Jagr: Healthy Lemieux would have given Penguins 5 or 6 Cups
Before it was Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, it was Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr. Yes, it seems the Pittsburgh Penguins have been blessed by some sort of higher power.
Lemieux, now the owner of the Penguins, and Jagr, returning to his old stomping grounds Tuesday as a member of the Florida Panthers, are forever emblazoned into the lore of the franchise where they won two Stanley Cups in the early 1990s.
However, if it weren't for Lemieux's ailing back, Jagr believes their ring total would be substantially higher.
Jaromir Jagr says that, if Mario Lemieux's back had been healthy, the Penguins of 90s would have won five or six Stanley Cups.
— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) October 25, 2016
Jagr may have a point, as the numbers the two put up together, in seasons in which they both played at least played 60 games, are staggering:
| Season | GP | G | A | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-92 - Lemieux | 64 | 44 | 87 | 131 |
| Jagr | 70 | 32 | 37 | 69 |
| 1992-93 - Lemieux | 60 | 69 | 91 | 160 |
| Jagr | 81 | 34 | 60 | 94 |
| 1995-96 - Lemieux | 70 | 69 | 92 | 161 |
| Jagr | 82 | 62 | 87 | 149 |
| 1996-97 - Lemieux | 76 | 50 | 72 | 122 |
| Jagr | 63 | 46 | 48 | 95 |
No, those 1995-96 numbers aren't fake.
HEADLINES
- Commish for a day: What star players would change about the NHL
- Ducks' McTavish skating with OHL's 67s amid contract stalemate
- Marchand: Panthers utilized being in no-tax state to retain free agents
- Predators captain Josi on ice at training camp after POTS diagnosis
- Future of 5 acquitted players a point of discussion as NHL camps open