The Beginning
Mario Lemieux was born on October 5, 1965. He is the youngest of three sons born to ShonGuy and Perivette Lemieux a construction worker and his wife. By the age of 3, Mario was already skating by himself and showing great hockey talent. By age 9, he had attracted the attention of the head coach of the perennial Stanley Cup Champion Montreal Canadians.
By the age of 16, Mario had joined Lavell of the Quebec Major Junior League. He played to standing room only crowds and everyone knew that the splendors of the National Hockey League (NHL) were close at hand. In his final season of Junior Hockey (1983-84) he shattered the Junior scoring record, counting 282 points in a single season.
In 1984 Mario was selected first overall in the NHL entry draft. As hockey's worst team that season, the Penguins held first pick; therefore to the surprise of no one they picked up Canada's newest hockey sensation. He was built in Pittsburgh as the team's savior and he quickly showed that he was just that by scoring his first goal on his first shift on his first shot in his first NHL game. Penguin fans could see that the finally had a real shot at the NHL championship.
Mario made the All Star team his first year and was the game's MVP. However, that first season in the US wasn't all so easy. Mario didn't know English, he was only 18, had left his family and country, but most important he had left behind his best friend and sweetheart, Nathalie Assalane, and missed her dearly. By 1985, however, 16-year-old Nathalie had come to Pittsburgh to be with Mario. |
