PITTSBURGH -- After a Hall of Fame career that spanned 17 seasons and included two Stanley Cups, Pittsburgh Penguins center Mario Lemieux retired on Tuesday afternoon.
Acknowledging that his once-legendary skills had diminished, the 40-year-old Lemieux said he can't compete with younger, faster players who now dominate the game.
"I can no longer play at the level I was accustomed to in the past," Lemieux said. "This new NHL is really for the young guys. They are the future."
Choking up, Lemieux said he will greatly miss his teammates. He urged them to cherish whatever may lie ahead.
"All I can say to the young players is: Enjoy every moment of it. Your career goes by very quickly," Lemieux said. "It's a great game. You guys are all very special to me."
Lemieux has not dressed for the Penguins' last 17 games due to atrial fibrillation, a heart condition for which he has been taking medication.
"Even to this day, I'm not 100 percent," Lemieux said, adding that he had a minor episode last night and is considering surgery. "That was the most frustrating thing -- trying to play with it and practice with it."
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Staying healthy has been difficult for Lemieux throughout his career.
He missed all but 10 games of the previous NHL season because of a hip injury, and problems with the hip also limited his playing time in 2001-02. He has also undergone two back surgeries.
But a battle with Hodgkin's disease is his most famous medical issue. It forced Lemieux to leave the game temporarily in 1993, and again in 1994 because of fatigue from radiation treatments, but he returned and won his third MVP trophy in 1996.
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This is Lemieux's second retirement. He originally called it quits after the 1996-97 season but came back in December 2000.
Lemieux will finish his career seventh on the all-time scoring list with 1,723 points (690 goals and 1,033 assists).
Led by Lemieux, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 1991 and 1992. Those star-studded teams also included such names as Paul Coffey, Rick Tocchet, Bryan Trottier, Kevin Stevens and a teenage Jaromir Jagr.
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Known primarily for his hockey achievements, Lemieux has also been active in local charity efforts through the Mario Lemieux Foundation.
The Lemieux organization has given millions of dollars to The Children's Home of Pittsburgh; helped build childrens' playrooms at local hospitals; and raised funds for cancer and neonatal research through an annual celebrity golf tournament.
For the past few years, in addition to playing for the Pens, Lemieux has been trying to get a new arena built in Pittsburgh. He has said the team may move after its Mellon Arena lease expires in 2007.
Previous Stories:
January 19, 2006: Lemieux: Penguins Are For Sale
Acknowledging that his once-legendary skills had diminished, the 40-year-old Lemieux said he can't compete with younger, faster players who now dominate the game.
"I can no longer play at the level I was accustomed to in the past," Lemieux said. "This new NHL is really for the young guys. They are the future."
Choking up, Lemieux said he will greatly miss his teammates. He urged them to cherish whatever may lie ahead.
"All I can say to the young players is: Enjoy every moment of it. Your career goes by very quickly," Lemieux said. "It's a great game. You guys are all very special to me."
Lemieux has not dressed for the Penguins' last 17 games due to atrial fibrillation, a heart condition for which he has been taking medication.
"Even to this day, I'm not 100 percent," Lemieux said, adding that he had a minor episode last night and is considering surgery. "That was the most frustrating thing -- trying to play with it and practice with it."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Staying healthy has been difficult for Lemieux throughout his career.
He missed all but 10 games of the previous NHL season because of a hip injury, and problems with the hip also limited his playing time in 2001-02. He has also undergone two back surgeries.
But a battle with Hodgkin's disease is his most famous medical issue. It forced Lemieux to leave the game temporarily in 1993, and again in 1994 because of fatigue from radiation treatments, but he returned and won his third MVP trophy in 1996.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is Lemieux's second retirement. He originally called it quits after the 1996-97 season but came back in December 2000.
Lemieux will finish his career seventh on the all-time scoring list with 1,723 points (690 goals and 1,033 assists).
Led by Lemieux, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 1991 and 1992. Those star-studded teams also included such names as Paul Coffey, Rick Tocchet, Bryan Trottier, Kevin Stevens and a teenage Jaromir Jagr.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Known primarily for his hockey achievements, Lemieux has also been active in local charity efforts through the Mario Lemieux Foundation.
The Lemieux organization has given millions of dollars to The Children's Home of Pittsburgh; helped build childrens' playrooms at local hospitals; and raised funds for cancer and neonatal research through an annual celebrity golf tournament.
For the past few years, in addition to playing for the Pens, Lemieux has been trying to get a new arena built in Pittsburgh. He has said the team may move after its Mellon Arena lease expires in 2007.
Previous Stories:
January 19, 2006: Lemieux: Penguins Are For Sale
