Mario Lemieux constructed the best season in Pittsburgh Penguins history in 1988-89, and led the league in points and goals, while tying Wayne Gretzky for the league lead in assists. Yet it didn't matter, as Gretzky still ended up winning the Hart Trophy.
The Penguins all-time points leader prior to the 2025-26 season finished 1988-89 with 199 points, 85 goals, and 114 assists, while Gretzky snagged 168 points, 54 goals, and 114 helpers. That said, Lemieux outpaced Gretzky by 31 points, but it still wasn't enough to capture the Hart.
Yet, Gretzky, who recently joined the Los Angeles Kings that season, got the honor. This one had to have gotten to Pens fans who were around to see it, especially since, at the time, Pittsburgh wasn't the hotbed for hockey that it is today, as the franchise had exactly zero Stanley Cup titles at the time.
So, winning what would've been back-to-back Hart Trophies would've been huge for Pittsburgh hockey. And when you realize Lemieux had better numbers in 1988-89 than he did in 1987-88, you can only wonder what the logic was here.
Mario Lemieux should've won the Hart in 1989 based on stats alone
Not to mention the fact Lemieux led the Penguins to the playoffs that season, marking his first postseason appearance as an NHL player. So, what gives? What made Gretzky win this thing outright?
One reason is because the Los Angeles Kings were laughably bad in 1987-88, when they finished with just 68 points. Enter Gretzky, who more than made a name for himself with the Edmonton Oilers, and the Kings went from one of the league's doormats to a squad that made it to the Division Finals that season, beating none other than the Oilers to get there.
No, they didn't win the Stanley Cup, as the eventual champion Calgary Flames knocked them out. But still, Gretzky's presence helped the Kings pull a 180, and he eventually led them to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Montreal Canadiens.
Meanwhile, Lemieux's Penguins were on the verge of building a monster, and just two seasons later, they hoisted their first Stanley Cup in team history while repeating in 1992. And, as irony would have it, Lemieux won the Hart in 1993.
Lemieux would come back and win the Hart again in 1996, giving him a hat trick in the category. But it would've been even sweeter to have seen him win four Harts, as he more than deserved it in 1989. Still, at the end of the day, his Pens won two Cups and Lemieux won two Conn Smythes, while Gretzky was never able to repeat the magic in Los Angeles that made him a legend in Edmonton.
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