updated 9:02 p.m. ET Jan. 24, 2006

Reaction to Pittsburgh Penguins owner-player Mario Lemieux’s announcement Tuesday that he is retiring as a player for the second time in his career. He initially retired in 1997, only to return in December 2000:

“You don’t replace players like Mario Lemieux. Mario’s a great hockey player and a good person. He’s meant so much to the game and done so many great things. He had tremendous reach. He was a big, strong man. He played with intelligence, and he had incredibly soft hands. He also had tremendous grace. The game will miss him. I’m sure he’ll stick around in a capacity that he’ll still be involved in the game for a long time.”
— Wayne Gretzky, Hall of Fame player and the Phoenix Coyotes’ coach

“Mario’s exceptional play earned him accolades. His ability to face adversity earned him respect. His devotion to Pittsburgh and the Penguins earned him admiration. His dedication to hockey — at both the NHL and international levels — earned him the enduring appreciation and thanks of everyone associated with the game. We celebrate his playing career and wish him only the best in the future.”
— NHL commissioner Gary Bettman

“It’s tough to see that happen. He’s done so much for the game of hockey, so much for the city of Pittsburgh, keeping the Penguins here, doing everything he can possible to keep them here. He’s a wonderful person and obviously he’s one of the best players to ever play the game.”
— Mark Recchi, Penguins teammate and longtime rival with the Philadelphia Flyers

“It’s hard for me, being so young, to put myself in his shoes and understand what he’s going through. But all I can do is really imagine what it feels like to be in that situation. I think it’s a very tough thing to have to do that if he wasn’t going through what he’s been through. For someone to not be playing hockey to go through what he has is tough enough. But to do that and do what he’s done on the ice is unbelievable.”
— Sidney Crosby, Penguins rookie star

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“He, (Wayne) Gretzky and Gordie (Howe), for me, personally, are the guys. Special player, special person, special talent.”
— Philadelphia Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock

“It was a great challenge playing against him. I really looked forward to facing him and was fortunate to be able to play with him internationally. He took care of business on and off the ice and certainly will be missed.”
— New Jersey goalie Martin Brodeur

Slide show   Lemieux retires Click to see pictures from the career of one of hockey's greatest stars.

“He played at an unbelievable level. I remember when we won our first Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh in 1991 and we were celebrating, and he picked me up like I was a 5-year-old — and I weighed 205. I went around trying to lift up other guys and I couldn’t do it. He was just so strong.”
— Hall of Fame forward Bryan Trottier, a former Lemieux teammate

“Selfishly, you’d always like to see him. He is and was such a talent. Whether he’s 20 or 30 or 40, you were always mesmerized by what you would see him do. Whether it was preseason, regular season or postseason, he always played the game with such control and such style. It’s a great loss.”
— Columbus Blue Jackets president and general manager Doug MacLean

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