1985-86 O-Pee-Chee #9 – Mario Lemieux Rookie Card

Thanks to Wayne Gretzky bringing mass popularity to the hockey card market in the 1980’s, the 1985-86 Mario Lemieux rookie card has a relatively under-valued book value of just $200. By far the most valuable card in the series, it doesn’t reflect the fact that Super Mario is on the short list for greatest hockey player in the history of the game. The 1985-86 Topps #9 Mario Lemieux rookie card doesn’t fall far behind the O-Pee-Chee card at $150.

Lemieux drew attention in the hockey world in his final season in the QMJHL. With the Laval Voisins, Mario set Canadian Hockey League records with 133 goals and 282 points in 1983-84. The team was easily champions in the Quebec league but the talent of the youngest of the three Canadian major junior leagues was in question as Laval was not a serious contender in the 1984 Memorial Cup.

In a strong 1984 NHL Entry Draft that saw eighteen players eventually surpass 1000 games in the NHL, Mario Lemieux was drafted first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Mario played his entire career with the Penguins from 1984-85 to 2005-06. In 915 career regular season games, he amassed 1723 points with ten 100+ point seasons. He topped out offensively in 1988-89 with 85 goals and 114 assists for 199 points in 76 games.

Lemieux won the Calder Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1984-85, totalling 100 points in 73 games on a Pittsburgh team that lost 51 games and was second from the bottom in the league. The team’s fortunes would change drastically with the arrival of Lemieux and would win consecutive Stanley Cups in 1990-91 and 1991-92. Mario was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy both years.

Throughout his career, Mario won the Hart Trophy three times and the Art Ross on six occasions. He is one of just five players to score 50 goals in his teams first 50 games with 50 in 46 during the 1988-89 season. In 1993, he became one of just eight NHL players to win the Lou Marsh Award as Canada’s top athlete. In 2009, he was awarded the Order of Canada.

Lemieux was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997 after one of his many false retirements. His number 66 is retired by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Team Canada and his Laval junior team.