Mario Lemieux Net Worth and Biography

Mario Lemieux is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player, with an estimated net worth of $200 Million. He played his whole National Hockey League (NHL) career (17 Seasons) with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 1984 to 2006. He is known as the Magnificent One and is widely regarded as one of the greatest hockey players of all time.

Bio Data

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Biography

Mario Lemieux was born in Montreal to Pierrette and Jean-Guy Lemieux. He began playing hockey at age three in his basement; before using real equipment, he and his brothers used wooden kitchen spoons as hockey sticks and bottle caps as pucks.

His father created a rink on the front lawn so he and his siblings could practice as much as possible. According to family legend, the family sometimes packed snow onto the living room carpet so the brothers could practice indoors when it was dark.

Lemieux started his career with the Laval Voisins of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He broke the league record for points in a season with 282 (133 goals, 149 assists) in 70 games. In his last game of the regular season, he broke Guy Lafleur’s record of 130 goals; scoring six goals in a 16–4 victory.

During the playoffs, he scored 29 goals and earned 52 points in 14 games, and led his team to a berth in the 1984 Memorial Cup. He also played in the 1983 World Junior Hockey Championships.  He finished his QMJHL career with 562 points (247 goals, 315 assists) in three seasons.

Career

Mario Lemieux was drafted first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. He made his debut in the same year and led the team to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992. 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’s career was plagued by health problems and was never able to play a full season. He missed the entire 1994–95 season due to Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Despite his lengthy absences from the game, Lemieux’s play remained at a high level upon his return to the ice; he won the Hart Trophy and scoring title in 1995–96 after sitting out the entire previous season.

He retired on two occasions due to these health issues, first in 1997 after battling lymphoma before returning in 2000, and then a second and final time in 2006 after being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation. He played his final game on December 16, 2005.

At the time of his retirement, he was the NHL’s seventh-highest career points scorer with 690 goals and 1,033 assists.  He also ranks second in career goals-per-game average in NHL history behind Mike Bossy; career assists-per-game average and points-per-game average, behind Wayne Gretzky.

In 1999, he bought the then-bankrupt Penguins and their top minor-league affiliate. Under his ownership, the Penguins won additional titles in 2009, 2016, and 2017. He is the only man to have his name on the Cup both as a player and owner.

Mario Lemieux was the team’s principal owner until selling a controlling interest in the team to Fenway Sports Group in 2021. He, however, remains part-owner and chairman of the board.

Honors and Accolades

Mario Lemieux is a recipient of numerous honors and accolades thanks to his ability as a gifted playmaker and fast skater.  He won the Lester B. Pearson Award as the most outstanding player voted by the players four times, and the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player (MVP) during the regular season three times.

He also the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s points leader six times, and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP in 1991 and 1992. Lemieux is 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.

The Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Lemieux immediately after his first retirement in 1997, waiving the normal three-year waiting period; upon his return in 2000, he became the third Hall of Famer (after Gordie Howe and Guy Lafleur) to play after being inducted

In 2004, he was inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame and was named one of the “100 Greatest NHL Players” by the NHL in 2017.

Mario Lemieux Net Worth

Mario Lemieux is one of the richest hockey players in the world, with an estimated net worth of $200 Million. He was one of the highest-paid hockey players in the world, while in his prime. He was earning as much as 10 Million dollars annually.

When the Penguins declared bankruptcy in 1999, one of their biggest creditors was Mario Lemieux. The Penguins owed Mario $32.5 million in deferred salary. In order to save the team from complete financial ruin, Lemieux offered to convert $20 million of the $32.5 million in salary he was owed into ownership equity.

He was also given the opportunity to put together a new team of investors to buy the entire franchise. Mario then partnered with billionaire investor Ron Burkle (who chipped in $20 million) and John Surma (who chipped in $2 million) to buy the entire team for $107 million.

He was the first NHL player to be the majority owner of his former team. Although he initially took the role of president, CEO, and chairman, he later relinquished the first two positions.