While ESPN.com users understand why Mario Lemieux plans on sitting out a quarter of the Penguins' games next season, they don't necessarily agree with his decision or his motives.

I've always been a Penguins fan. So seeing Mario Lemieux coming back and dominating the way he did, was no surprise. About him missing a quarter of the games, it's not that big of a deal. He should do what ever it takes to keep himself healthy. I think that he will lead the league in scoring this year despite him missing that many games, and with his presence at the Olympics it should help Canada win the gold. Lemieux can only do good this year. The Penguins will go all the way this year, there is no need to worry Mario's back.

Irshad Ali
Pickering, Ontario

So he's only playing 75 percent or so of the games next season?? So what? I'm sick and tired of listening to whiners complaining about this. I'd rather have Mario play less games, be healthy and playing superb hockey, rather than play every game looking like an old beat-up hockey player. Remember about 10 years ago or so when he was challenging Wayne's "consecutive games with a point" streak? He fell just short. And by the time he had to stop playing, he looked like he was fifty. He's smart to realize that he can't play every game if he wants to play great hockey.

Rob Brander
Springfield, Va.

And Penguin fans got on Jaromir Jagr for sitting out games with injuries??? Will they apply the same rigid standard to their great savior now that he has decided to sit out games? Is Ivan Hlinka okay with it? Did anybody bother to get his opinion before the decision was made? I'm sure Mario would have been none to happy of Jagr would have suggested sitting out a fourth of the Penguins' games last year, so HE could be healthy and play a huge role in the playoffs. I'm sure Penguin fans would have been out in full force with their name-calling and ridiculing of Jagr. I wonder if that would have been approved. Jagr expressed his sadness in having to leave Pittsburgh. Maybe he should have just bought the team so he could have made arbitrary decisions about his own work schedule. What happens if Pittsburgh misses the playoffs by 4-10 points? Will anyone chastise Lemieux for missing important games down the stretch? Will anyone call him out for being selfish and forgetting that the team has to make the playoffs first?

Bruce Ciskie
Duluth, Minn.

There's no doubt that he is an outstanding player, but I question his commitment to the team if he takes time off to PREVENT injuries. He blasted Jagr for not performing when he was injured yet Jagr still played. I don't think one can be much more hypocritical than that. It's the NHL, not rec hockey and the possibility of injury is there for every game, not just back to backs.

Mr. Lamon
Morgantown, W. Va.

As a Penguin fan, if Lemieux feels he needs to take a rest on back to back nights to extent his career a few seasons then so what...because he will still play in all home games which is financially smart because there isn't revenue sharing in hockey. I feel bad for the people in Atlanta that will not get to see someone of his magnitude play this season! Eric Lindros has never played in a full season, so it's kind of the same thing. Lemieux played great last year...fizzled at the end of the playoffs...yet still far better than the horrible post season Jagr had. Lemieux is still great.

Rob Y.
Pittsburgh

We're talking about a guy who averages two points a game... If he plays at a level consistent with some of his "poorer" seasons, he's still notch 130 points or so in 65 games. Enough to win the Art Ross last year or any other. He did it by racking up 160 points in 60 games only a few years ago! He is still the best.

Andy
Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

If "Super" Mario had bothered to read the schedule, his proposed plan excludes two games against Jagr's Capitals, Philadelphia and Yashin and Peca's Isles, and one each against N.J., Toronto, and Boston. Most of these -- if not all -- are critical games to gauging the Pens vs. the East and it's very disappointing. I think the Pens will be lucky to grab the eighth seed and lose in the first round to Philly.

Dave O.
Gilmanton, N.H.

Mario still has all the skill, but doesn't play a physical game anymore. He plays in space, takes a pass and puts it in the net, but in the past, he used to undress guys one-on-one, and if he couldn't go around you, he had the size and will to go through you. I don't see any of that anymore. And come playoff time, that stuff matters. So what he brings is still point production, and perhaps more importantly, he puts butts in the seats (he's a living legend, and he SHOULD play in the Olympics), but it's not really a question of just having Mario 75 percent of the time. It's more like having "50 percent of Mario, 75 percent of the time." Certainly a lot of teams would love to have that, but he's not the dominating force anymore. And he won't have Jagr on his line anymore either to combine with for points, or to take heat off of himself. I think they'll get less points per game this year than last.

David B.
Cambridge, Mass.

I would take Mario Lemieux 75 percent of the time over 90 percent of the players in the NHL. If Pittsburgh fans don't like that I am sure Bruins fans would.

Mike D.
Boston

Mario Lemieux would play in more games if the league would have granted his team's request for less back to back games. He tried and the league gave him 17 sets. Mario will play 75 percent of the schedule and still beat out Jaromir Jagr and Joe Sakic for the Art Ross Trophy. As for Team Canada, he'll be the talk of the Olympics if he can lead his country to the gold, remember great human stories seem to be the norm around that time.

Eric Bowser
Spokane, Wash.

The new math: Mario x 75% = 1.77 points per game -- more than the Penguins or Team Canada had pre-Mario. The Pens can make the playoffs without Lemieux, as they managed to do each year while he was retired. Granted, that was with the help of Jagr, but that was also before a number of Penguins veterans stepped up to career years. As for Team Canada, he can only add to their gold medal hopes without creating a fraction of the distraction that Baby Lindros will bring along.

Philip Smoker
Waynesboro, Pa.

I definitely think Mario is handling this terribly.

It's showing big time that he is putting profit above playing time. It would have been one thing if Mario was sitting out of the Olympics. But the fact that he is playing, and that he is playing home games and sitting out back or front-end road games shows me that it's all about putting butts in the seats at the Igloo. And if the Pens happen to make it, great. More home games and more money for his franchise. It just goes to show how embarrassing it is for the NHL to allow an owner to play in the league without relinquishing his stock in the team. His actions are nothing short of robbery. Mario says he doesn't want to cheat the fans out of seeing him play at home. Doesn't he mean he doesn't want to cheat the franchise out of full houses and $5.00 personal pan pizzas at the concession stands?!?

I'm not knocking his talent, I'm questioning his motives.

Rosey
Philadelphia

Though playing only 75 percent of the season will leave him fresher for the playoffs, I think the key will be the number of minutes Mario puts in DURING the playoffs. Especially in the early rounds, when some of the games are back-to-back. Regardless of how fresh he is for the playoffs, I think Mario will run out of gas by the later rounds (provided the Pens make it that far) if he gives himself too much playing time per game.

Len Rasmussen
Navarre, Fla.

Playing 75 percent of the time won't be enough to get his arena, his only reason to continue his comeback. If he does not get an arena by the of this year get used to saying the Portland Penguins.

Jim Greene
Mechanicsville, Md.

I was a little disappointed to hear this. In my opinion it's kind of weak. I know he's part owner but, isn't it the coach's job to decide who plays every night? Besides the Pens are going to need him every night just to compete without Jagr. Their defense and goaltending are seriously mediocre. That could mean 20 more losses for the Pens. If he is too old to play 82 games, maybe he should have stayed in the front office.

Kyle Dood
Grand Rapids, Mich.