Editing Mario Lemieux (section)

===1992–1997: Cancer, return, and retirement===
[[File:Mario Lemieux 1992.jpg|thumb|Lemieux in 1992]]
The Penguins started the [[1992–93 NHL season|1992–93 season]] well, and Lemieux set a franchise record with at least one goal in twelve consecutive games, from October 6 to November 1.<ref name="hockeydraftcentral">{{cite web|url=http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1984/84001.html|title=Mario Lemieux|publisher=hockeydraftcentral.com|access-date=November 16, 2007|archive-date=November 21, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121232812/http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1984/84001.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He was on pace to challenge Gretzky's records of 92 goals in one season (1981–82) and 215 points in one season (1985–86),<ref name="bonanno">{{cite web|last=Bonanno|first=Rocky|title=Lemieux took on all opponents, even cancer, and won|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=373169|website=National Hockey League|date=October 23, 2007|access-date=November 26, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090328193632/http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=373169|archive-date=March 28, 2009}}</ref> until January 12, 1993, when he made the announcement that he was diagnosed with [[Hodgkin lymphoma]]. He received aggressive radiation treatments which caused him to miss two months of play. When Lemieux returned, he was 12 points behind [[Buffalo Sabres|Buffalo]]'s [[Pat LaFontaine]] in the scoring race.<ref name = "bonanno"/>

On the day of his last radiation treatment, Lemieux flew to Philadelphia to play against the [[Philadelphia Flyers|Flyers]], where he scored a goal and an assist in a 5–4 loss. Before the game Lemieux earned a standing ovation from Philadelphia fans—a rare occurrence for any visiting player, much less a [[Flyers–Penguins rivalry|rival Pittsburgh athlete]].<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Sell |first1=Dave |date=March 2, 1993 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1993/03/03/lemieux-scores-in-noisy-return/f460a8c3-aca3-4dea-862d-149087759263/ |title=LEMIEUX SCORES IN NOISY RETURN |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=September 17, 2024}}</ref> The Penguins won the President's Trophy, and the team's 119 points are still a franchise record. Lemieux scored at an incredible pace, notching an average 2.67 points per game—the third-highest points-per-game for a season, behind only Wayne Gretzky's 1983–84 and 1985–86 averages of 2.77 and 2.69 points per game, respectively.<ref name="bonanno"/> Lemieux won his second straight and fourth overall scoring title, finishing with 160 points (69 goals, 91 assists) in 60 games, beating out LaFontaine by 12 points despite playing in 24 fewer games.<ref name="espn timeline"/> Throughout the season, Lemieux scored at least one point in 54 of his 60 games played.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/l/lemiema01/gamelog/1993|title=Mario Lemieux 1992-93 Game Log|access-date=June 23, 2021|archive-date=June 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624204417/https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/l/lemiema01/gamelog/1993|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{quote box|quote= Notwithstanding Gretzky's abiding majesty, posterity will never forget that no athlete—not even the sainted Lou Gehrig—has ever before Lemieux been struck down by a deadly disease at the very moment when he was the best of his sport at the best he ever would be. And since: Lemieux has achieved miraculously in remission, struggling, on the side, with a back injury so grievous that it has benched him after he merely laced up a skate. That is the stuff that answers people these days when they wonder where all our sports heroes have gone.
|source= —[[Frank Deford]], ''[[Newsweek]]''<ref>{{cite web |last=Schwartz |first=Larry |title=Mario was super despite obstacles |url=https://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/Lemieux_Mario.html |work=ESPN |access-date=December 23, 2007 |archive-date=December 21, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221001631/http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Lemieux_Mario.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|width=30em|align=left}}

<!--Commented out until a source can be found: During his late-season tear, Lemieux added back-to-back four-goal games, a five-goal game against the rival New York Rangers and scored 30 goals and 26 assists in his final 20 games.-->The Penguins dispatched the [[New Jersey Devils]] in the first round in five games, but were upset by the [[New York Islanders]] in seven. After the season, Lemieux was awarded his second Hart Trophy, as well as the [[Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy]], given to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.<ref name="espn timeline"/>

On July 23, 1993, Lemieux underwent his second back surgery, this time to repair a herniated muscle. He missed the first ten games of the season to recover from surgery and missed an additional 48 games due to the injury.<ref name="espn timeline"/> After the season, he announced that he would take a leave of absence because of fatigue brought on by his radiation treatment.<ref name="espn timeline"/> Lemieux returned for the [[1995–96 NHL season|1995–96 season]] and on October 26, 1995, against the [[New York Islanders]], he scored his 500th career goal in his 605th game. Lemieux reached 500 goals at the second fastest rate. Only Gretzky achieved the plateau faster scoring 500 goals in 575 games.<ref name="espn timeline"/> Lemieux finished the season with 69 goals and 92 assists to lead the league and then became the seventh player to win three Hart Trophies and the fourth player to win five Art Ross Trophies.<ref name="espn timeline"/> Despite his return, the Penguins fell to the [[Florida Panthers]] in the [[Eastern Conference (NHL)|Eastern Conference]] Final in seven games.

The [[1996–97 NHL season|next season]], Lemieux, playing against the [[Vancouver Canucks]], scored his 600th career goal in his 719th game, and went on to put up his tenth career 100-point season, both the second-most in history after Wayne Gretzky's 600 goals in 718 games and fifteen 100-point seasons.<ref name="espn timeline"/> In his last game against his hometown Montreal, Lemieux tied an NHL record for most goals in a period, with four goals in the third.<ref>{{cite news |title=N.H.L.: ROUNDUP; Lemieux's Hat Trick Difference In Victory |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E1DF173FF936A15752C0A9679C8B63 |agency=Associated Press |date=January 25, 2001 |access-date=November 16, 2007 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> Lemieux won his sixth scoring title with 122 points (50 goals, 72 assists). On April 6, 1997, Lemieux announced that he planned to retire following the playoffs. The Penguins were eliminated in five games by the [[Eric Lindros]]-led [[Philadelphia Flyers]] during the first round. Lemieux scored one goal and earned an assist in his final game. Despite the typically hostile Philadelphia crowd, Lemieux skated around the ice following the final horn and received a standing ovation.<ref name="espn timeline"/> Upon his first retirement, Lemieux became the only player to retire from the NHL with a greater than 2 points per game average (1494 points in 745 games). On November 17, 1997, Lemieux was inducted into the [[Hockey Hall of Fame]], becoming the ninth player in history to have the mandatory three-year waiting period waived.