He attacks his defensive duties with the same vigor he shows for offense, setting an example few teammates have the temerity to ignore. I play a little bit more defense, think a lot more defense, in the playoffs. He can elevate his game, plus the other people around him. It's a sense you get from his intensity come playoff time. Mind you, lots of players alter their games for the playoffs.
Scorers put real effort into playing in their own zone.
Guys who go through the regular season without a bruise throw their bodies in front of shots. Players who sleepwalk through the regular season work like they had a fistful of amphetamines at the team meal. Not that any of that closes the gap between the mortals and Lemieux. You're a little more conscious, defensively, and your energy level is a little higher. Lemieux's levels are higher than anybody else's to start with, and then when you raise them, he's going to be that much higher than everybody else.