NHL 100: A look at some memorable NHL players who left the game too soon
A number of NHL careers have been cut short for a variety of reasons. In the latest edition of NHL 100, a weekly series from The Canadian Press, we look at some of the players who left the game too soon or were never able to reach their full potential.
MARIO LEMIEUX
“Super Mario” played parts of 17 seasons in the NHL, but his career left the hockey world wanting more. If Lemieux had been healthy, many like to ask, would he have approached Wayne Gretzky’s records? The superstar centre for the Pittsburgh Penguins suited up for just 915 regular-season games from the time he entered the league in 1984 until his second retirement in 2006, thanks in part to a battle with cancer, as well as back and hip problems. Lemieux retired in 1997, but rejoined to the Penguins in 2000. All told, Lemieux scored 690 goals and added 1,033 assists for 1,723 points while winning two Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh. He finished with 1,134 fewer points than Gretzky, but his per-game average was 1.88, just 0.04 back of The Great One.
BOBBY ORR