Mario Lemieux

Canadian ice hockey player

Born: October 5, 1965

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Who is Mario Lemieux?

Mario Lemieux (; French: [ləmjø]; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played parts of 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 1984 and 2005, and he assumed ownership of the franchise in 1999. Under his ownership, the Penguins won additional titles in 2009, 2016, and 2017.

Lemieux playing for the Laval Voisins of the QMJHL in 1984

Historical significance

Nicknamed "the Magnificent One" ("Le Magnifique") and "Super Mario", Lemieux is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time for his combination of size, strength, athleticism, and creativity. Drafted first overall by the Penguins in the 1984 NHL entry draft, Lemieux led Pittsburgh to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992. He is the only man to have his name on the Cup both as a player and owner. 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 in action for Pittsburgh in 1988

Sources and further reading

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Wikipedia source

Cite this page

MLA

“Mario Lemieux.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/mario-lemieux/. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

APA

Mario Lemieux. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/mario-lemieux/

Chicago

“Mario Lemieux.” thisDay. Accessed October 5, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/mario-lemieux/.

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