CHL names Mario Lemieux No. 1 major junior player of all-time

One of the best players ever to lace up his skates has been recognized for his incredible accomplishments in his early years.

On Thursday, the Canadian Hockey League announced that Hockey Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux has been named the No. 1 player in the league’s history.

“I’m honored to be chosen among this group of great players. My time at Laval and in the QMJHL played a big role in preparing me for an NHL career,” Lemieux said in a release. “We all appreciate what the CHL has meant to Canadian hockey and the development of our players through the years.”

Lemieux topped a list of 50 players, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the creation of the CHL. The list, which included fellow Hall of Famers Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy and Steve Yzerman, as well as current NHL stars Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby. The list was voted on by members of the media, including Daily Faceoff’s own Steven Ellis and Jeff Marek, along with a public vote.

Lemieux will forever be known as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. Before he became the face of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Montreal native tore things up with the Laval Voisins. After scoring 96 points in his rookie season with the team in 1981-82, he posted 184 points the following year. Then, in 1983-84, he scored an unfathomable 133 goals, 149 assists for 282 points. He posted 21 hat tricks, reaching the 50-goal mark in just 27 games, and had five eight-point games. He was awarded the Michel Briere Trophy as the league’s most valuable player. He helped Laval win the QMJHL championship, earning the Guy Lafleur Trophy as playoff MVP after scoring 52 points in 14 games. He was later named the CHL Player of the Year.

In 200 QMJHL games, Lemieux scored 247 goals and 315 assists for 562 points, with another 98 points in 44 postseason contests. He’s part of the QMJHL and IIHF Hall of Fames.