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Penguins History: The Greatest Player I Ever Saw

“Who’s the best hockey player you ever saw?”

It’s a question I’ve been asked many times over by friends and casual acquaintances alike. My answer is always the same.

Mario Lemieux.

I’m sure I’ll get some push-back. A friend of mine once sat next to former Pens’ GM Eddie Johnston on a flight to Boston and asked EJ who he rated as the best player of all-time. EJ didn’t hesitate in naming Bobby Orr, his good friend and former roommate with the Bruins.

To those who never saw him play, Orr was a magnificent all-around defenseman who revolutionized the game back in the 1960s and ‘70s with his daring end-to-end rushes.