And now we've gone completely off the deep end... 15 scoring titles in a row is a "conservative estimate"...
To win 15 scoring titles in a row -- for a guy who never won more than two in a row -- is utterly impossible, in any pie-in-the-sky scenario.
After 7 years in the NHL, Mario had 2 scoring titles (one due to a Gretzky injury).His seasons 6 and 7 involved his first serious injuries, and some of you are assuming he would have won both, uncontested. Why? Gretzky was still in his late-prime in 1989-90 and 1990-91. In reality, Gretzky outscored Lemieux on a per-game basis those two seasons, so there's no way to assume Mario wins both. He probably wins 1 of those two.
So, after 7 years of NHL wear and tear, Lemieux now needs at least 12 more scoring titles to make a "conservative estimate" of 15. Uh-huh.
Lemieux, still in his prime and on a talented Penguins team, almost certainly wins the scoring titles in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 (though I think there is some doubt about this one), and 1996.
At this point, being optimistic, he has 8 scoring titles. And he is now leaving his prime years. (He was also being out-scored at even strength at this stage by not only Jagr, but also Peter Nedved... while Lemieux was sitting out back to back games.). At a "conservative estimate", at least 7 more scoring titles to go!
In 1996-97, Lemieux -- who declared he was in perfect health to start the season for the first time since 1989 or something -- was in a relative slump the first half of the year, dropped 50 points in scoring pace, and was matched in per-game scoring by Eric Lindros. Does he win this scoring title if we add on the wear and tear of the preceding 13 years of non-stop hockey and playoff runs against younger, hungrier players like Lindros, and after the physically punishing World Cup of autumn 1996? Maybe, but I have doubts.
At this point, Lemieux has 8 or 9 scoring titles (could easily be 7 , too), is clearly past his prime. has been surpassed in ES production by Jagr, and we're entering the physically grinding Dead Puck Era, prior to which Lemieux (in reality), literally quit the NHL because it was too tough for him. And he needs to win 6 or 7 (could be 8) more scoring titles... which is more than anybody in history ever won (except yon-know-who). And he now faces peak Jagr as competition.
This concept is utterly ludicrous.