Mario Lemieux, a renowned Canadian former professional ice hockey player, left an indelible mark on the sport during his illustrious career. Spanning parts of 17 National Hockey League (NHL) seasons, Lemieux played for the Pittsburgh Penguins from 1984 to 2006, assuming ownership of the team in 1999.
Nicknamed "The Magnificent One" and "Super Mario," Lemieux is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. His impressive on-ice accomplishments include leading the Penguins to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992, a feat he repeated under his ownership in 2009, 2016, and 2017.
As the only person to have his name on the Stanley Cup as both a player and an owner, Lemieux's legacy extends beyond his playing days. He captained Team Canada to an Olympic gold medal in 2002, a championship at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and a Canada Cup in 1987.
Throughout his career, Lemieux received numerous accolades, including the Lester B. Pearson Award as the most outstanding player voted by the players four times, the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player (MVP) during the regular season three times, the Art Ross Trophy as the league's points leader six times, and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP in 1991 and 1992.
A statistical marvel, Lemieux holds the distinction of being the only player to score one goal in each of the five possible situations in a single NHL game, a feat he accomplished in 1988. At the time of his retirement, he was the NHL's seventh-highest career points scorer with 690 goals and 1,033 assists.
Lemieux's impressive career statistics include a 0.754 career goals-per-game average, ranking him second in NHL history behind only Mike Bossy (0.762). In 2004, he was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame, a testament to his enduring impact on the sport.
The Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Lemieux immediately after his first retirement in 1997, waiving the normal three-year waiting period. Upon his return to the NHL in 2000, he became the third Hall of Famer (after Gordie Howe and Guy Lafleur) to play after being inducted.
In recognition of his significant contributions to the NHL, Lemieux was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in 2017, cementing his status as a hockey legend.
