MARIO LEMIEUX

2004 INDUCTEE

Dubbed "Super Mario" and "The Magnificent" by his legion of fans, Mario Lemieux truly belongs in the pantheon of all-time hockey greats alongside fellow Canadians Rocket Richard, Gordie Howe and Wayne Gretzky. Neither a battle with cancer nor serious back injuries have been able to put an end to a career that is now two decades old.

Lemieux's status as a sports legend is eloquently testified to by his career record - a six-time NHL scoring champion; three-time MVP; two-time Stanley Cup winner; and scoring totals of 683 goals and 1,018 assists for 1,701 points in 889 games.

Born in Montreal on September 5, 1965, Lemieux - which translates as the "the best" - demonstrated at an early age that he intended to be just that. In his final year in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League he scored a record 133 goals and added 149 assists for 282 points in 70 games. He was named Canadian Junior Hockey Player of the year and was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1984. Mario went on to chalk up 100 points in his rookie campaign and was awarded the Calder Trophy as best first year player.

Lemieux has seen his career interrupted several times by injuries, but the most serious threat came in 1993 when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease, a form of cancer. He missed 23 games as he received radiation treatment, but still managed to come back and win the scoring title. He took the entire 1994-95 season off to recover from back injuries and other ailments, but came back to win two Art Ross and a Hart Trophy before announcing his retirement in 1997.

The Hockey Hall of Fame waived its waiting period and inducted Lemieux in November 1997. But Super Mario made a surprise comeback. In 1999, with the Penguins facing bankruptcy, he headed an ownership team that bought the club and kept it in Pittsburgh. In late 2000, he stepped back onto the ice as a player.

Still playing at the age of 38, the Penguins' owner and captain underwent season-ending hip surgery earlier this year. But true to form, he vows he will return to action when the injury heals. Already a super star in the sports arena, Mario the Magnificent will now take his place as a superstar on Canada's Walk of Fame.