NHL: The Man, The Myth, The Mario

As you may have heard, Mario Lemieux made it official on Monday by announcing his impending return to active duty in the NHL. In the process, he set what has to be a record for saves that Dennis Eckersley couldn't touch. He first saved hockey in Pittsburgh in 1984 as an 19 year-old phenom who turned the league's biggest laughingstock into a two-time Stanley Cup champ, and in the process put his signature all over the NHL record book. Lemieux retired prematurely at the age of 31 in 1997, thanks to chronic back problems and a general distaste for the clutch-and-grab tactics to which the game had degenerated. One year into retirement, Lemieux, still owed millions by a bankrupt Pens organization, agreed to helm an ownership group that took control of the franchise in September 1999 and kept Jaromir Jagr and company from moving to Portland or Houston or Logbump, Nebraska, or any of the three or four remaining U.S. cities that has yet to receive an NHL expansion team.

And now, with attendance falling off and Jaromir Jagr not a happy camper, here comes #66 to save the day once again. Ironically, the announcement came on the same day Wayne Gretzky assumed ownership of the Phoenix Coyotes, and Alex Rodriguez reportedly signed a $252 million dollar deal with the Texas Rangers. Quite a day for the big boys in sports. (Not to be outdone, Tiger Woods is planning to announce shortly that he has, in fact, purchased the planet Earth as well as the space-time continuum.)

If you can find anyone other than an NHL goalie who isn't jazzed about Super Mario's return, you're probably in Antarctica, talking to the actual penguins. Gary Bettman is cartwheeling down Madison Avenue at the thought of a big-time NHL news story that doesn't involve players taking batting practice on each other's heads.

Of course, it's a good thing the person at the centre of this is the one who seems the most pumped. Lemieux cited his still-burning passion for the game often during Monday's press conference, as well as his desire for his young children to see him do what he does best for a little longer. And if there's any reason to doubt Lemieux, it's only the nagging suspicion that he may not be a mere mortal. This is a man who won the scoring title in 1992-'93 with a whopping 160 points in 60 games, while in his spare time - FIGHTING HODGKIN'S DISEASE! In 1990, he missed the first 50 games of the season after contracting a rare bone disease as a result of complications during off-season back surgery. (I'm thinking the guy would kill for a simple broken nose or something.) All he did that year was lead Pittsburgh to their first title with 44 playoff points. In 1994-'95, he …well, he did nothing. Lemieux's cranky back got so bad he couldn't even bend down to tie his skates, and he finally was forced to take a season off. A rusty, still hobbling Lemieux came back the next year and managed to scrape together 161 points to win yet another scoring title and MVP award. After one more scoring championship the next season, Mario the Miraculous finally retired for good – we thought – after the '97 playoffs (after scoring in his final game, of course.) So after all of that, it is my journalistic duty to consider all the facts and soberly report that – THIS GUY IS FREAKIN' UNREAL!

But maybe there's a limit to what even Mario can do. Maybe too much rust has set in. Maybe injuries will rear their ugly head again. Maybe the idea of an owner/player will cause too many headaches. I can see coach Ivan Hlinka now – "Excuse me, sir, if you wouldn't mind doing a couple more laps, and oh, by the way, about that raise I asked for?"

It probably would be better for all concerned if Lemieux gave up his ownership duties until he permanently retires. But no matter whether he's signing his own cheques or not, imagine the possibilities. What if he goes back to piling up points faster than Al Gore and George W. Bush exchange lawsuits? What if he goes one step further, makes the difference in a wide-open Eastern Conference, and brings home another Stanley Cup? Wouldn't that story be worth a dozen stories about 'conflicts-of-interest'?

After all, I'm sure you remember that morning last February when everybody and their dog came up to you saying, "Did you see what Marty McSorley did last night?" Wouldn't you rather hear, "Did you see what Mario Lemieux did last night?" Has a nice ring to it, no?