According to sources the final plans for a statue of Mario Lemieux to grace the front of the new Consol Energy Center are complete. The only thing missing is the statue itself. Someone within the Pens organization last year told me what they thought the statue would be. I have heard a couple rumors about what it will be now. I don’t really care.

Lemieux deserves a statue as the great player he was. Even if he did jerk the fans of Pittsburgh around when the whole concept of a new arena was in doubt.

Whatever the statue ultimately looks like, this is what the statue should look like.

In the center there should be Mario Lemieux, triumphant after scoring his very first NHL goal. Around him, at his feet should be four or five children who are now NHL stars that grew up watching him play, looking up in awe. They should each be wearing Jerseys with their names and numbers on the back but no team logos on the front. One of those kids, and he should stand out from the rest, should be Sidney Crosby.

Do this and you successfully pay tribute to Mario’s great playing career and manage to make a statement about the impact Mario had on the game off the ice and above and beyond scoring goals at will against hapless defensemen. You even tie the old nicely in with the new.

Just my opinion.