"I know how that is, those injuries, especially when you're getting older," said forward Martin Straka, who is seven years younger than Lemieux. "You think you're going to be back in a week and then you get stuck at a point where it's not getting any worse but it's not getting any better."

That looks to be precisely where Lemieux's recuperation stands. He walks with no apparent difficulty and has kept a fairly high profile -- when facing a major health crisis, Lemieux generally retreats from public view -- but he does not feel comfortable about going back on the ice.

He tried that a week ago, and quit after six minutes. Now, the plan is to stay off skates until at least Monday.

"Hopefully, next week will be the time that he gets back on the ice," Olczyk said.

Precisely how Lemieux feels about his latest setback isn't clear. He watched parts of yesterday's practice from a Mellon Arena runway after receiving treatment on his hip but declined to speak with reporters.

For much of his career, Lemieux's health has inspired more rumors than Madonna's personal life, and so it is with his current problem. There is talk in NHL circles -- talk that's heavy on speculation, light on substance -- of a muscle that's slightly torn, not simply strained. Of covert visits to specialists in other cities. Of fears that arthritis in his hip could sabotage what's left of Lemieux's career.

All very intriguing. And all, members of the Penguins' medical staff say privately, thoroughly unfounded. They contend there's nothing mysterious about Lemieux's condition; it simply isn't clearing up quickly enough to please anyone.

But while Lemieux is recovering slower than anyone expected, center Rico Fata -- who has an 11-9 edge on Lemieux in the team scoring race -- is getting healthy quicker than could have been foreseen.

Fata's left hamstring was strained Wednesday in New York, and he said the next day he had been advised to not test the leg for 7-10 days, and to expect to be out of uniform for at least two weeks. But he began riding a stationary bike Friday, and yesterday he got back on the ice.

Olczyk cautioned that "we'll see how he bounces back [today]" but volunteered that "maybe" Fata will be able to play against the Wild. That seems unduly optimistic -- especially when Fata could prolong his recovery if he returns too soon -- but his progress can be interpreted only as a positive for the Penguins.

Getting Lemeiux and Fata back would bolster an offense that is lackluster under the best of circumstances. The power play, in particular, would benefit from having Lemieux return. It is 2 for 31 during the six games he has missed, and usually looked crummy in the process.

"Obviously, our power play is going to be way better if Mario's in the lineup," Olczyk said. "No question about it."

Lemieux is an irreplaceable asset whose intangibles are almost as valuable as his talent. Still, he has moved in and out of the lineup dozens of times the past 19 years, so his teammates never should be totally surprised when his dressing-room stall is vacant.

Just as they surely should realize their professional survival might hinge on how they perform during the balance of Lemieux's absence, whether it's three games or three weeks.

"We miss him in the game and in the locker room, but what can you do?" right winger Aleksey Morozov said. "Everybody gets injuries. It's a tough sport.

"We'll just wait for him to come back, but until he comes back, we need to do our jobs."