When I got drafted in 84 by Pittsburgh, I remember going to the airport and having Paul Stargawald pick me up.
He's sitting in the back of this limo and he had this regal quality about him. He looked like a prince coming to his new kingdom.
I remember coming through the pit tunnel for the first time.
I told him, where do you see the view of Pittsburgh when we come through the tunnel and when we came through his eyes just lit up.
That's when I fell in love with the city. It's a beautiful city, beautiful sight that they always keep with me for the rest of my life.
No player in NHL history has meant more to a team or its city than Mario Lemieux has to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Selected first overall at the 1984 draft, Lemieux had dominated junior hockey, setting scoring records with 133 goals and 282 points during his final season.
The struggling Penguins had superstar expectations for the teenager.
Mario was so written about and so followed really in his junior career.
I was only 18 years old when I came to Pittsburgh, didn't know what to expect, didn't speak any English at the time.
I just wanted to start my career.
I think the future is in Pittsburgh.
We needed to sell tickets. We needed somebody to save us, literally.
The fate and everything that was involved with this franchise turned on that day when 66 came to Pittsburgh.
The crowd excited and there is Mario Lemieux and he is off racing it all alone. Lemieux, his first shot on goal and he scores!
We came in with all the hype and the score in your very first shot and your very first game, that kind of tells you about how things were going to go for him.
Lemieux didn't slow down as a rookie, scoring 100 points and capturing the Calder.
In 1987-88, he broke Wayne Gretzky's streaks of 8 straight heart trophies and 7 straight scoring titles.
On one remarkable night the next season, he accomplished the unprecedented, scoring 5 goals in 5 different ways.
Had even strength on the power play, shorthanded on a penalty shot and into an empty net.
Lemieux won the Art Ross again that season, totaling 85 goals and 199 points, the most points ever by a player not named Gretzky.
To me at Gretzky and Lemieux were the two best that ever played and the one advantage that Mario had over Gretzky was his size.
Mario was unique because he had such a reach, like a John Belivow and he had even stronger and longer.
He had a fire that burned down well, he never got enough credit for his competitive level.
I watched him carry bodies from blue line into the net and was able to score that way.
Commuter sales and he scores!
You were always open because he had to drag at least two players to him.
In 1989-90, Lemieux challenged Wayne Gretzky's consecutive points streak of 51 games, despite being hampered by an ailing bat.
He actually had to grab his paneling to get on the ice for a shift.
I remember times where he couldn't even tie his own skates up, but even when he was feeling 50%, he'd still be the best guy on the ice.
His streak ended at 46 games, five short of Gretzky's record.
As soon as he missed getting a point a game, he said, that's it, I can't do this anymore until he got his back repaired.
I remember having my first back surgery before the 91 season.
After that, I got a back infection where I was in bed for three months and I really didn't know if I was going to be able to walk again.
Thankfully, I got better, started skating in January, came back, that's when we won our first cup.
It was the franchise's first Stanley Cup and Lemieux was named MVP.
In 1991-92, Pittsburgh repeated as champions and Lemieux won his second consmite.
The following season, he was off to the best start of his career before encountering another obstacle.
It was a shock to be told that you have cancer.
Think of cancer and right away you're numb.
In the way of Hodgkin's disease, that's not going to change my life and the way I live my life.
As usual, if anybody's going to beat this and be able to overcome it, it'll be Mario.
On the day of his final radiation treatment, Lemieux flew to Philadelphia to play the rival Flyers.
This is a standing ovation for Mario Lemieux here at the spectrum, that's nice to see.
He had a goal and an assist that night, beginning a run that would end in another scoring title,
overcoming runner-up Pat LaFontaine by a dozen points despite missing 24 games.
In total, he captured six scoring titles, won three heart trophies, four Pearson awards,
and remains the all-time leader in every significant offensive category for the Penguins.
Here he comes! Mario Lemieux! He's got it! You're gonna love it!
Simply amazing.
But injuries continued to limit Lemieux.
And he retired following Pittsburgh's elimination from the 1997 playoffs.
At the time, he averaged more career points per game than any player in history.
In 1999, the Penguins were in trouble, facing bankruptcy and possible relocation.
Lemieux and a group of investors purchased the team and kept it in Pittsburgh.
On December 27, 2000, Lemieux surprised the hockey world by returning to the ice.
We had a pretty good team. I felt that if I came back, I might be able to help.
Lemieux not only helped, he picked up where he left off.
But even during his comeback, injuries followed Lemieux,
and he played his final game in December 2005.
As owner, he has won two more Stanley Cups,
providing encouragement and mentoring the next generation of Pittsburgh Penguins.
To be able to be drafted here, have the opportunity to live with them,
play in the same line for what better role model to have.
No single athlete has had a greater impact on the fortunes of a sports town
than Marion Lemieux has on Pittsburgh.
I've only played for one franchise. Pittsburgh is my home.
I know I'm going to be here for a long, long time.
