Itzhak Perlman Headlines Great Neck Park District’s Summer Concert Series
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Canada Mario Lemieux, a legendary ice hockey player and successful sports executive, has profoundly impacted the NHL, leading teams to multiple Stanley Cup victories as both a player and owner.
Mario Lemieux and longtime business partner Ron Burkle sold all of their remaining shares in the Penguins. Both now reportedly hold zero.
The partnership expands MSA's association with the Penguins, which was established in 2016. Under the new three-year agreement, the MSA Safety.
TV commercial for Campbell's Chunky
Upon announcing his comeback, Lemieux also signed a "career spanning deal" with Nike to wear their equipment on the ice, and to endorse their products off the ice. This deal would include Lemieux endorsing their line of footwear and their golf equipment. It is said that the deal was worth $500,000 (US) a season and would remain in effect for the rest of his career.
Local confectioner D. L. Clark Company produced a Mario Bar, modelled on the caramel Bun Bar, featuring his image on the packaging and including collectors' trading cards.
Mario Lemieux was born on October 5, 1965, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He began playing ice hockey at a young age, displaying exceptional talent. He was drafted first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, marking the beginning of his 17-season career with the team. Throughout his playing career from 1984 to 2006, Lemieux became known by nicknames “The Magnificent One” and “Super Mario,” leading the Penguins to two consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992. His career was marked by numerous individual accolades, including multiple Hart Trophies, Art Ross Trophies, and Conn Smythe Trophies, solidifying his status as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.
Lemieux’s career faced significant challenges due to recurring health issues, including spinal disc herniation, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, tendinitis, and chronic back pain, which limited him to a fraction of possible regular season games. Despite these setbacks and two retirements (first in 1997, returning in 2000, and finally retiring in 2006), he consistently performed at an elite level. His resilience was recognized with the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in 1993. Beyond his playing days, Lemieux made history by becoming the first former NHL player to own his former team when he purchased the financially struggling Pittsburgh Penguins in 1999. Under his ownership, the Penguins secured three more Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016, and 2017, making him the only individual to have his name on the Stanley Cup as both a player and an owner.
On the international stage, Lemieux proudly represented Canada, earning an Olympic gold medal in ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics and a championship at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. His contributions extended off the ice through the Mario Lemieux Foundation, established in 1993 following his cancer diagnosis, which supports medical research and charitable causes like “Austin’s Playroom Project.” His profound impact on hockey led to his immediate induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997, with the usual three-year waiting period waived, and he was later named one of the “100 Greatest NHL Players” in 2017.
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