PITTSBURGH – Newsflash! Jaromir Jagr smiled. Jaromir Jagr didn't complain. And this was after a game when he had to speak with the media.

NHL: Take notice

Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux might be unstoppable. OK, that might be a little much, though the Maple Leafs didn't exactly put up much of a fight. But if you break down Lemieux's goal in the second period, it's clear that these guys have limitless potential on the ice. The play began when Lemieux got the puck just past his defensive blue line. He rifled a cross-ice pass to Jagr. Jagr carried the puck into the Toronto zone, pushed hard and then did a "Gretzky turn" back toward the blue line, creating space and time. Trailing the play through the middle, Lemieux skated between two Maple Leaf defenders and toward the net. Jagr delayed before sending a pass to Lemieux in traffic. Lemieux shot a one-timer past Maple Leafs goalie Curtis Joseph, who couldn't get across the crease in time to stop the puck, which went between his legs. With their combined size and skill, no duo in the league can compare. The most notable tandem in the league might be Teemu Selanne and Paul Kariya – before this season, at least – but Jagr and Lemieux seem capable of far more damage. And Lemieux has played only one game so far this season. In the final analysis, Pittsburgh could end up that rare team which can offset its weaknesses with one line. The Penguins have question marks – goalie, grit, coaching – but the way Jagr and Lemieux looked Wednesday night, it might not affect the team's chances for success. – Brian A. Shactman

So how fun was playing on a line with Mario Lemieux in his comeback game?

In Jagr's words: "Oh, by far, it was the most fun I've had all year. We had the puck on our sticks all the time. That's a lot of fun."

Jagr wasn't exactly bouncing off the walls after the Pittsburgh Penguins' 5-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, but the All-Star right winger seemed calmer and more relaxed. Finally, someone was around to take the heat, to take the responsibility of leading the team. Yes, Jagr still wears the "C" but Lemieux doesn't need a captain's patch sewn on his sweater to show his leadership.

"When he (Lemieux) talks in the locker room, everyone stops what they're doing and listens," Penguins goalie Garth Snow said.

Jagr's on-ice assessment of Lemieux? "A lot of people had asked me the past few weeks how I thought he would play. I had no idea. I didn't know what to expect. What he did tonight, I didn't expect that at all."

Most would argue that any night when a player gets two goals, two assists and is a plus-4, that would qualify as an exceptionally enjoyable experience. Heck, most decent hockey players haven't had a game like that since squirts.

But Jagr's simple admission about having a little fun is significant. In the past month or so, it has become well known that Jagr wanted to be traded. The $10 million Czech couldn't handle his poor play – for his standards – and he couldn't stomach the accompanying criticism.

He whined. He complained. The guy who always seemed to smile had a sour puss.

So now that Lemieux – the one player who could deflect attention away from Jagr – is back on the ice, will Jagr loosen up? Will he handle things better?

"I'm glad he's back, and I had fun tonight," Jagr said. "Hopefully, it's going to continue like that. If they tell me I'm not a good player anymore, I'm not too worried about (it). I don't care about that stuff anymore. I'm just going to go out and have fun and play the best I can."

Brian A. Shactman covers the NHL for ESPN.com.