Mario Lemieux facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mario Lemieux OC CQ
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1997
Lemieux in 2012
Born	(1965-10-05) October 5, 1965 (age 59) Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	235 lb (107 kg; 16 st 11 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Right
Played for	Pittsburgh Penguins
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	1st overall, 1984 Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career	1984–1997 2000–2006
Medal record Representing Canada Men's ice hockey Olympic Games Gold 2002 Salt Lake City World Championships Silver 1985 Czechoslovakia Canada Cup Gold 1987 Canada World Cup Gold 2004 World Cup of Hockey World Junior Championships Bronze 1983 Soviet Union

Mario Lemieux (born October 5, 1965) is a famous Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played for the Pittsburgh Penguins in the National Hockey League (NHL) for parts of 17 seasons, from 1984 to 2005. Later, in 1999, he even became the owner of the team! People called him "the Magnificent One" or "Super Mario" because he was so good. Many think he is one of the greatest hockey players ever. He was known for his size, strength, athletic skills, and amazing creativity on the ice.

Lemieux was picked first overall by the Penguins in the 1984 NHL Draft. He led Pittsburgh to win two Stanley Cup championships in a row, in 1991 and 1992. As an owner, he saw the Penguins win three more Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016, and 2017. He is the only person to have his name on the Stanley Cup as both a player and an owner. He also helped Team Canada win an Olympic gold medal in 2002. He also won the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and the 1987 Canada Cup. Lemieux won many awards, including the Ted Lindsay Award four times as the best player voted by other players. He won the Hart Memorial Trophy three times as the NHL's most valuable player (MVP) in the regular season. He also won the Art Ross Trophy six times for leading the league in points. He was the playoffs MVP, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1991 and 1992. In 1988, he did something no other player has done: he scored a goal in every possible way in a single NHL game! When he retired, he was one of the NHL's top scorers.

Mario Lemieux's career was often affected by health problems. He played in only 915 out of a possible 1,430 regular season games. His health issues included back problems and a serious illness called Hodgkin's lymphoma. Sometimes his back pain was so bad that others had to tie his skates. He retired twice because of these health issues. First in 1997, after battling lymphoma, and then he returned in 2000. He retired for good in 2006. Even with these long breaks, he played at a very high level. For example, he won the Hart Trophy and scoring title in 1995–96 after missing a whole season. In 1999, he bought the Penguins team when they were having financial troubles. He was the main owner until 2021, but he is still a part-owner and chairman.

The Hockey Hall of Fame put Lemieux in right after his first retirement in 1997. They usually make players wait three years, but they made an exception for him. When he came back to play in 2000, he became one of only three Hall of Famers to play after being inducted. Many people say Mario Lemieux saved the Pittsburgh Penguins team. Other hockey legends like Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr said the game would miss him greatly. They also wondered how much more he could have achieved if he hadn't had so many health issues. In 2017, he was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players".

Early Life and Hockey Beginnings

Mario Lemieux was born in Montreal, Canada, on October 5, 1965. His mother, Pierrette, stayed at home, and his father, Jean-Guy, was an engineer. Mario and his older brothers, Alain and Richard, grew up in a regular working-class family.

Mario started playing hockey when he was just three years old in his basement. Before they had real equipment, he and his brothers used wooden kitchen spoons as hockey sticks and bottle caps as pucks! His father even made a rink on their front lawn so the boys could practice a lot. Family stories say they sometimes put snow on the living room carpet to practice indoors when it was dark outside.

Mario played on the same youth hockey team as future NHL players Marc Bergevin and J. J. Daigneault.

Lemieux playing for the Laval Voisins in 1984

Lemieux began his junior hockey career with the Laval Voisins in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). When he was drafted at age 15, he said he would break league records. He asked his coach to let him play on a forward line with Jacques Goyette during the 1983–84 QMJHL season. This worked out great! Lemieux broke the league record for points in a season with 282 points (133 goals, 149 assists) in just 70 games. In his last regular season game, he needed three goals to tie a record. He ended up scoring six goals and adding six assists in a huge 16–4 win! He led his team to the 1984 Memorial Cup playoffs.

Lemieux finished his QMJHL career with 562 points (247 goals, 315 assists) in three seasons. Before the 1984 NHL Draft, Lemieux and his agent had trouble agreeing on a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Because of this, when the Penguins picked him first overall, he didn't shake the general manager's hand or put on the team jersey, which is usually done. He said he was upset about the contract talks. Even though the draft was in Montreal, over 3,000 fans watched a broadcast in Pittsburgh's Civic Arena. This was a lot, since a typical Penguins game had fewer than 7,000 fans back then. After the draft, the Penguins signed Lemieux to a two-year contract.

Playing Career Highlights

Early NHL Years: 1984–1988

When Lemieux started his career, the Penguins team was having money problems. There were even rumors that the team might move away from Pittsburgh. They hadn't made the playoffs since 1982.

Mario Lemieux played his first NHL game on October 11, 1984, against the Boston Bruins. On his very first shift, he stole the puck from a famous player, Ray Bourque, and scored a goal with his first shot in the NHL! Later that season, Lemieux played in the National Hockey League All-Star Game. He became the first rookie ever to be named the All-Star Game's Most Valuable Player (MVP). Even though he missed seven games, Lemieux scored 100 points and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the best rookie of the year.

The next season, Lemieux finished second in league scoring with 141 points. He won the Lester B. Pearson Award as the NHL's best regular-season player, as voted by other players. Lemieux missed 17 games in the 1986–87 season, and the Penguins didn't make the playoffs. However, he played in the Canada Cup in the summer of 1987. He set a tournament record with 11 goals in 9 games. His last goal won the game for Canada against the Soviet team with only 1 minute and 26 seconds left! Lemieux said this experience helped him play even better later on.

By the 1987–88 season, Wayne Gretzky had won seven scoring titles in a row. But that season, Lemieux scored 168 points and won his first NHL scoring title! He also won his first Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player for his team. He also won the All-Star Game MVP award again. Even with Lemieux's success, the Penguins missed the playoffs by just one point. But they did have their first winning season in nine years.

Amazing Scoring: 1988–1992

In the 1988–89 season, Lemieux led the league with 114 assists and 85 goals, for a total of 199 points. He is the only player to come close to Gretzky's huge 200+ point seasons. Lemieux set several new records. He became the second player to score 70 or more goals in two seasons. He was also the only player to score 13 shorthanded goals (goals scored when his team had fewer players on the ice) in one season. Thanks to Lemieux's great play, the Penguins made the playoffs for the first time in seven years.

A very memorable moment for Lemieux was on December 31, 1988, against the New Jersey Devils. In that game, Lemieux scored eight points and became the only player in NHL history to score a goal in all five possible game situations in the same game:

• Even-strength (both teams have the same number of players)
• Power-play (his team had more players on the ice)
• Shorthanded (his team had fewer players on the ice)
• Penalty shot (a one-on-one shot against the goalie)
• Empty-net (when the other team's goalie is off the ice)

Lemieux had another amazing game in the playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers on April 25, 1989. He scored five goals and had eight points in a 10–7 win. He tied NHL records for most goals and points in a playoff game. However, the Penguins lost that series.

During the 1989–90 season, Lemieux scored at least one point in 46 games in a row. This streak was second only to Gretzky's 51-game streak. Lemieux won his third All-Star Game MVP award. Even though he missed 21 games, he finished fourth in the league in scoring with 123 points. The Penguins did not make the playoffs that year.

Lemieux's back injury became worse, and he had surgery on July 11, 1990. He missed 50 games in the 1990–91 season. While he was out, the Penguins added new players like Ron Francis. Even with a lot of back pain, Lemieux scored 16 goals and 28 assists in the playoffs. He led the Penguins to win their first ever Stanley Cup against the Minnesota North Stars. Lemieux won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs' most valuable player. His 44 playoff points are second only to Gretzky's 47 in 1985.

One of the most famous goals in NHL history was scored by Lemieux in Game 2 of the 1991 Stanley Cup Finals. He skated by himself through two defensemen and the goalie. He put the puck through one defender's legs, skated around him, made the goalie move to one side, then switched the puck to his backhand and slid it into the net before crashing into the net himself. This goal is still shown in hockey highlights today.

Lemieux played only 64 games in the 1991–92 season because of injuries. But he still won his third Art Ross Trophy with 131 points. During the playoffs, a player from the New York Rangers hit Lemieux's left hand, breaking it. Lemieux missed five games, but still led the playoffs in goals and assists. The Penguins then beat the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals to win their second Stanley Cup in a row! Lemieux won the Conn Smythe Trophy again. He had an amazing 78 points in the 1991 and 1992 playoffs combined.

Health Challenges and First Retirement: 1992–1997

Lemieux in 1992

The Penguins started the 1992–93 season very well. Lemieux set a team record by scoring at least one goal in twelve games in a row. He was on track to break Gretzky's records for goals and points in a season. But on January 12, 1993, he announced that he had been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of cancer. He had strong treatments that made him miss two months of playing. When Lemieux returned, he was 12 points behind another player in the scoring race.

On the day of his last treatment, Lemieux flew to Philadelphia to play against the Philadelphia Flyers. He scored a goal and an assist in the game. Before the game, fans in Philadelphia gave Lemieux a standing ovation, which is very rare for a visiting player. With Lemieux back, Pittsburgh won an NHL record 17 games in a row! They finished first overall for the first time in team history. Lemieux scored an incredible 2.67 points per game. He won his fourth scoring title, finishing with 160 points (69 goals, 91 assists) in only 60 games. He beat the second-place player by 12 points, even though he played 24 fewer games!

The Penguins won their first playoff series but then lost to the New York Islanders. After the season, Lemieux won his second Hart Trophy. He also won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is given to a player who shows great determination and dedication to hockey.

On July 23, 1993, Lemieux had another back surgery. He missed the first ten games of the next season and then 48 more games due to the injury. After that season, he said he would take a break from hockey because he was very tired from his cancer treatments.

Lemieux returned for the 1995–96 season. On October 26, 1995, he scored his 500th career goal in his 605th game. Only Gretzky reached 500 goals faster. Lemieux finished the season with 69 goals and 92 assists to lead the league. He became the seventh player to win three Hart Trophies and the fourth player to win five Art Ross Trophies. The Penguins made it to the Eastern Conference Final but lost.

The next season, Lemieux scored his 600th career goal. He also had his tenth season with 100 or more points. In his last game against his hometown team, Montreal, Lemieux tied an NHL record by scoring four goals in one period. Lemieux won his sixth scoring title with 122 points. On April 6, 1997, Lemieux announced he would retire after the playoffs. The Penguins lost in the first round. In his final game, Lemieux scored a goal and an assist. Even though the Philadelphia crowd was usually not friendly, they gave Lemieux a standing ovation after the game. When he first retired, Lemieux was the only player to leave the NHL with more than 2 points per game on average. On November 17, 1997, Lemieux was put into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He was one of only a few players to have the usual three-year waiting period waived.

Becoming an Owner: 1997–2000

The Penguins had spent a lot of money in the early 1990s, and by the late 1990s, the team was in serious financial trouble. The owners owed a lot of money. The team even asked Lemieux and other players to wait to get paid their salaries. The situation became so bad that the Penguins had to declare bankruptcy in November 1998. It looked like the team might move out of Pittsburgh or even stop playing.

At this point, Mario Lemieux stepped in with a unique idea to buy the team. The team owed him $32.5 million in unpaid salaries. He suggested turning $20 million of that into ownership shares, plus adding $5 million in cash. This would give him control of the team. He also promised to keep the team in Pittsburgh. The court approved his plan, and the NHL also approved him as an owner. This made the retired star the first former NHL player to become the main owner of his old team. Lemieux took on roles as president, chairman, and CEO of the Penguins.

Lemieux's plan was designed to pay back everyone the team owed money to. In his first season as owner, the Penguins went from losing $16 million to making a small profit. Ticket sales went up after Lemieux took over, and even more after he came back to play in 2000. In 2005, it was reported that the Penguins had paid back all their debts. Lemieux was given a lot of credit for insisting that everyone owed money should be paid. He later gave up the president and CEO roles but remained chairman and principal owner. In 2006, Lemieux said the team was for sale, but only to someone who would keep the team in Pittsburgh.

Coming Back to Play: 2000–2006

Lemieux in 2001

In late 2000, there were rumors that Lemieux was planning to play hockey again. When he announced his comeback, he also signed a big deal with Nike to wear their equipment and promote their products. Lemieux said one reason he came back was that his only son, Austin, who was four at the time, wanted to see his dad play.

On December 27, 2000, he returned to the NHL against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The game was shown on TV across North America. Lemieux showed he still had his scoring touch by getting a goal and three points, including an assist just 33 seconds into his first shift! Even though Jaromír Jágr was still the Penguins' captain, Lemieux was named captain of the North American All-Stars for the midseason All-Star game. Despite playing in only 43 games in 2000–01, Lemieux scored 76 points. He had the highest points-per-game average among all NHL players that season. He was also a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy.

Lemieux led the Penguins in the playoffs that year. His team surprised many by reaching the Eastern Conference finals. They beat the Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres. However, the Penguins lost to the New Jersey Devils in five games. Lemieux finished his last playoff game in the penalty box. Afterwards, he signed his stick and gave it to a young fan.

Before the 2001–02 season, Pittsburgh had to trade most of their expensive players. The team then struggled and missed the playoffs for the next four seasons. Lemieux became captain again. However, he only played in 24 games that season due to injuries. He also missed some Penguins games so he could be in good shape to play in the 2002 Winter Olympics, which was his only chance to play in the Olympics.

In 2002–03, at age 37, Lemieux led the NHL in scoring for most of the season. But he missed many games near the end and finished eighth in scoring with 91 points in only 67 games. Lemieux missed almost all games during the 2003–04 season due to injuries.

Lemieux in 2005, during his final season

After the NHL lockout (when players and owners couldn't agree on rules), Lemieux returned for the 2005–06 season. There was a lot of hope for the Penguins because of new rules that helped teams compete for star players. Also, the Penguins won the lottery for the first draft pick, which allowed them to choose Sidney Crosby. Lemieux even opened his home to Crosby to help the young player settle in Pittsburgh, and he became Crosby's mentor.

Player and Owner Status

Lemieux was in a unique position as both a player and an owner. This meant he had to be careful during NHL labor talks. Because he was an owner, he was no longer a member of the players' union, but he still paid union fees to keep his pension. He did not vote in owners' meetings, letting a Penguins vice-president do that. He suggested that the NHL use a salary cap, like the National Football League. Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky tried to bring the players and owners together to save the 2004–05 season, but they couldn't reach an agreement, and the season was cancelled.

After Playing Hockey

On January 24, 2006, Mario Lemieux announced his second and final retirement from professional hockey at age 40. In his last season, he was still scoring well (22 points in 26 games), but he said, "I can no longer play at a level I was used to in the past." He was also dealing with an irregular heartbeat.

Lemieux next to Ronald Burkle during the 2009 Stanley Cup victory parade

In October 2006, Lemieux's ownership group announced they had agreed to sell the Penguins. However, the buyer later changed his mind. Lemieux was upset and initially refused to return the buyer's money.

On March 13, 2007, Lemieux's ownership group announced a final agreement for a new arena to be built for the team. This deal keeps the Penguins in Pittsburgh for at least 30 years. Lemieux was very important in making this deal happen, even though there were efforts to move the team to Kansas City.

The Penguins returned to the playoffs. They lost in 2007 and made it to the finals in 2008, where they lost to the Detroit Red Wings. But on June 12, 2009, Lemieux won his third Stanley Cup title, this time as an owner, when the Penguins beat the Red Wings in seven games. In 2016, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup again, giving Lemieux his fourth Cup, his second as an owner. Almost exactly a year later, on June 11, 2017, Lemieux won his third Stanley Cup as an owner.

International Play

Lemieux played for Canada in several international tournaments:

• 1983 World Junior Championships (won a bronze medal)
• 1985 World Championships (won a silver medal)
• 1987 Canada Cup (won the championship)
• 2002 Winter Olympics (captain, won a gold medal)
• 2004 World Cup of Hockey (captain, won the championship)

At the 2002 Winter Olympics, Wayne Gretzky chose Lemieux to be the captain of the Canadian men's team. The team had not won a gold medal in 50 years, but they were still expected to win. Lemieux was second in team scoring with six points in five games. He led the team to a gold medal by beating the United States 5–2 in the final game. Lemieux showed his amazing hockey smarts during that gold medal game. With Canada behind 1–0, Lemieux made a very clever play. He faked like he was going to shoot, letting the puck slide through his legs to Paul Kariya, who then scored into an open net. During the tournament, his hip injury needed pain shots to keep him playing.

He played in his last international event in 2004, again captaining Team Canada to victory in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He was still one of Team Canada's top scorers, even though he was 38 years old and had injuries. Lemieux was also chosen for the 2006 Winter Olympics but declined due to his health.

Personal Life

Mario Lemieux married Nathalie Asselin on June 26, 1993. They have four children: Lauren, Stephanie, Austin Nicholas, and Alexa. Their son, Austin, was born very early and weighed only two pounds, five ounces, but he is healthy today. Austin even played college hockey at Arizona State University. The family lives in a suburb of Pittsburgh.

Lemieux has often opened his home to young Penguins stars to help them get settled in Pittsburgh. He did this for Jaromír Jágr when he was drafted, and later for Marc-André Fleury and Sidney Crosby.

In 2009, Lemieux was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec. In 2010, he was made an Officer of the Order of Canada for his contributions as a gifted player, an inspiring role model, and for his charity work.

Charitable Work

In 1993, the same year he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, Lemieux started the Mario Lemieux Foundation. This foundation helps fund medical research projects. It also supports other groups that fight diseases like cancer. In 2007, he helped start Athletes for Hope, a charity that helps professional athletes get involved in good causes.

When their son, Austin, was born early in 1996, the Lemieux family spent a lot of time in the hospital with him. They noticed that the older children didn't have a place to play in the hospital. So, Nathalie Lemieux had an idea to create "Austin's Playroom Project" through the Lemieux Foundation. This project builds playrooms in hospitals across the U.S. These rooms give both children who are patients and their healthy brothers and sisters a place to play and just "be kids" while they are at the hospital.

Legacy and Recognition

Lemieux exhibit at the Hockey Hall of Fame

A statue honoring Mario Lemieux was put up in Pittsburgh on March 7, 2012. It is outside the arena where the Penguins play. The statue shows a famous play from a 1988 game where Lemieux skated between two defensemen to score a goal.

In 1992, a candy company made a "Mario Bar" candy, with his picture on the wrapper and collector cards inside.

In 1998, he was ranked number 4 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players. This was the highest ranking for a French Canadian player and for a player who spent his whole career with one team. His jersey number, 66, has been retired by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Team Canada, and his junior team, the Laval Titan. He was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2004 and the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2008.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

Bold indicates led league

International Play Statistics

Medal record
Representing  Canada
Men's Ice hockey
World Cup
Gold	2004 World Cup
Olympic Games
Gold	2002 Salt Lake City
Canada Cup
Gold	1987 Canada
World Championships
Silver	1985 Czechoslovakia
World Junior Championships
Bronze	1983 Soviet Union

NHL All-Star Games

Awards and Honors

NHL Awards

Lemieux holding the Stanley Cup in Nashville, 2017.

^* Stanley cup champion as an owner.

International Awards

International

Award	Year
Canada Cup	1987
Winter Olympic Games	2002
World Cup of Hockey	2004
IIHF Hall of Fame	2008

Other Awards and Honors

Lemieux's star on Canada's Walk of Fame

• Order of Canada 2009 – He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada for his amazing hockey skills, being a role model, and for his charity work.
• National Order of Quebec 2009
• Canada's Walk of Fame 2004
• Order of Hockey in Canada recipient 2016
• In 1998, he was ranked #4 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players.
• His jersey number 66 has been retired by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Team Canada, and his junior team, Laval Titan.
• Named to the IIHF All-Time Canada Team in 2020.
• Inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.

Celebrity Golf

Lemieux has played in the American Century Championship. This is a yearly competition to find the best golfers among famous American sports and entertainment celebrities. He won the tournament in 1998. The tournament is played at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

See also

• 50 goals in 50 games
• List of NHL players with 500 goals
• List of NHL career assists leaders
• List of NHL statistical leaders