Lemieux Comeback: From Owner to the Ice

P I T T S B U R G H, Dec. 8 -- Mario Lemieux was the first NHL player tobecome a team owner. Now, he’s the first owner to become a player.

Lemieux, who made it look so easy during a 13-year career thatsaw him score points at a faster pace than any player ever, willattempt something exceedingly hard, even for one as skilled as heis.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ part owner is ending his retirementafter 3 ½ years — a span as long as the career of many players — to provide some leadership for a team largely devoid of it and to push Jaromir Jagr out of his scoring slump.

The Missing Penguin

There is another reason, too, why one of the greatest playersever is attempting a third remarkable comeback — the first twofollowed a bout with cancer and a yearlong layoff caused by backpain and fatigue.

Lemieux, at age 35, thinks he could be the missing piece thePenguins need to win a third Stanley Cup, the one he never got inthe five years after he led them to consecutive championships in1991 and 1992.

“He said he believes in this team and he believes we can, witha little luck, do some things this year,” said Jagr, a three-timescoring champion who has become increasingly discouraged with hislack of scoring. “He is pretty confident about this team andconfident that he can help the team to go where all of us want togo.”

The Penguins aren’t saying how or when the comeback will start.He has been skating undetected at a private rink since November,but still hasn’t hit anything harder than a sand wedge since the1997 playoffs against Philadelphia.

He will likely start practicing after the Penguins play atToronto and Detroit this weekend, and might bring in some formerplayers to practice against in an effort to accelerate his return.If he rounds into playing shape quickly, he could resume playingwhen the Penguins begin a stretch of four home games in nine dayslater this month.

By the way, did anyone ask about attendance boost?