Mario Lemieux

Lemieux's initial success ranked alongside Wayne Gretzky's astounding entry into the NHL in 1979. In 1986 and 1988 Lemieux won the Lester B. Pearson Award as Player of the Year, chosen by his follow NHL players. He added the Art Ross Trophy as NHL's top scorer in 1988 and 1989 and the Hart Trophy as NHL's Most Valuable Player in 1988. Yet it took a couple of years for the Penguins to build a solid team around their standout center; it was 1991 before the team made it to the Stanley Cup finals.

Injured with a herniated disk for much of the 1990-91 season, Lemieux played just twenty-six games that year. His return in time for the finals, however, proved crucial to the team's success as Lemieux amassed forty-four points in the playoffs, leading to the Penguins' eventual victory in the championships over the Minnesota North Stars. He was recognized for his contribution by winning the Conn Smythe Trophy at the end of the season as the playoff's Most Valuable Player.

Healthy for the 1991-92 season, Lemieux emerged with his third Art Ross Trophy with 131 total scoring points. The Penguins made it to the championship finals for the second straight year and defended their title, this time in a four-game sweep over the Chicago Blackhawks. The victory was especially meaningful for the team as it made it to the finals with an interim coach, Scotty Bowman, who stepped in after coach Bob Johnson was diagnosed with the brain cancer that took his life in November 1991. In addition to his second Stanley Cup ring, Lemieux received the Conn Smythe Trophy for the second year in a row.