Building a Champion
Mario came to Pittsburgh in 1984 with one thing in mind, winning the NHL championship. How could he when the team who drafted him was hockey's worst? Well, he'd do his best. It took seven years and many tears on the part of the young captain, but he never gave up and built Pittsburgh not one but 2 championship teams.
Cancer
Being the King of the NHL isn't all glam and it doesn't make you immune to the trials and tribulations of everyday life. Mario found this out in January of 1993 when he called a press conference to tell Pittsburgh and the hockey world that he had cancer. Pittsburgh was shocked but rallied behind their favorite son. Mario underwent three months of radiation treatment and in spite of many dark predictions on March 2 1993, only hours after his last dose of radiation; he was back on the ice. By the end of the year he had won his fourth consecutive scoring title. This was just the capstone to a career filled with amazing feats.
The Back Acts Up
The first of many comebacks took place on January 20, 1991 when Mario returned from back surgery after four months on the bench. He was ready to play and he would prove it. He surprised everyone be leading the team to the Stanley Cup championship and leading the NHL in playoff scoring. Between 1992-1997 there were many stretches were the Penguins were without their leader, but each time Mario would come back more determined then ever to win.
The NHL Itself
Like anyone with a job Mario had times where he just didn't agree with his bosses. One time in particular stands out in the minds of most Pittsburgh fans. Mario received a 2-minute minor for defending himself against an opposing player who was using the clutch grab method of slowing him down. When Mario complained to the referee that he had been held he was given a 10-minute misconduct. Mario lost it! He ran after the official and was stopped only by two of his teammates. For this he received a game misconduct and an NHL fine.
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