Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQis a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and current owner for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played parts of 17 seasons with the National Hockey League'sPittsburgh Penguins between 1984 and 2006. Dubbed "The Magnificent One" or "Le Magnifique", he is widely acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. A gifted playmaker and fast skater despite his large size, Lemieux often beat defencemen with fakes and dekes...
NationalityCanadian
ProfessionHockey Player
Date of Birth5 October 1965
CityMontreal, Canada
CountryCanada
We have a system, but guys aren't playing together and aren't all on the same page. We start playing when we're down two or three goals and you can't do that. That comes from not preparing mentally to play the game.
I've had a chance to spend some time in L.A. with him, training and having dinners, and that's all he talks about, hockey, ... He knows the history of the game, loves to talk about the players and the teams. That's why I think he's going to be very successful, because he's dedicated his life to the game.
It's a different game we're playing now. It's a lot more skating and a lot less scrapping, and I think it's great.
It's a different game we're playing now, ... It's a lot more skating and a lot less scrapping, and I think it's great.
He was one of the best players out there, skating-wise and handling the puck.
He made some good plays out there and got the puck to the net.
I know he was nervous a little bit, but he played really well, ... He had some breakaways and fought along the boards. He made some good plays and got to the net. He's good on his skates and strong.
Depending on how we start the season, I can play center or wing... It doesn't matter to me.
When I'm able to see the ice ahead of time when I get the puck, I'm able to make some pretty good plays.
Once I'm at the arena with the guys in the dressing room, and in the bus, and on the plane, I'm a player. And I sit in the back with the players and I play cards and try to take their money.
It was great to play with some of my old linemates.
I have two main reasons for retiring. The first is I can no longer play at a level I was accustomed to in the past. That has been very, very frustrating to me throughout this past year. The second one is realizing my health, along with my family, is the most important thing in the world.
I can no longer play at a level I was accustomed to in the past.
I've gone through back surgery a couple times, and of course, my radiation treatments for six weeks got me to the point where I was not able to play at the level that I was accustomed to.