The Magnificent One | The Story Behind Mario Lemieux 

Tanking for this guy was the play of the century.

Mario was absolutely terrifying. He made hockey look rather easy in the rough and tumble era. He was a constant target of the hack, hook and slash game and turned into a masterpiece of athletic art and that's what seperates him from the pack. He showed us what hockey could be. The things this man could do at 75% health were absolutely jaw-dropping. At that size, those puck skills, that agility and finesse and ability to control the tempo shouldn’t be possible.

I mean, "Le mieux" translates to "the best"... rien à ajouter.

the most talented hockey player of all time

As a Flyers fan (for better or worse) I'm obligated to hate the pens. But I've got nothing but total respect for Super Mario. Absolutely a classy player and person.

The GOAT!!!!!!!! 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐

His back was literally broken for carrying the pens throughout his career.

As a Penguins fan who has held the cup, met Mario multiple times, paid parking tickets at the same time as Sidney Crosby..Mario is Hockey Jesus and the greatest athlete in Pittsburgh history (and even with people like Mean Joe Greene and Roberto Clemente it's not even close). Edited to add: He's also a tremendous human being, which probably is even more important. Nothing but class 24/7

I'll just leave this here... 51 points in 16 games immediately after coming back from CANCER

If the Pens did not draft Mario there would not be a team there today.

The most offensively talented and dynamic player of all time. His final junior year was unthinkable, 21 hat tricks, five, eight-point games, 50-goals in 27 games, 61-game point streak, and won the scoring race by 112 points. Including playoffs his totals for that year are 334 points in 84 games. Just sick!

If 66 played 80 game seasons he would have scored 850 goals in his first 13 seasons, amassed 1100 goals and 2000 assists for his career. He is the best forward in the history of the game.

Greatest goal scorer of all time

Imagine how much more his legacy would've grown had it not been for cancer, injuries and early retirement? It's clear Mario wasn't the same player after he came back from retirement and having gone through chemo, other injuries, and it was a farewell tour after 2000. The same thing happened to Crosby those 2 years he lost because of concussion issues, but fortunately for him, he came back as the same player and won two more cups and two Conn Smythe's.

When healthy, no player, I mean no player in the NHL history could dominate a game like Mario was able to do ! He had all the skills in the world with the frame of a giant and the strenght of a bull !

Et si Mario Lemieux avait eu une equipe toutes etoiles comme Gretzky en avait une a Edmonton,c est lui qui aurait tout les records de la LNH.

As a Pens fan Sid has held the burden of living up to Mario and exceeded expectations…however, the game wrecker Mario was will never be beat. He just outscored ya. We’re such a lucky franchise!

Just think about this for a minute. Steve Yzerman, an undisputed Legend of the game, has 32 more career points than Mario Lemieux. 2 more Goals & 30 more Assists. However, Steve Yzerman has 599 more career games played than Lemieux does!!! (1,514 to 915). 599 GP is a respectable for a career!! And I'm in no way at all diminishing the accomplishments of Stevie Y. Just gives some really good perspective as to how RIDICULOUSLY good Mario Lemieux truly was.

In my opinion,Mario's the greatest to ever play the game. Certainly,the most skilled. No doubt.

The GOAT

Keep up the hockey videos! I'd like to see these features on players like Sundin, Iginla, The Sedins, Forsberg, Sakic, Lidstrom, Koivu, Gretzky, Howe, Orr, Messier, Roy, Yzerman. Maybe even some features on teams like the Avs and Wings in the 90's and early 2000's, Pens in the 90's, Oilers in the 80's.

GOAT

And now all the saving of the franchise paid off for him. In exchanging his back pay of around $26M he was owed in the team bankruptcy for equity and hammering out the purchase with his investment group it’s estimated that been the team sold a couple years ago to the Fenway group that Mario pocketed around $350M in the deal and he’s kept on as a minority shareholder. More than well deserved. Dude is undoubtedly the franchise savior in all possible ways from tanking to draft him to literally saving the team from liquidation or being shipped out.

Mario made us believe anything was possible and boy did he overcome a lot to be a champion, star, magnificent all time best.

My older Brother would always get us two tickets for the home opener for my Birthday present. so it was safe to say that we were 2 of those 7,000 people showing up for those dismal pre-Lemuiex games. Well 1984 season home opener was the best Birthday present my brother ever gave me. Thanks Billy! Because of your love for your younger Brother & your love of NHL hockey I/We got to witness the start of Lemuiex's greatness from day one. Plus I got to meet the man a few times in person. So Thanks Bro. ❤

The Goat

7:30 the great play-by-play man, Dan Kelly, describing a Lemieux-Gretzky play in Canada cup... That is the purest of pure hockey experience for a fan. 1/9/23

Many who are dismissing the story above. Need to explain the rationale behind giving Wayne Gretzky the Hart trophy as the MVP despite scoring 50 points less than Lemieux with 149 points (missed 16 games) That is 50 more points by Mario Lemieux who missed the equivalent of 10.11 games if you count his 100 pm. ( the refs targeted Mario big time on the urging of Don Cherry) Gretzky at 26 years old NEVER OUTSCORED MARIO LEMIEUX EVER EVER EVER AGAIN. Unless Mario was hurt then it was Gretzky only hope to win the Art Ross again. So at 21 Mario was better than Wayne at 26. You could see how good he was going to be when they both played on the same line at the Canada cup. For many, the eye test gave the nod to Mario. Mario outscored Gretzky on a points per game being the only player in nhl history retiring above 2 points per game. Almost a goal a game. Lots of talk about the great 8 Ovechkin ( love him) but Mario has a much higher goal per game ratio. 0.86 wild. Mario had cancer, anyone here tried playing “anything” with cancer? Let alone the bloody NHL. On top of that his back was ruined he Couldn’t tie his own skates, he could never warm up or practice… for years and years. It robbed him sadly of most of his speed. He missed MOST OF HIS PRIME YEARS. WHERE HE COULD HAVE RACKED UP STATS A LA WAYNE GRETZKY. Mario didn’t play his prime. He played his first few years starting with THE WORST TEAM IN THE HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE. THEY TANKED AND HAD NOTHING WHEN at 18 he started off his career. So 18 to 22 and three and half at the tail end of his career (only to save his team) 37.5 to 41. All detrimental to his “stats” His career spanned 23 years despite never playing a 1000 games. He played 915 games ONLY NEVER REALLY HEALTHY an average of 39-40 games a year spread over 23 years. The last years brought his average per game down to 1.9 not bad in the NHL to score 2 points a game from 18 years old kid to a 41 year old geezer scoring at a 2 points clip (almost)

Best player ever.

New guy’s got a great narrator voice!

Shadow of giant. with scoring goal on first shot on goal and legend continues

Never in my 47 years have I seen a player dominate a sport like Lemieux dominated NHL hockey. The most special athlete I ever saw. The anticipation on his breakaway goals. You knew he would score. You just knew.

When the Pens won their first Stanley Cup. Mario only played games and didn't practice. He needed a trainer to tie up his skates because he couldn't bend forward to do so himself. He would have to grab his pant leg to help himself over the boards and couldn't even sit for plane rides, but despite all of that was still the greatest player in the NHL.

The Score posts hockey content now? I like this

Mario is just different. I am absolutely blown away by the fact he never played a full season. There will never be another player like him. Literally only Crosby can come close. Thank god our raggedy Pens got the No. 1 pick that year. What a match made in heaven. Mario is like no one else to us.

these videos r so good and need way more views

I couldn't even imagine if lemieux didn't miss all of those games how much more goals he would have had"!

love Gretzky but Mario is better. Gretzky is the goat overall as best ambassador for hockey and gifted skills but Mario was the most dominant talent to ever play.

The crazy thing is, after missing over 2 months with chemo and surgeries, Mario came back and had 51 points in 16 games. That has to be the most superhuman thing I've ever seen in any sport.

Will never be another Mario.

The Great One will always be the GOAT, but The Magnificent One wasn't far behind. As far as talent offensively no one's had more imho. I'm a lifelong Red Wings fan & Lemieux has always been my favorite player. He's the only player in history you can speak of in the same breath as Gretzky. Had he stated healthy he'd be #2 in everything & probably #1 in goals. It was a privilege to get to watch this legendary hockey god lace em up. #66 should be retired league wide 🙌.

C'est MAGNIFIQUE!

this is probably the most canadian accent ive heard on this channel

great job

Man I love this series. Even if it's about a sport I don't even follow

You forgot he captained team Canada to an Olympic gold medal in hockey in 2002 and a World Cup of Hockey in 2004

The Canada Cup appearance made me a fan for life

No one was better than PRIME Mario. He is the GOAT

MY IDOLS

Let's go hockey!

I dont care about numbers. Lemieux was the most exciting player ever that what it's all about.

They literally still have never clinched the cup in Pittsburgh- 2021

Honestly I even think the Great One would second the motion, Prime Mario is the greatest hockey player ever. Sub Prime Mario is the second best ever lol. I’m a Ranger fan but if you love the sport, you secretly love all the players. I just loved watching him play even when he destroyed us 😂

The best ever. Missed over 500 games due to injuries and health problems, yet managed to score 690 goals. Would've scored over 1000 goals if healthy.

The 'what if' GOAT

The best pure goal scorer in NHL History, period ....

11:31 What is up with the mention of Funkadelic's "Maggot Brain" album in the article about Lemieux? Can't find the article on Google. I need to know!!

Malkin should get a statue for one of his goals to , he skated threw the entire teams more then once.

GOAT no questions asked. Sorry Wayne.

Never realized how tall Mario was.

team canada had Gretzky and Lemieux on the same line that is insane.

The best hockey player of all time.

Mario Lemieux The G.O.A.T🐐🏆🥇🤴👑🏒🥅🚨🐧⛸️🖤💛

This dude embarrassed 1st ballot Hall of Famer's regularly.

And Peter Forsberg was all that combined. And a defense giant.

On his first goal he picks Ray Bourque's pocket. Classic!

he was the best player ever

Super Mario is the greatest to me!

The Story Behind: Shohei Ohtani please. 🙌

Best ever

Getting radiation treatment in the morning, hopping on a private jet, going into your biggest rival's home and putting up two points that night is the most rockstar shit that'll ever happen I don't care. 🖤💛

Best of all time. I don’t care what anyone else’s says. If he wasn’t hurt all the time imagine what his numbers would have been. With that being said I can’t believe how horrible goalies were back then lol

Mario is the best ever

Yeah that's right...

His ability to score making the best players in the best league look silly or just make them look bad. Some goals he fooled the goalie so bad it was like a slam dunk into the empty net. Or make a goalie open his legs and go five hole while the game was at full speed.

Do one on Usain Bolt

We will never see a player as physically dominant as super mario

You know why there is fewer hockey player from Quebec in the NHL? 3:34

Lemieux is the 'best' of all time. Nobody dominated like he did and played the game better. Gretzky may arguably be 'greater' due to a longer career and more accomplishments. But peak against peak, nobody played hockey better than Mario.

@8:28 And Mr. Connor McDirty…

Noti gang

Mario and crosby made me a penguins fan. I don't follow the other Pittsburgh teams. There's something about those penguins.

Gretzky ain't got nothing on lemieux" period!!! lemieux is the true great one.

Mario is the closest thing there is to god to me, hes my idol, for as tough as he was, beating cancer, playing through the back injury during the streak and everything else lets be honest here, Mario was one of the biggest divers and actors there ever was in the game and i never understood it. Hed fight off 3 guys keep driving to the net and still score on one rush, then 5 minutes later hed flop like a fish at the touch of a stick, lay on the ice like he was hurt, wait for the play to go down then magically jump back up at center ice a cherry pick lead pass and go in on a break away

Nice commentary…but never mention Crosby in the same breath as Lemieux, Mario was a once in a generation player; Crosby was a great player to build your team around, Lemieux was an unbelievable player to build your Stanley Cup champion team around.

Mcdavid ❤

💰

It seems to me Maria had more skill than Gretzky given his health conditions ect...

W Mario

No captioning?

The breakaway move he does vs NYR (Richter?) at 12:27 is absolutely savage. I have seen nearly every hockey highlight goal ever I’ve never seen anyone else ever do that move. Unreal.

Does anyone know where I can sell his hockey stick signed by him from '95? I have 3 but only want to sell one. I want to find some where or someone that will give me a good price. I've had them for 16 years I think and they hold a lot of sentimental value but I need money. I know they are worth a lot now since the guys a legend. Back story I had the same cancer as him when I was 5 years old. I had Hodgkin's Lymphoma I had a lump on my neck that had to be removed and I was going through chemo. My dad was a cop and had a buddy that knew him. When he found out he wanted meet me, idk why a lot of people felt sorry for me I even got a Make-a-Wish years after I was already in remission. Anyway the Albuquerque Police Department flew my dad and me out to Pittsburgh and I got meet the Steelers run around on their field and stuff, and we hung out with Lemieux for a few days played in the hockey rink. I left Pittsburgh with a ton of signed sports stuff from both the Steelers and the Penguins. I have a signed Jager stick I think too. My dad has all the stuff and it's been years since I've seen I've seen the stuff since he's been saving it for me. The main things I will never forget are those hockey sticks.

MARIO IS JORDAN!! WAYNE IS LEBRON!

He played only 900 games! If he was 100% He would be second all time!

Lemieux is the GOAT even better than Gretzky. Bigger stronger physical just completely dominated didn't need teammates he can play 1-5 and dominate all alone. Jagr and Francis helped though lol

“Gretzky did a better job of using his teammates”. And that’s why 66 is greater. Mario played on a bad team for his first half dozen years, Wayne played on a team of all stars. Mario was at his best and healthy better than Wayne.

The greatest player was Bobby Orr!

Anyone else the unvaccinated and Donald Trump line in the 1993 newspaper? Really odd.

Someone loves you...❤😎✊ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. JOHN 3:16

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