Mario Lemieux: Career, Net Worth, and Life After Hockey

If you grew up watching hockey in the 1990s, Mario Lemieux was the player who made the impossible look routine. His 1.88 points-per-game average remains the second highest in NHL history, trailing only Wayne Gretzky. Yet the story of Le Magnifique doesn’t end with his retirement — it’s been rewriting itself for the past two decades through ownership, philanthropy, and a quiet second act that’s just as remarkable as his playing days.

NHL seasons played: 17 (1984–2006) ·
Career points: 1,723 ·
Games played: 915 ·
Points per game average: 1.88 (second highest in NHL history) ·
Stanley Cup championships: 2 (1991, 1992) ·
Hall of Fame induction: 1997

The key facts below capture the essentials of Lemieux’s life and career — a player who redefined excellence and then built an even bigger legacy off the ice.

What does Mario Lemieux do today?

Mario Lemieux remains deeply involved in hockey and philanthropy. As the principal owner and chairman of the Pittsburgh Penguins, he oversees one of the NHL’s most successful franchises. Off the ice, his foundation continues to fund cancer research and patient care.

Mario Lemieux’s role as Pittsburgh Penguins owner

• Acquired controlling interest in the Penguins in 1999, keeping the team in Pittsburgh (Mario Lemieux Foundation)
• Under his ownership, the Penguins won Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016, and 2017 (Mario Lemieux Foundation)
• He is the only person to have won the Stanley Cup both as a player and as an owner (Mario Lemieux Foundation)
• In 2021, Lemieux sold a 40% stake in the team to Fenway Sports Group in a deal valuing the Penguins at $900 million (Times of India)

The Mario Lemieux Foundation and its mission

• Founded in 1993 after his own diagnosis with Hodgkin lymphoma (Mario Lemieux Foundation)
• Focuses on cancer research, patient care, and neonatal health (Mario Lemieux Foundation)
• Major donations include a $5 million gift to the McGill University Health Centre (Mario Lemieux Foundation)

Mario Lemieux’s public appearances and influence

• Regularly attends Penguins games and franchise events (Wikipedia)
• Participates in charity golf tournaments and hospital visits (Mario Lemieux Foundation)

Lemieux’s dual role as owner and philanthropist underscores a legacy defined by action both on and off the ice.

How rich is Mario Lemieux?

Lemieux is consistently listed among the wealthiest figures in hockey history, though exact figures vary widely across sources. His fortune springs from a blend of playing salary, shrewd ownership moves, and long-term investments.

Mario Lemieux’s net worth estimates

• TheRichest estimates his net worth at $150 million (TheRichest)
• TalkSport and the Times of India both report a figure around $300 million (TalkSport, Times of India)
• His career NHL earnings alone are believed to exceed $58 million (TalkSport)

Sources of income: playing career, ownership, investments

• Lemieux’s ownership stake in the Penguins significantly boosted his wealth, especially after the Fenway Sports Group acquisition (Times of India)
• He also earns from endorsements and business ventures, including a real estate portfolio (TheRichest)

Comparison to other wealthy hockey players

• Wayne Gretzky leads with an estimated $250–$500 million net worth (TalkSport)
• Lemieux is widely considered the second-richest NHL player, ahead of active stars like Alexander Ovechkin (Times of India)

These wide estimates reflect the private nature of his finances, but his position among hockey’s wealthiest is undisputed.

Does Sidney Crosby still live with Mario Lemieux?

The story of Sidney Crosby living with the Lemieux family during his rookie year is a beloved piece of Penguins lore. But that living arrangement ended long ago, though the bond remains strong.

The early years: Crosby living with the Lemieux family

• When Crosby was drafted first overall in 2005, Lemieux invited him to live with his family in Pittsburgh (Wikipedia)
• Crosby resided with the Lemieuxes for his entire rookie season (2005–2006) (Wikipedia)
• Lemieux and his wife Nathalie treated Crosby like one of their own children (TalkSport)

Current living situation and relationship

• Crosby moved out after his first season and has lived on his own since (Wikipedia)
• No evidence suggests Crosby ever resumed living with Lemieux (Wikipedia)
• The two remain close — Crosby often refers to Lemieux as a mentor and friend (TalkSport)

Why the arrangement ended

• By his second season, Crosby was comfortable enough to live independently (Wikipedia)
• The move was a natural step in a young player’s maturation, not a rift (Wikipedia)

The living arrangement may be over, but the mentorship continues to shape the Penguins’ identity.

What ended Mario Lemieux’s career?

Lemieux’s playing days were cut short by serious health problems, but his career had two distinct acts: a first retirement in 1997 and a final goodbye in 2006.

Health issues: back problems and Hodgkin lymphoma

• In 1993, Lemieux was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system (Mario Lemieux Foundation)
• He underwent radiation treatment and returned to play the same season (Mario Lemieux Foundation)
• Chronic back pain, including a herniated disc, plagued him throughout his career (Wikipedia)

First retirement in 1997 and return in 2000

• Lemieux retired in 1997 citing ongoing back pain and the aftereffects of cancer treatment (Wikipedia)
• He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame later that year with the waiting period waived (Mario Lemieux Foundation)
• After purchasing the Penguins, he returned to the ice in December 2000 at age 35 (Wikipedia)

Final retirement in 2006 due to atrial fibrillation

• A heart condition called atrial fibrillation forced his permanent retirement in 2006 (Wikipedia)
• He had experienced symptoms during games and medical tests revealed the arrhythmia (Wikipedia)
• His final game was on December 16, 2005 — a 3–2 win over the Buffalo Sabres (Wikipedia)

His body may have failed, but his resilience and adaptability remain hallmarks of his story.

Is Mario Lemieux related to Claude Lemieux?

Despite sharing a famous hockey surname, Mario Lemieux and Claude Lemieux are not related. The confusion is common — both are francophone Quebecois players who won Stanley Cups — but the family trees don’t connect.

The different Lemieux families

• Mario was born in Montreal; Claude was born in the same province but to a separate family (Wikipedia)
• No known blood relation exists between the two (Wikipedia)

Claude Lemieux’s career and relation

• Claude Lemieux played 21 NHL seasons, winning four Stanley Cups with three different teams (Wikipedia)
• He earned the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1995 as playoff MVP (Wikipedia)

Common confusion and facts

• Both are from Quebec and were drafted by the Montreal Canadiens organization (Mario went first overall, Claude was selected much later) (Wikipedia)
• They faced each other in the 1995 and 1996 playoffs as opponents (Wikipedia)

This common confusion highlights how a shared surname in a small sport can lead to mistaken family trees.

Lemieux’s story is far from over. For a new generation of Penguins fans, he’s not just a name in the rafters — he’s the man signing the checks and funding the research. The next chapter, whether it’s another Cup run or a new philanthropic milestone, is still being written.