Mario Lemieux

Lore & Background

Lemieux was drafted first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1984 NHL entry draft. He debuted on October 11, 1984, against the Boston Bruins, scoring a goal on his first NHL shot. He led Pittsburgh to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992. Under his ownership, the Penguins won additional titles in 2009, 2016, and 2017. He also led Team Canada to an Olympic gold medal in 2002, a championship at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and a Canada Cup in 1987.

Lemieux's career was plagued by health problems that limited him to 915 of a possible 1,430 regular season games. His ailments included spinal disc herniation, Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic tendinitis of a hip-flexor muscle, and chronic back pain so severe that other people had to tie his skates. He retired on two occasions due to these health issues, first in 1997 after battling lymphoma before returning in 2000, and then a second and final time in 2006 after being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. Despite his lengthy absences, his play remained at a high level; he won the Hart Trophy and scoring title in 1995–96 after sitting out the entire previous season.

Lemieux was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame immediately after his first retirement in 1997, waiving the normal three-year waiting period. Upon his return in 2000, he became the third Hall of Famer to play after being inducted. He was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in 2017, and was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2004 and the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2008.

Reader's Guide

Lemieux's impact on the NHL has been significant. Andrew Conte of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review called him the saviour of the Pittsburgh Penguins. After Lemieux's retirement, Wayne Gretzky commented, 'You don't replace players like Mario Lemieux ... The game will miss him.' Bobby Orr called him 'the most talented player I've ever seen.' Orr, along with Bryan Trottier and numerous fans, speculated that if Lemieux had had fewer health issues, his on-ice achievements would have been much greater. At the time of his retirement, he was the NHL's seventh-highest career points scorer. He ranks second in NHL history with a 0.754 career goals-per-game average, behind Mike Bossy (0.762), and second in assists-per-game average (1.129) and points-per-game average (1.883), both behind Wayne Gretzky. He is the only player to score a goal in each of the five possible situations in a single NHL game, a feat he accomplished in 1988. In 1999, he bought the then-bankrupt Penguins and their top minor-league affiliate, and was the team's principal owner until selling controlling interest in 2021, remaining part-owner and chairman of the board.

Did You Know?

• He was on pace for 188 points in 1995–96 but only played in 70 games.
• Lemieux's father created a rink on the front lawn so the boys could practice, and the family sometimes packed snow onto the living room carpet for indoor practice.