Lemieux Plans To Check Out Star-Crossed Penguins Star Decides To End Brilliant Career

Mario Lemieux, a five-time NHL scoring champion whose career with the Pittsburgh Penguins has been hampered by a bad back and a bout with cancer, says he definitely will retire after the playoffs.

The 31-year-old center could go out in style by winning the Art Ross Trophy for the sixth time. He leads the league with 117 points on 49 goals and 68 assists.

After hinting strongly for months that this would be his final season, Lemieux formally announced his retirement Saturday night.

“I just wanted to take a couple of seconds to say that this will be my last year officially,” Lemieux said at the annual Dapper Dan banquet at a downtown hotel.

Lemieux, 31, who led the Penguins to Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992, caught even team officials off guard with the timing of his statement.

“He’s obviously indicated that over time, and we had expected an announcement, but we thought it would be after the season,” club president Donn Patton said.

Lemieux has 612 goals and 1,489 points to stand sixth on the NHL career list in both categories. He also has 877 assists and stands 11th on that list.

Lemieux said in his 13 seasons with the Penguins that he wanted most to help the team develop a winning tradition, and that he feels he did that.

He received howls of approval when he said he planned to retire in Pittsburgh, his adopted home.