belly, the kind you demand from lesser lights but don't always expect from the sublimely talented, it needs to be highlighted.

[00_Agent]

Well, let's see . . . Lemieux is faster than Gretzky, a better stick handler (did I even need to mention that?), a better pure goal scorer, better on defense, bigger, stronger, and makes his teamates better than Gretzky ever did. I always believed that Gretzky put up the numbers he did because of the people around him. Need proof? When did he win a scoring title after leaving Canada? His point total was always indicative of the kind of team he was on. Mario scored 199 points in a season where he had linemates no can remember the names of. No matter who he played with, he made them better, even when the Penguins were lousy.

The only category that Gretzky is equal to Lemieux in is passing, but I do not believe that he is superior. Lemieux is an excellent passer of the puck.

Gretzky is great . . . but he isn't The Best, as Shawn so rightly put it.

What Mario is doing this season is unbelievable. When I was reading the predictions for this season, I kept thinking to myself that they were underestimating greatly what a healthy Mario could do for this team. Glad to see that at least in this early part of the season, I was right.

00

[imgreat95]

Another AMAZING game for Mr. Lemieux tonight. Three assists and a goal, to raise his league leading total to 27. "unfortunate" part though is that he only increased his lead by one, because the #2 scorer in the league had 2 assists and a goal... Of course, that was his linemate alexei Kovalev...

Oh yeah.. they won 5-3 over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

As for the Mario/Gretzky comparison, I forget the exact numbers, but basically, Mario has played in 1/2 as m,any games as Gretzky did. If you were to double his point total to even the games up, Mario would blow him away. Everyone looks just at the point totals and neglects to see the difference in games played.

[BPBlueSox]

Too bad you guys couldn't watch the game on the Sunshine network like I had too....

What a bunch of whiny babies!

"Mario's so lucky"...

"The Penguins benefit so much the penalties...they're taking all the hitting out of the game"

waaaaaaaahhhhh

Boo hoo Lightning announcers...too bad your team is finally coming back down to earth....

[GiveHyzduashot]

Yeah, Lemieux had another day at the rink last night. Nothing fancy, he's only been doing it for how many years now? :D

I think most amazing about this year is the fact Mario has a power play point in 10 straight games. At least one power play goal in 10 straight games is phenomenal.

[imgreat95]

I think most amazing is that a power play unit which was 26th in the league last season, is so far #1 and is scoring at a 30.3% success rate. It is phenomenal.

Oh, and Josh, thta is 10 consecutive games with a point.. not 10 with a goal... Unless you were saying that 10 consecutive games as a team scoring a goal..

[GiveHyzduashot]

I did mean 10 consecutive games with the team scoring a goal.