If Mario Lemieux returns to the ice for 2003-04 season, he'll do so in a Pittsburgh Penguins uniform.

If he doesn't, the team's owner will be watching the Penguins from his Mellon Arena skybox.

Lemieux quashed a weekend report in the New York Post that claimed he was leaning toward dumping his financial interests in the team in order to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

"I am not considering selling my interest in the Pittsburgh Penguins," Lemieux said in a statement Monday. "As I said to our season ticket holders last week, I have not decided whether I will play in 2003-04.

"However, if I do play, it will be for the Pittsburgh Penguins."

The Post cited two "clued-in sources" for the basis of its report. Lemieux recently told confidantes that he wants to play three more seasons -- but none with the Penguins -- and desired New York as his next career stop, the Post reported.