| Hockey player Date of Birth: 05.10.1965 Country: Canada |
Canadian hockey player, center, long-time captain, and current owner of the NHL club "Pittsburgh Penguins," Mario Lemieux was born on October 5, 1965, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Before joining the NHL, Lemieux played in the youth league of the Quebec province, where French was predominantly spoken. As a result, he initially had difficulties communicating in English-speaking Pittsburgh. Feeling embarrassed about his poor English, Lemieux preferred to remain silent, and this had an impact on his future communication style with the press. Despite dreaming of playing for the renowned "Canadiens," Lemieux was selected by the worst NHL team at the time, the "Pittsburgh Penguins," in the 1984 draft. He was so disappointed that he initially refused to sign a very good contract for an 18-year-old rookie with the Penguins.
Lemieux scored his first goal in the NHL on October 11, 1984, during his first shift against the "Boston Bruins." However, his team failed to make the playoffs in his rookie season. Lemieux then went on to win a silver medal in the 1985 World Championships as part of Team Canada, where he gained international recognition as a new superstar.
In the 1985/86 season, Lemieux scored 141 points (48 goals + 93 assists). In the following seasons, he continued to excel, scoring 107 points (54 goals + 53 assists) in 1986/87 and 168 points (70 goals + 98 assists) in 1987/88. He won individual awards such as the Art Ross Trophy (given to the leading scorer) and the Hart Trophy (awarded to the most valuable player) in 1987/88. Lemieux continued to dominate the league with 199 points (85 goals + 114 assists) in 1988/89 and 123 points (45 goals + 78 assists) in 1989/90.
During the 1990/91 season, Lemieux began experiencing severe back pain. Despite undergoing two successful surgeries, the pain persisted, and he had to miss several games in the following seasons. In the 1991/92 season, Lemieux led the Penguins to their first Stanley Cup victory, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. However, tragedy struck when their head coach, Bob Johnson, passed away just five months after their victory. This period became a significant psychological challenge for Lemieux.
After battling through injuries and health issues, Lemieux returned to the NHL and led the Penguins to multiple successful seasons. In the 1992/93 season, he recorded 160 points, with an impressive plus-minus rating of +55. However, in January 1993, Lemieux received a devastating diagnosis of Hodgkin's disease, a type of cancer. Despite undergoing treatment, he made a remarkable comeback and helped the Penguins set an NHL record by winning 17 consecutive games.
Lemieux continued to play intermittently due to his back pain, eventually retiring from professional hockey on April 5, 1997. Throughout his career, Lemieux achieved numerous milestones and set records in scoring. He left a lasting impact on the sport and remains one of the greatest players in NHL history.