Lemieux Biography continued
A great biography about the hockey legend Mario Lemieux is below.
The biography is catagorized by his NHL playing seasons, to skip to another section, simply click the season that you are
interested in or just scroll below to begin reading the biography (witch spans several pages).
- Early career
- 1985-86 season
- 1986-87 season
- 1987-88 season
- 1988-89 season
- 1989-90 season
- Injury problems
- 1990-91 season
- 1991-92 season
- 1992-93 season
- Injury problems continue
- 1995-96 season
- 1996-97 season
- Retirement and Return
1989-90 season
The 1989-90 season started with much promise for both Lemieux and the Penguins but would ultimately end in disappointment. On
Halloween in 1989, Lemieux began a streak of recording at least one point per game that would eventually end at 46 -- just five
short of Gretzky's record. He was forced to leave a game against the New York Rangers with back pain and would not return until
the final game of the season. During the All-Star game in Pittsburgh, Lemieux scored three goals in the first period and four goals
overall to win his third All-Star Game MVP. With Pittsburgh's playoff hopes still in doubt, Lemieux returned for the last game of
the regular season in hopes of securing a playoff spot. Needing only a tie or win to advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs, Pittsburgh
eventually lost in overtime to Buffalo.
Injury problems
Lemieux's back pain did not subside over the summer and was later diagnosed as a herniated disc. While recovering from back surgery,
Lemieux was found to have contracted a rare infection from the surgery in his back and became bedridden for months leading to speculation
that, at only 25, his career might be over.
1990-91 season
With the Penguins in contention for first place for much of the season and finally able to provide a supporting cast to complement his
talents, Lemieux returned in January of 1991 and helped Pittsburgh win its first ever division title and move on to the playoffs for
only the second time in his remarkable career.
Pittsburgh and Lemieux won the Stanley Cup for the first time that year and Lemieux won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff
MVP after leading the playoffs with 44 points and 28 assists, both the second most in Stanley Cup playoff history.
1991-92 season
The following season saw Lemieux win the Art Ross Trophy for the third time, pacing the league with 131 points. His team made the
playoffs for the second straight year but Lemieux missed the first game of the first round against the Washington Capitals because
of back pain. Lemieux returned but Pittsburgh found itself down three games to one in the series. The Pens would rebound to win the
series in 7 games with Lemieux scoring 17 points in only 6 games but his hand was broken by a vicious slash in the second game of
the next round versus the New York Rangers forcing him to miss the remainder of the series. Even if the Penguins won the series, his
return for the rest of the playoffs was uncertain.
Pittsburgh did win and advance to the Wales Conference Finals. Lemieux returned in Game 2 of that series, and the Pens would not
lose a game the rest of way to capturing their second straight Stanley Cup. Again, despite missing 6 games to injury, Lemieux led
all scorers during the playoffs with 16 goals and 34 points in only 15 games and was named playoff MVP for the second straight year
. Only Lemieux and Philadelphia goaltender Bernie Parent ('74, '75) have won the Conn Smythe Trophy in consecutive seasons.
1992-93 season
With hopes high of a third straight Stanley Cup championship, Lemieux and company got off to a strong start during the 1992-93 season
and Lemieux was on pace to challenge both Gretzky's record of 92 goals in a season (1981-82) and his 215 points (1985-86). However, in
January was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease and was forced to undergo energy draining radiation treatments, thus leaving his career
once again and possibly even his survival in doubt.
Lemieux did return after missing only two months but found that not only was Pittsburgh struggling without their superstar, but he
was also now 12 points behind Buffalo's Pat LaFontaine in the annual scoring derby, despite holding a healthy lead before his diagnosis.
On the day of his last radiation treatment, Mario flew to play against Philadelphia and scored a goal and an assist that same night.
Lemieux and Pittsburgh then went on an unprecedented tear for the rest of the season. Pittsburgh won a NHL record 17 games in a row to
finish first overall and Lemieux rebounded to win his second straight scoring title and fourth overall. Lemieux finished with 160 points
(69 goals, 91 assists) in only 60 games played, the lowest games played total for any NHL scoring champion, to win the scoring title by
12 points over LaFontaine who finished with 148 points in 84 games. During his late season tear Lemieux added back-to-back four-goal games,
a five-goal game against the rival New York Rangers and at one point scored 27 goals, 24 assists for 51 points in only 16 games! However,
after dispatching New Jersey in 5 games during the first round, Pittsburgh lost against the New York Islanders in 7 games after David
Volek scored in overtime of Game 7.
Injury problems continue
Lemieux missed most of the 1993-94 season and skipped the NHL's lockout-shortened season of 1994-95 recovering from chronic back pain,
back surgery and the effects of radiation treatment, casting doubt on his intention to play again.
Continue to next page
