The first thing that came to mind when I heard that Lemieux was attempting a comeback to professional hockey last September, all I could think was “wow, he’s still playing?!”
The answer was no, at least not professionally anyways.
Love him or hate him, Lemieux is one of the biggest super-pests ever to play the game, whose career will best be remembered for when he hit Detroit’s Kris Draper from behind in the 1996 Playoffs when he was playing for Colorado, which sparked the beginning of a major rivalry between the two teams.
One of the main reasons Lemieux retired is because he was too slow for the old NHL. The new rules and regulations that have been implemented since the lockout allowing for more speed, quick transitions through the neutral zone, and less clutching and grabbing, a trademark of the old NHL, hadn’t even been implemented yet.
Now that they have been, and the NHL is faster than ever before, is it safe to say that the game has past Lemieux by?
It wasn’t until Lemieux’s announcement of a comeback that Sharks general manager, and long time friend of Lemieux’s, Doug Wilson, took a chance and signed Lemieux to a contract that would see him attempt his ascent back to the NHL with the China Sharks in the Asian League.
His stint there didn’t last long, as he then signed with the Worcester Sharks of the AHL, the Sharks farm team, where he posted 11 points and 24 penalty minutes in 23 games, good enough for the recall to the NHL.
But why is Lemieux getting this chance? Aside from the fact that he one of Wilson’s closest friends, there are other, younger players in the minors who have worked hard to get where they are, only to have Lemieux get his chance before them.
The answer isn’t exactly clear, but there is one theory floating around that seems to make the most sense.
It has been documented that one of the main things on the Sharks’ shopping list during the off-season and at the deadline, ever since their early exits from the playoffs, is a cup winning veteran forward, who can bring stability and leadership to a young team to help get them over the hump in the playoffs.
Lemieux definitely fits the bill.
With close to 19 seasons of NHL experience under his belt, 80 career playoff goals, and being one of eight players in history to win four Stanley cups with four different teams, it is clear that Wilson believes Lemieux can have a positive effect on his team, whether it be on the ice, or behind the scenes when it comes to the playoffs.
For a guy to go from retiring, to competing on Spike TV’s Pro’s vs. Joe’s, to now being recalled to the NHL, Lemieux has proven that no matter what your age, you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.
For this, I applaud him, and wish him the best of luck in his first game back tonight against Vancouver.
For Open Ice Hockey, I’m Jesse Michael
Topics: China Sharks, Claude Lemieux, Doug Wilson, San Jose Sharks, Worcester Sharks
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