NHL: Who is the greatest goal scorer of their generation?

Mario Lemieux

Reign: 1987-97
Team: Pittsburgh Penguins
Goals Scored during Reign: 468
Games Played: 530 out of a possible 862
Adjusted Goals per Game: 0.54
Goals per Game of Era: 3.40
Scoring Titles: 3

At the time Mario Lemieux got drafted by the Penguins, the Pens’ franchise was in awful shape, drawing few fans and having little success winning hockey games. In comes Super Mario, and everything changes in the Steel City. Mario scored 70 goals in the 1987-88 season, leading the way for the league. His following season was somehow even better, potting 85 goals and totaling 199 points on the season, second most all time to Gretzky’s 212 points in 1981-82.

Lemieux was the first and only player to score five different ways in an NHL game, scoring at even-strength, power play, shorthanded, on a penalty shot, and into an empty net in an 8-6 win against New Jersey. He also helped lead the Penguins to their first two Stanley Cups in the early 90’s.

Lemieux may very well have been the greatest goal scorer of all time in terms of the games he did play, but the amount of games he missed due to various ailments sadly leaves us with more what if’s than definitive answers. He never played a full season’s worth of games, and missed full seasons due to cancer. He would eventually return, playing a handful of games with a young Sidney Crosby, passing the torch to the next great Penguin.

When Lemieux stayed relatively healthy for the 1995-96 season, he scored 69 goals, leading the league, and 50 the following season before retiring due to cancer related issues. He then saved the franchise from bankruptcy a second time by buying the Penguins, playing a handful of games here and there between 2000-06.

During the time that Lemieux missed, a couple of up and coming contenders took the crown from him. The first one may look familiar if you’ve read previous parts of this article. He’s the son of Bobby Hull, Brett Hull.