Mario Lemieux

December 27, when Moscow will be early morning, the last miracle to happen in this century. In the regular season NHL game between the 'Pittsburgh' and 'Toronto' after 3.5 years on the platform again will one of the greatest players in the annals of hockey 'The Wizard' Mario Lemieux.
SHADOW Gretzky
As this is still almost impossible to believe. Player who is forced to leave at age 31 from the sport due to injury and illness, returned to him at the age of 35. And not just the player and the only one who could stand in one row with the most outstanding hockey player Wayne Gretzky NHL.
Once Lemieux said: 'I could beat the record Wayne, if I played with the same strong partners, as well as with him'. And really, whether with him Kurri, Messier, Coffey, still unknown, who would now be considered a hockey player? 1 of all time. But, alas, Mario has played in the team, which has long been considered an outsider of the League reserve.
To all other throughout their careers to him desperately unlucky - Lemieux constantly harassed injury and illness. It's no joke to say, but he never in his life played a full season. He had the championships, where he spent 26, 22 games per season, or none at all, as happened in 1994/1995. Could he have with the pace to claim the record? Of course, there.
For 13 years, Mario Lemieux played a total of 745 meetings - on average in 57 games for the season. And despite this, today it is the only player in the NHL, which gained more than 2 points per game. In 745 games he scored 613 goal and made a 881 transmission, for a total of 1494 points

. Two Stanley Cup
. Throughout his short career, Mario Lemieux 6 times was leading scorer in the regular season, . thrice confessed most valuable player of the championship and twice - playoffs, . three times scored 5 goals in a match, . Nine - 4 and twenty-five times did a hat-trick,
. He also has the highest percentage among all the oppressed pucks hockey ever played in the NHL - 82,3. But his main achievement is all the same 2 consecutive won the Stanley Cup.
'Pittsburgh Penguins' ever since its foundation, did not claim to victory in the playoffs. But in the season 1990/1991 he first won the most coveted awards in the world ice hockey. A year later, repeated the success! And all this is, first of all, thanks to Mario Lemieux.
In the season 1990/1991, due to serious health problems, Mario missed the first 50 regular season games. But when he returned to the playground, in the remaining 26 games managed to score 19 goals, make 26 transfers and help his team reach the playoffs. And there, its a fantastic game (he was the best scorer of the playoffs), Lemieux led his team to first in the history of the Stanley Cup.
A year later, when the 'Pittsburgh' won a second Stanley Cup contenders arranged for Super Mario to hunt. They understood - is to bring that player down and have 'Pittsburgh' will have no chance of winning. In the second match of the series with 'Rangers' Adam Graves slashed Lemieux stick and broke his arm. But as it is Mario called 'The Wizard'. Letting 5 games, he returned to the site and, as cornfields nothing had happened, gave some miracle matches. As the result - the second consecutive Stanley Cup!

SECOND BIRTH
In the season 1992/1993 in the body, Mario Lemieux, doctors discovered Hodgkin's disease - a kind of cancer. Hockey players then underwent intensive treatment, because of which missed a lot of matches. When he reappeared on the court, then in the first 20 games at once threw 30 washers, and in just 60 games that season, he scored 160 (69 +91) points.
Alas, in the future of this incredible players were too strong for injury and illness. In July 1993 he was forced to postpone a second operation on his back, and the season 1994/1995 and did completely miss. Tired of the constant struggle with illnesses, and in April 1997 at the age of 31, Mario Lemieux announced his retirement to Hockey.
He became quite a successful businessman. In September 1999, bought the team, which devoted 13 of the best years of his life. One would think, live and be happy. But on Dec. 7, 2000 Lemieux made a statement that the entire sports world has put on the ears - 'I go' - he said.
In NHL history has been playing a club president. In 1915, the defender Frank Patrick was in his 'Vancouver Millionerz' not only the president, but also the general manager and coach, and led the Pacific Coast Hockey Association. However, the recent history of NHL Lemieux certainly a unique case.
Mario itself to all this is very quiet. 'For me now return to hockey is very easy - he says. - And you know why? Because I am completely healthy. I feel fine, I have no pain, I am fresh mentally and physically. I still am in good shape and still look stronger than many guys that play in this league. I do not think that during my absence play in the NHL has changed dramatically - in my opinion, I can speak as before at a high level '.
Welcome back, Mario!