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179-749: Richard Nash (born June 16, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who serves as the director of player development for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). After being selected first overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by Columbus, he played 15 seasons in the NHL for the Blue Jackets, New York Rangers and Boston Bruins , and was selected to play in six National Hockey League All-Star Games . Prior to turning professional, Nash
358-419: A centre and two wingers : a left wing and a right wing . Forwards often play together as units or lines , with the same three forwards always playing together. The defencemen usually stay together as a pair generally divided between left and right. Left and right side wingers or defencemen are generally positioned on the side on which they carry their stick. A substitution of an entire unit at once
537-401: A penalty shootout . If the score remains tied after an extra overtime period, the subsequent shootout consists of three players from each team taking penalty shots. After these six total shots, the team with the most goals is awarded the victory. If the score is still tied, the shootout then proceeds to sudden death . Regardless of the number of goals scored by either team during the shootout,
716-462: A vulcanized rubber hockey puck into the other team's net. Each goal is worth one point. The team with the highest score after an hour of playing time is declared the winner; ties are broken in overtime or a shootout . In a formal game, each team has six skaters on the ice at a time, barring any penalties, including a goaltender . It is a full contact game and one of the more physically demanding team sports. The modern sport of ice hockey
895-562: A 5–2 win over the Arizona Coyotes. He became the 312th player in NHL history to play at least 1,000 career games. During the 2017–18 season , the Rangers struggled relative to their results from past seasons. On February 8, 2018, the team released a letter to fans that signaled intentions to begin a rebuild, to which rumors of a Nash trade began to swirl, as he was in the last year of his contract. On February 25, 2018, one day before
1074-632: A 5–3 loss against the Vancouver Canucks . Nash again missed several games during the 2016–17 season, this time with a nagging groin injury. He still managed to score 23 goals and 15 assists for 38 points, in 67 games. Nash's production continued to improve during the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs . He recorded two goals and one assist in the Rangers six-game opening-round victory over the Montreal Canadiens . On October 26, 2017, Nash skated in his 1,000th NHL career game, which resulted in
1253-707: A career-low 15 goals, going with 21 assists for a career-low 36 points. He then recorded two goals and two assists in New York's five-game opening round loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs . On October 11, 2016 Nash was named an alternate captain for the New York Rangers, joining Daniel Girardi , Marc Staal , and Derek Stepan along with captain Ryan McDonagh . On November 8, 2016, Nash scored his 400th goal in
1432-405: A chest protector, a goalie mask, and a large jersey. Goaltenders' equipment has continually become larger and larger, leading to fewer goals in each game and many official rule changes. Ice hockey skates are optimized for physical acceleration, speed and manoeuvrability. This includes rapid starts, stops, turns, and changes in skating direction. In addition, they must be rigid and tough to protect
1611-521: A deal with Fox Sports Pittsburgh (the Penguins' TV broadcaster) and Spectacor Management Group (which operated the Civic Arena), the court gave final approval to Lemieux's reorganization plan, allowing him to formally assume control. This made the then-retired star the first former NHL player to become majority owner of his former team. Lemieux assumed the posts of president, chairman, and CEO of
1790-537: A forward. The seventh defenceman may play as a substitute defenceman, spend the game on the bench, or if a team chooses to play four lines then this seventh defenceman may see ice-time on the fourth line as a forward. A professional ice hockey game consists of three periods of twenty minutes, the clock running only when the puck is in play. The teams change ends after each period of play, including overtime. Recreational leagues and children's leagues often play shorter games, generally with three shorter periods of play. If
1969-549: A game is tied after regulation, then a 20-minute period of 5-on-5 sudden-death overtime will be added. If the game is still tied after the overtime, another period is added until a team scores, which wins the match. Since 2019, the IIHF World Championships and the gold medal game in the Olympics use the same format, but in a 3-on-3 format. In ice hockey, infractions of the rules lead to a play stoppage whereby
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#17327823477612148-412: A goal scored by the other team. Major penalties assessed for fighting are typically offsetting, meaning neither team is short-handed and the players exit the penalty box upon a stoppage of play following the expiration of their respective penalties. The foul of boarding (defined as "check[ing] an opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to be thrown violently in the boards") is penalized either by
2327-417: A hip-flexor muscle, and chronic back pain so severe that other people had to tie his skates. He retired on two occasions due to these health issues, first in 1997 after battling lymphoma before returning in 2000, and then a second and final time in 2006 after being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation . Lemieux also missed the entire 1994–95 season due to Hodgkin's lymphoma. Despite his lengthy absences from
2506-528: A larger blade and a wide, flat shaft. This stick is primarily intended to block shots, but the goaltender may use it to play the puck as well. Ice hockey is a full-contact sport and carries a high risk of injury. Players are moving at speeds around approximately 20–30 mph (30–50 km/h) and much of the game revolves around the physical contact between the players. Skate blades, hockey sticks, shoulder contact, hip contact, and hockey pucks can all potentially cause injuries. Lace bite , an irritation felt on
2685-458: A minor or major penalty at the discretion of the referee, based on the violent state of the hit. A minor or major penalty for boarding is often assessed when a player checks an opponent from behind and into the boards. Some varieties of penalty do not require the offending team to play a man short. Concurrent five-minute major penalties in the NHL usually result from fighting. In the case of two players being assessed five-minute fighting majors, both
2864-436: A neck protector. Goaltenders use different equipment. With hockey pucks approaching them at speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h) they must wear equipment with more protection. Goaltenders wear specialized goalie skates (these skates are built more for movement side to side rather than forwards and backwards), a jock or jill, large leg pads (there are size restrictions in certain leagues), blocking glove, catching glove,
3043-466: A pace that most NHL forwards would be very content with (22 points in 26 games) in his last season, Lemieux still remarked that "I can no longer play at a level I was accustomed to in the past." In October 2006, Lemieux's ownership group announced that it had reached an agreement to sell the Penguins to Research In Motion Chairman and Co-CEO Jim Balsillie . However, Balsillie unexpectedly rescinded his offer two months later after an apparent dispute with
3222-539: A penalty, but was an infraction in the NHL before recent rules changes, is the two-line offside pass . Prior to the 2005–06 NHL season, play was stopped when a pass from inside a team's defending zone crossed the centre line, with a face-off held in the defending zone of the offending team. Now, the centre line is no longer used in the NHL to determine a two-line pass infraction, a change that the IIHF had adopted in 1998. Players are now able to pass to teammates who are more than
3401-409: A player may receive up to nineteen minutes in penalties for one string of plays. This could involve receiving a four-minute double-minor penalty, getting in a fight with an opposing player who retaliates, and then receiving a game misconduct after the fight. In this case, the player is ejected and two teammates must serve the double-minor and major penalties. A penalty shot is awarded to a player when
3580-769: A post-season berth against division-rival the Detroit Red Wings . The series was preceded by an 8–2 rout over the Red Wings on March 7, 2009, a game in which Nash scored three unassisted goals. According to the Columbus Dispatch , citing the Elias Sports Bureau , the last player to score three goals unassisted was Maurice Richard (who scored four) against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on March 14, 1948. Despite
3759-449: A rink on the front lawn so that the boys could practice as much as possible, and according to family legend, the family sometimes packed snow onto the living room carpet so the brothers could practice indoors when it was dark. The young Lemieux was a teammate to future NHLers Marc Bergevin and J. J. Daigneault on the same minor ice hockey team from Ville-Émard. Lemieux and Daigneault played together with RJ Donnelly and Gail Swann in
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#17327823477613938-415: A shot or pass play. Officials also stop play for puck movement violations, such as using one's hands to pass the puck in the offensive end, but no players are penalized for these offences. The sole exceptions are deliberately falling on or gathering the puck to the body, carrying the puck in the hand, and shooting the puck out of play in one's defensive zone (all penalized two minutes for delay of game). In
4117-511: A single NHL game, a feat he accomplished in 1988. At the time of his retirement, he was the NHL's seventh-highest career points scorer with 690 goals and 1,033 assists . He ranks second in NHL history with a 0.754 career goals-per-game average, behind Mike Bossy (0.762). He ranks second in NHL history with a 1.129 career assists-per-game average and a 1.883 points-per-game average, both behind Wayne Gretzky (1.320 and 1.921, respectively). Lemieux
4296-503: A small profit of $ 47,000. Ticket sales increased after Lemieux's takeover and even more after his comeback in 2000, also improving team finances. In August 2005, the Post-Gazette reported that the Penguins had indeed fully paid the principal it owed to each of its creditors, both secured and unsecured. Lemieux was given much of the credit, according to the article, for his insistence that everyone owed be paid. He later relinquished
4475-492: A team losing a skater during regulation instead causes the other side to add a skater. Once the penalized team's penalty ends, the penalized skater exits the penalty box and the teams continue at 4-on-4 until the next stoppage of play, at which point the teams return to three skaters per side. International play and several North American professional leagues, including the NHL (in the regular season), now use an overtime period identical to that from 1999–2000 to 2003–04 followed by
4654-409: A tie occurs in tournament play, as well as in the NHL playoffs, North Americans favour sudden death overtime , in which the teams continue to play twenty-minute periods until a goal is scored. Up until the 1999–2000 season, regular-season NHL games were settled with a single five-minute sudden death period with five players (plus a goalie) per side, with both teams awarded one point in the standings in
4833-430: A trade partner in the New York Rangers. Nash, along with Steven Delisle and a conditional third-round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft , were traded to the Rangers for Artem Anisimov , Brandon Dubinsky , Tim Erixon and a 2013 first-round draft pick. Nash signed a contract to play with HC Davos again during the 2012–13 NHL lockout . In late September 2012, while playing for Davos, Nash injured his shoulder and left
5012-483: A variety of other countries. The first IIHF Women's World Championship was held in 1990, and women's play was introduced into the Olympics in 1998 . Ice hockey is believed to have evolved from simple stick and ball games played in the 18th and 19th centuries in Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere, primarily bandy , hurling , and shinty . The North American sport of lacrosse , derived from tribal Native American games,
5191-462: Is a full-contact sport, body checks are allowed so injuries are a common occurrence. Protective equipment is mandatory and is enforced in all competitive situations. This includes a helmet with either a visor or a full face mask, shoulder pads, elbow pads, mouth guard, protective gloves, heavily padded shorts (also known as hockey pants) or a girdle, athletic cup (also known as a jock, for males; and jill, for females), shin pads, skates, and (optionally)
5370-410: Is also a penalty in certain leagues in order to reduce the chance of injury to players. Often the term checking is used to refer to body checking, with its true definition generally only propagated among fans of the game. One of the most important strategies for a team is their forecheck . Forechecking is the act of attacking the opposition in their defensive zone. Forechecking is an important part of
5549-459: Is called a line change . Teams typically employ alternate sets of forward lines and defensive pairings when short-handed or on a power play . The goaltender stands in a, usually blue, semi-circle called the crease in the defensive zone keeping pucks out of the goal. Substitutions are permitted at any time during the game, although during a stoppage of play the home team is permitted the final change. When players are substituted during play, it
Rick Nash - Misplaced Pages Continue
5728-418: Is called changing on the fly . An NHL rule added in the 2005–06 season prevents a team from changing their line after they ice the puck. The boards surrounding the ice help keep the puck in play and they can also be used as tools to play the puck. Players are permitted to bodycheck opponents into the boards to stop progress. The referees, linesmen and the outsides of the goal are "in play" and do not stop
5907-528: Is if a team opts to pull their goalie in exchange for an extra skater during overtime and is subsequently scored upon (an empty net goal), in which case the losing team receives no points for the overtime loss. Since the 2015–16 season, the single five-minute sudden-death overtime session involves three skaters on each side. Since three skaters must always be on the ice in an NHL game, the consequences of penalties are slightly different from those during regulation play; any penalty during overtime that would result in
6086-403: Is the left wing lock , which has two forwards pressure the puck and the left wing and the two defencemen stay at the blueline. Offensive tactics include improving a team's position on the ice by advancing the puck out of one's zone towards the opponent's zone, progressively by gaining lines, first your own blue line, then the red line and finally the opponent's blue line. NHL rules instated for
6265-457: The dump and chase strategy (i.e. shooting the puck into the offensive zone and then chasing after it). Each team uses their own unique system but the main ones are: 2–1–2 , 1–2–2, and 1–4. The 2–1–2 is the most basic forecheck system where two forwards go in deep and pressure the opposition's defencemen, the third forward stays high and the two defencemen stay at the blueline. The 1–2–2 is a bit more conservative system where one forward pressures
6444-592: The 1984 Memorial Cup . His appearance at the Canadian junior ice hockey national championship was highly anticipated, but Lemieux was held to only two goals and three assists as the Laval Voisins lost all three games. Although he played in the 1983 World Junior Hockey Championships , Lemieux did not play for the Canadian Juniors in 1984 because he disliked how coach Dave King treated him in
6623-480: The 1984 NHL Entry Draft , Lemieux led Pittsburgh to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992 . Under his ownership, the Penguins won additional titles in 2009 , 2016 , and 2017 . He is the only man to have his name on the Cup both as a player and owner. He also led Team Canada to an Olympic gold medal in 2002 , a championship at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey , and a Canada Cup in 1987 . He won
6802-510: The 2002 World Junior Championships , scoring three points in a silver medal effort. Nash would make his senior international debut for Team Canada at the 2005 World Championship , leading the tournament in goals while earning his second silver medal. In 2006, shortly after returning from an injury, he was selected to play on Team Canada's Olympic team, but managed just one point in a disappointing seventh-place finish. The following year, Nash captured his first gold medal with Team Canada at
6981-500: The 2004 World Cup of Hockey (captain, championship). At the 2002 Winter Olympics , having been selected by Gretzky to captain the roster, the then-36-year-old Lemieux led the Canadian men's team into Salt Lake City , United States. The team had failed to win a gold medal at the Olympics in fifty years but were still considered favourites to win. Lemieux was second to Joe Sakic in team scoring with six points in five games, and led
7160-476: The 2007 World Championship in a 4–2 victory over Finland in Moscow . Scoring two goals in the gold medal game against Finland and 11 points total, Nash was named to the tournament All-Star Team and earned MVP honours. Nash appeared in his third World Championship in 2008, but failed to repeat as gold medal champion with Canada, earning silver. In the championship game against Russia , Nash attempted to clear
7339-495: The 2011–12 season began to unfold, Columbus recorded a dismal 2–12–1 record, the worst start to an NHL season by any team in 19 years. With the team struggling, rumors began circulating that the Blue Jackets were contemplating trading Nash as a solution to their on-ice woes. While Blue Jackets General Manager Scott Howson stated publicly that he had had no discussions regarding a Nash deal, other teams had indeed inquired about his availability. When asked about it, Nash stated that if
Rick Nash - Misplaced Pages Continue
7518-488: The 2014 Winter Olympics . OHL CHL NHL NLA International Other Ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates , usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey . Two opposing teams use ice hockey sticks to control, advance, and shoot
7697-540: The Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs' most valuable player. His 44 playoff points rank second only to Gretzky's 47 in 1985. One of the most famous goals in NHL history is the goal Lemieux scored in the second period of game two. Receiving the puck in the Penguins' zone, Lemieux skated solo into the North Stars' zone facing two defencemen and the goalie by himself. Lemieux skirted the puck through one of
7876-615: The Emms Family Award as the League's top rookie. The following season, he amassed 72 points in 54 games and was subsequently selected first overall in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft by the Columbus Blue Jackets . The first NHL contract for Nash was negotiated minutes before the signing deadline by Gord Kirke . It was the most lucrative contract for an NHL rookie at the time, valued at 1.2 million USD per season plus bonuses and incentives which ranged from 8 to US$ 12 million. Joining
8055-516: The Eric Lindros -led Philadelphia Flyers during the first round. Lemieux scored one goal and earned an assist in his final game. Despite the typically hostile Philadelphia crowd, Lemieux skated around the ice following the final horn and received a standing ovation. Upon his first retirement, Lemieux became the only player to retire from the NHL with a greater than 2 points per game average (1494 points in 745 games). On November 17, 1997, Lemieux
8234-580: The Lester B. Pearson Award as the most outstanding player voted by the players four times, the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player (MVP) during the regular season three times, the Art Ross Trophy as the league's points leader six times, and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP in 1991 and 1992. He is the only player to score one goal in each of the five possible situations in
8413-590: The Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal-scorer. Nash is a five-time NHL All-Star and was also awarded the NHL Foundation Player Award in the 2008–09 season for his charitable work in the Columbus community. He is the Blue Jackets franchise career leader in goals, points, and games played. Widely considered the greatest Blue Jackets player of all time, Nash's number 61
8592-539: The National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 1984 and 2005 , and he assumed ownership of the franchise in 1999. Nicknamed " the Magnificent One ", " Le Magnifique ", and " Super Mario ", Lemieux is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time for his combination of size, strength, athleticism, and creativity. Drafted first overall by the Penguins in
8771-540: The Ottawa Senators in 2007, and making the Finals in 2008 where they lost in six games to the Detroit Red Wings . On June 12, 2009, Lemieux won his third Stanley Cup title, this time as an owner as the Penguins won a rematch with the Red Wings in the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals , in seven games. In 2015, Lemieux and Ron Burkle hired Morgan Stanley to explore the possibility of selling the Penguins. On June 12, 2016,
8950-716: The Salt Lake City Olympics before being out for the rest of the season due to a nagging hip problem, leading one Pittsburgh columnist to demand that Lemieux apologize for making Team Canada his priority. Radio show host Mark Madden said he would donate $ 6,600 to the Mario Lemieux Foundation if the hockey great ever scored off a faceoff . On December 23, 2002, the Penguins played the Buffalo Sabres in Pittsburgh and Lemieux, who
9129-630: The San Jose Sharks , Nash suffered a concussion from a hit by Brad Stuart , which forced him to miss 17 games. On November 21, Nash scored his first goal of the season in a 3–2 win against the Dallas Stars . He would finish the season with a solid goal total of 26 in 65 games, but with only 13 assists, his 39 points tied a career low. Nash struggled mightily in the playoffs for the second straight year, scoring only three goals in 25 playoff games. Despite his low offensive production, however, he
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#17327823477619308-595: The St. Louis Blues . He would, however, join Jackman on the NHL All-Rookie Team . In Nash's sophomore campaign, he improved his rookie goal total from 17 to 41, a career-high that tied Jarome Iginla and Ilya Kovalchuk for the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for most goals in the League. At 19 years of age, Nash was the youngest player in history to lead the League in goals. Recording 16 assists, Nash finished
9487-552: The injured reserve . Upon returning from a disappointing seventh-place finish in Turin , Nash completed the season at a point-per-game pace with 54 points in 54 games. In 2006–07 , Nash matched his sophomore points total with 57, and was named to the Western Conference All-Star Team for the second time in his career. He was Columbus' lone representative both times. Nash scored the game-winning goal in
9666-473: The puck in overtime , but accidentally shot it over the glass, resulting a delay of game penalty. On the powerplay , Russia capitalized, defeating Canada 5–4. Despite his misplay, Nash was named to the tournament All-Star Team for the second consecutive year, finishing with 13 points. On December 30, 2009, Nash was selected to play for Team Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver . After starting
9845-617: The "Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup" and was first awarded in 1893 to recognise the Canadian amateur champion and later became the championship trophy of the National Hockey League (NHL). In the early 1900s, the Canadian rules were adopted by the Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace , in Paris , France, the precursor to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The sport was played for
10024-592: The 1977 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament . Cornish and Swann also competed in the 1978 tournament. Lemieux started his career with the Laval Voisins of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). When he was drafted at age 15, he declared that he would break league records. He made the request to coach Jean Bégin to play on a forward line with Jacques Goyette during the 1983–84 QMJHL season . The combination
10203-486: The 1991 and 1992 playoffs, a two-year total second only to Gretzky's 82 points as his Oilers won their first and second Stanley Cup titles in 1984 and 1985. The Penguins started the 1992–93 season well, and Lemieux set a franchise record with at least one goal in twelve consecutive games, from October 6 to November 1. He was on pace to challenge Gretzky's records of 92 goals in one season (1981–82) and 215 points in one season (1985–86), until January 12, 1993, when he made
10382-416: The 2006 season redefined the offside rule to make the two-line pass legal; a player may pass the puck from behind his own blue line, past both that blue line and the centre red line, to a player on the near side of the opponents' blue line. Offensive tactics are designed ultimately to score a goal by taking a shot. When a player purposely directs the puck towards the opponent's goal, he or she is said to "shoot"
10561-667: The 2015 playoffs, as he scored five goals and nine assists (14 points) in 19 games as the Rangers fell to the Tampa Bay Lightning in a hard-fought seven-game Eastern Conference Finals series. Nash's performance declined at the start of the 2015–16 season as he struggled to recapture his scoring pace from the previous season. This was further exacerbated by muscle spasms that caused Nash to miss 22 games. Despite being involved in trade rumors, few teams seemed to be interested in Rick Nash and his $ 7.9 million cap hit. Nash scored
10740-532: The Blue Jackets in 2002–03 , Nash debuted on October 10, 2002, and scored a goal in a 2–1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks . He was the eighth number one overall pick to score a goal in his first game and the first to do so in his draft year since Mario Lemieux in 1984 . That season, Nash was nominated for the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie, but lost to defenseman Barret Jackman of
10919-453: The Blue Jackets re-signed Nash to a five-year, $ 27 million contract. The deal saw his annual salary increase each year, with $ 3.5 million the first season and $ 7 million in the last season of the contract for a $ 5.4 million average salary. Knee and ankle injuries, however, sidelined Nash for much of the first half of the season. Missing 28 games total, Nash was still named to Team Canada for the 2006 Olympics , shortly after being activated from
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#173278234776111098-527: The Bruins, and suffered a concussion in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, after a hit from Cedric Paquette . On January 11, 2019, at age 34, due to unresolved symptoms from a concussion sustained in March 2018, Nash was forced to retire from professional hockey after playing 1,060 career games spanning over 15 seasons. In Nash's second junior season, he was chosen to play for Team Canada 's junior squad in
11277-423: The IIHF and the NHL. Both of these codes, and others, originated from Canadian rules of ice hockey of the early 20th century. Ice hockey is played on a hockey rink . During normal play, there are six players on ice skates on the ice per side, one of them being the goaltender. The objective of the game is to score goals by shooting a hard vulcanized rubber disc, the puck , into the opponent's goal net at
11456-597: The NHL Board of Governors over purchasing conditions, despite Balsillie having earlier pledged to the Board that he would not relocate the team. Lemieux was offended that Balsillie had pulled out at last minute and initially refused to return Balsillie's deposit, saying that it was in breach of their agreement. On March 13, 2007, Lemieux's ownership group announced a final agreement for a new multi-purpose arena, eventually to be named Consol Energy Center , to be built across
11635-662: The NHL against the Toronto Maple Leafs . The game was nationally broadcast on ESPN2 in the US and on Hockey Night in Canada . Lemieux proved that his scoring touch had not disappeared by scoring a goal and three points, including an assist 33 seconds into the first shift of his return. While Jaromír Jágr remained captain of the Penguins, Lemieux was named captain of the North American All-Stars during
11814-545: The NHL and missed the playoffs in each of the next four seasons. Lemieux again resumed the captaincy, as Jaromír Jágr was sent to the Washington Capitals . However, Lemieux only appeared in 24 games, partially due to injuries that would also plague him for the next three seasons. He also skipped some Penguins games in 2001–02 so he could be in condition to play what would be his only chance at the Olympics in his career. However, Lemieux played only one more game after
11993-584: The NHL has been significant: Andrew Conte of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review called him the saviour of the Pittsburgh Penguins, and after Lemieux's retirement, Wayne Gretzky commented, "You don't replace players like Mario Lemieux ... The game will miss him." Bobby Orr called him "the most talented player I've ever seen." Orr, along with Bryan Trottier and numerous fans, speculated that if Lemieux had had fewer health issues, his on-ice achievements would have been much greater. In 2017, he
12172-475: The NHL is a great accomplishment." In 2021, Lemieux, Penguins assistant general manager Bill Guerin , and the Penguins were sued by Erin Skalde, the ex-wife of former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (WBS Penguins) coach Jack Skalde. Erin Skalde alleged that they attempted to cover up her being sexually assaulted by former WBS Penguins coach John Donatelli. Jack Skalde alleged that he was fired after complaining to
12351-410: The NHL, a unique penalty applies to the goalies. The goalies now are forbidden to play the puck in the "corners" of the rink near their own net. This will result in a two-minute penalty against the goalie's team. Only in the area in front of the goal line and immediately behind the net (marked by two red lines on either side of the net) can the goalie play the puck. An additional rule that has never been
12530-610: The National Hockey League, a number of leagues have implemented the "four-official system", where an additional referee is added to aid in the calling of penalties normally difficult to assess by one referee. The system is used in every NHL game since 2001, at IIHF World Championships , the Olympics and in many professional and high-level amateur leagues in North America and Europe. Officials are selected by
12709-508: The Penguins called his name as the first overall draft pick, he did not shake general manager Eddie Johnston 's hand nor don the Penguins jersey, which is NHL tradition. He claimed he was upset about the contract negotiation, and said that "Pittsburgh doesn't want [him] bad enough." Even though the draft was held in Montreal, over 3,000 fans viewed a broadcast in Pittsburgh's Civic Arena ; a typical Penguins game drew fewer than 7,000 fans at
12888-596: The Penguins defeated the San Jose Sharks in the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals , in six games, to give Lemieux his fourth Stanley Cup, his second as an owner. Almost exactly a year later, on June 11, 2017, Lemieux won his third Stanley Cup as an owner upon the Penguins six-game defeat of the Nashville Predators . Lemieux played for Canada in the 1983 World Junior Championships (bronze medal), 1985 World Championships (silver medal), 1987 Canada Cup (championship), 2002 Winter Olympics (captain, gold medal) and
13067-511: The Penguins once again failed to make the playoffs. However, he played in the Canada Cup during the summer of 1987 and set a tournament record 11 goals in 9 games; his last goal, which clinched the Canadian victory, broke a tie with the Soviet team with 1:26 remaining in the third period. Lemieux cited his Canada Cup experience as the reason for his elevated play later on, stating, "Remember, I
13246-538: The Penguins' largest creditor. He proposed to convert $ 20 million of his deferred salary into equity , with another $ 5 million in cash, enough to give him controlling interest. He also promised to keep the team in Pittsburgh. The U.S. bankruptcy court gave preliminary approval to Lemieux's bid on June 24. Lemieux later said that he would have put in a bid even if he had not been owed the deferred salary. The NHL's Board of Governors approved his application for ownership on September 1, 1999. Two days later, after Lemieux cut
13425-402: The Penguins. Lemieux's plan was designed to pay everyone the organization owed. In fact, the bankruptcy court approved his bid in part because of the prospect that the debt would be fully retired—a rare feat, considering that unsecured creditors typically get only pennies on the dollar. In his first season as principal owner Pittsburgh went from a loss of $ 16 million from the previous season into
13604-576: The West win. The following season, on January 17, 2008, Nash scored what many commentators called the "goal of the year" in the final minute versus the Phoenix Coyotes . Breaking a tied score, Nash deked around two defenders and the goaltender to score the eventual game-winner. Later, at the end of the season, the goal was nominated for an ESPY Award in the category of Best Play . Selected to his third All-Star Game in 2008 that season, Nash scored
13783-466: The announcement that he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma . He received aggressive radiation treatments which caused him to miss two months of play. When Lemieux returned, he was 12 points behind Buffalo 's Pat LaFontaine in the scoring race. On the day of his last radiation treatment, Lemieux flew to Philadelphia to play against the Flyers , where he scored a goal and an assist in a 5–4 loss. Before
13962-415: The app determines that a particular impact has the potential to cause brain injury, it will alert the coach who can in turn seek medical attention for the individual. Defensive ice hockey tactics vary from more active to more conservative styles of play. One distinction is between man-to-man oriented defensive systems, and zonal oriented defensive systems, though a lot of teams use a combination between
14141-477: The blue and centre ice red line away. The NHL has taken steps to speed up the game of hockey and create a game of finesse, by reducing the number of illegal hits, fights, and "clutching and grabbing" that occurred in the past. Rules are now more strictly enforced, resulting in more penalties, which provides more protection to the players and facilitates more goals being scored. The governing body for United States' amateur hockey has implemented many new rules to reduce
14320-431: The convincing victory late in the season, the Blue Jackets were swept by the Red Wings in four games. In addition to leading the Blue Jackets to the playoffs, Nash had a career season with 79 points, in addition to scoring 40 goals for the first time since 2003–04 . In the off-season, on July 3, 2009, Nash signed an eight-year contract extension with the Blue Jackets worth $ 62.4 million set to take effect in 2010–11 . As
14499-547: The defenders' ( Shawn Chambers ) legs, skated around him, forced the goaltender to commit left, then switched the puck to his backhand side and slid the puck in before crashing into the net himself. The brief video of the goal has been since featured on recent Stanley Cup promo ads by the NHL (played in reverse), as well as the opening montage of Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts. Lemieux played only 64 games in his injury-plagued 1991–92 season . Despite missing several games, he won his third Art Ross Trophy with 131 points. During
14678-481: The defining moment of Lemieux's season was on December 31, 1988, in a game against the New Jersey Devils . In that game, Lemieux scored eight points and became the only player in NHL history to score a goal in all five possible game situations in the same game: even-strength, power-play, shorthanded, penalty shot, and empty-net. Lemieux had another five-goal, eight-point performance in a 10–7 victory during
14857-556: The disk, and he missed 50 games in the 1990–91 NHL season . In his absence, the Penguins acquired players Joe Mullen , Larry Murphy , Ron Francis , and Ulf Samuelsson in hopes of becoming serious contenders for the Stanley Cup . Despite significant back pain, Lemieux scored 16 goals and 28 assists for the playoff lead, and led the Penguins over the Minnesota North Stars for their first Stanley Cup. Lemieux won
15036-452: The event of a tie. With a goal, the winning team would be awarded two points and the losing team none (just as if they had lost in regulation). The total elapsed time from when the puck first drops, is about 2 hours and 20 minutes for a 60-minute game. From the 1999–2000 until the 2003–04 seasons, the National Hockey League decided ties by playing a single five-minute sudden-death overtime period with each team having four skaters per side (plus
15215-411: The final score recorded will award the winning team one more goal than the score at the end of regulation time. In the NHL if a game is decided in overtime or by a shootout the winning team is awarded two points in the standings and the losing team is awarded one point. Ties no longer occur in the NHL. Overtime in the NHL playoffs differs from the regular season. In the playoffs there are no shootouts. If
15394-528: The first time at the Olympics during the 1920 Summer Games —today it is a mainstay at the Winter Olympics . In 1994, ice hockey was officially recognized as Canada's national winter sport. While women also played during the game's early formative years, it was not until organizers began to officially remove body checking from female ice hockey beginning in the mid-1980s that it began to gain greater popularity, which by then had spread to Europe and
15573-426: The franchise felt it could improve itself by dealing him, he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause in order to get the deal done. Though Howson had previously maintained that he had no intention of trading Nash, two weeks before the trade deadline, he stated in the press that the team was open to all options and they were willing to listen to trade proposals for Nash, despite not actively shopping him. Speculation
15752-511: The front of the foot or ankle, is a common ice hockey injury. Compared to athletes who play other sports, ice hockey players are at higher risk of overuse injuries and injuries caused by early sports specialization by teenagers. According to the Hughston Health Alert, prior to the widespread use of helmets and face cages, "Lacerations to the head, scalp, and face are the most frequent types of injury [in hockey]." One of
15931-427: The game , too many players on the ice , boarding , illegal equipment, charging (leaping into an opponent or body-checking him after taking more than two strides), holding, holding the stick (grabbing an opponent's stick), interference, hooking , slashing , kneeing, unsportsmanlike conduct (arguing a penalty call with referee, extremely vulgar or inappropriate verbal comments), "butt-ending" (striking an opponent with
16110-740: The game Lemieux earned a standing ovation from Philadelphia fans— a rare occurrence for any visiting player, much less a Pittsburgh athlete . The Penguins won the President's Trophy, and the team's 119 points are still a franchise record. Lemieux scored at an incredible pace, notching an average 2.67 points per game—the third-highest points-per-game for a season, behind only Wayne Gretzky's 1983–84 and 1985–86 averages of 2.77 and 2.69 points per game, respectively. Lemieux won his second straight and fourth overall scoring title, finishing with 160 points (69 goals, 91 assists) in 60 games, beating out LaFontaine by 12 points despite playing in 24 fewer games. Throughout
16289-411: The game when the puck or players either bounce into or collide with them. Play can be stopped if the goal is knocked out of position. Play often proceeds for minutes without interruption. After a stoppage, play is restarted with a faceoff . Two players face each other and an official drops the puck to the ice, where the two players attempt to gain control of the puck. Markings (circles) on the ice indicate
16468-607: The game, his play remained at a high level upon his return to the ice; he won the Hart Trophy and scoring title in 1995–96 after sitting out the entire previous season. He was on pace for 188 points, but only played in 70 games. He was also a finalist for the Hart Trophy when he made his comeback in 2000 . In 1999, he bought the then- bankrupt Penguins and their top minor-league affiliate, the American Hockey League 's (AHL) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins , and
16647-399: The game. Nash had a successful first regular season with the Rangers, scoring 21 goals and 21 assists for 42 points in 44 games played in the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season . However, in the playoffs , Nash underwhelmed with only one goal and four assists in 12 playoff games. Nash opened the 2013–14 season well, with three assists in two games. But on October 8, 2013, in a game against
16826-406: The game. There are typically two linesmen who are mainly responsible for calling "offside" and " icing " violations, breaking up fights, and conducting faceoffs, and one or two referees , who call goals and all other penalties. Linesmen can report to the referee(s) that a penalty should be assessed against an offending player in some situations. The restrictions on this practice vary depending on
17005-401: The goalie). In the event of a tie, each team would still receive one point in the standings but in the event of a victory the winning team would be awarded two points in the standings and the losing team one point. The idea was to discourage teams from playing for a tie, since previously some teams might have preferred a tie and 1 point to risking a loss and zero points. The exception to this rule
17184-402: The goaltender carries a stick consisting of a long, relatively wide, and slightly curved flat blade, attached to a shaft. The curve itself has a big impact on its performance. A deep curve allows for lifting the puck easier while a shallow curve allows for easier backhand shots. The flex of the stick also impacts the performance. Typically, a less flexible stick is meant for a stronger player since
17363-404: The governing rules. On-ice officials are assisted by off-ice officials who act as goal judges, time keepers, and official scorers. The most widespread system is the "three-man system", which uses one referee and two linesmen. A less commonly used system is the two referee and one linesman system. This system is close to the regular three-man system except for a few procedure changes. Beginning with
17542-465: The head and most types of forceful stick-on-body contact are illegal. A delayed penalty call occurs when an offence is committed by the team that does not have possession of the puck. In this circumstance the team with possession of the puck is allowed to complete the play; that is, play continues until a goal is scored, a player on the opposing team gains control of the puck, or the team in possession commits an infraction or penalty of their own. Because
17721-568: The heads, as well as checks to unsuspecting players. Studies show that ice hockey causes 44.3% of all sports-related traumatic brain injuries among Canadian children. Some teams in the Swiss National League are testing out systems that combine helmet-integrated sensors and analysis software to reveal a player's ongoing brain injury risk during a game. These sensors provide players and coaches with real-time data on head impact strength, frequency, and severity. Furthermore, if
17900-541: The house up for sale in 2018. Lemieux has opened his home to young Penguins stars such as Marc-André Fleury and Sidney Crosby until they settled into the Pittsburgh area, as he did with Jaromír Jágr following the 1990 NHL Entry Draft when he lived in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania . He is a naturalized American citizen, and on March 30, 2007, Lemieux, a registered Republican , contributed $ 2,300 to Democratic US Senator Hillary Clinton 's 2008 presidential campaign fund. In
18079-452: The ice, and to endorse their products off the ice. This deal would include Lemieux endorsing their line of footwear and their golf equipment. It is said that the deal was worth $ 500,000 (US) a season and would remain in effect for the rest of his career. At the press conference confirming his return, Lemieux indicated part of his reason was that his only son Austin, then four, wanted to see his father play. On December 27, 2000, he returned to
18258-429: The ice. Loafing , also known as cherry-picking , is when a player, usually a forward, skates behind an attacking team, instead of playing defence, in an attempt to create an easy scoring chance. Mario Lemieux Mario Lemieux OC CQ ( / l ə ˈ m j uː / ; French: [ləmjø] ; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played parts of 17 seasons in
18437-417: The illegal actions of another player stop a clear scoring opportunity, most commonly when the player is on a breakaway . A penalty shot allows the obstructed player to pick up the puck on the centre red-line and attempt to score on the goalie with no other players on the ice, to compensate for the earlier missed scoring opportunity. A penalty shot is also awarded for a defender other than the goaltender covering
18616-422: The knob of the stick), "spearing" (jabbing an opponent with the blade of the stick), or cross-checking . As of the 2005–2006 season, a minor penalty is also assessed for diving , where a player embellishes or simulates an offence. More egregious fouls may be penalized by a four-minute double-minor penalty, particularly those that injure the victimized player. These penalties end either when the time runs out or when
18795-482: The leading causes of head injury is body checking from behind. Due to the danger of delivering a check from behind, many leagues – including the NHL – have made this a major and game misconduct penalty. Another type of check that accounts for many of the player-to-player contact concussions is a check to the head resulting in a misconduct penalty (called "head contact"). In recent years, the NHL has implemented new rules which penalize and suspend players for illegal checks to
18974-492: The league they work for. Amateur hockey leagues use guidelines established by national organizing bodies as a basis for choosing their officiating staffs. In North America, the national organizing bodies Hockey Canada and USA Hockey approve officials according to their experience level as well as their ability to pass rules knowledge and skating ability tests. Hockey Canada has officiating levels I through VI. USA Hockey has officiating levels 1 through 4. Since men's ice hockey
19153-537: The league's Most Valuable Player to his team, and the All-Star Game MVP award after a record-setting six-point game. Despite Lemieux's success, the Penguins finished one point out of the playoffs. They did, however, have their first winning record in nine years. In the 1988–89 season , Lemieux led the league with 114 assists (tied with Gretzky) and 85 goals for 199 points; he is the only player to approach Gretzky's mammoth 200+ point seasons. Lemieux finished
19332-562: The locations for the faceoff and guide the positioning of players. Three major rules of play in ice hockey limit the movement of the puck: offside , icing , and the puck going out of play. Under IIHF rules, each team may carry a maximum of 20 players and two goaltenders on their roster. NHL rules restrict the total number of players per game to 18, plus two goaltenders. In the NHL, the players are usually divided into four lines of three forwards, and into three pairs of defencemen. On occasion, teams may elect to substitute an extra defenceman for
19511-402: The lock-out concluded, Lemieux returned to the ice for the 2005–06 season. Hopes for the Penguins were high due to the salary cap and revenue sharing, which enabled the team to compete in the market for several star players. Another reason for optimism was the Penguins winning the lottery for the first draft pick, enabling them to select Sidney Crosby . Lemieux opened up his home to Crosby to help
19690-459: The midseason All-Star game in Denver , Colorado . Despite playing in only 43 games in 2000–01, Lemieux scored 76 points to finish 26th in scoring, finishing the season with the highest points-per-game average that season among NHL players. In fact, he had the highest points-per-game average amongst NHL players for the entire period from his 2000–01 return until his final retirement in 2005–06. Lemieux
19869-435: The misconduct (a two-and-ten or five-and-ten ). In this case, the team designates another player to serve the minor or major; both players go to the penalty box, but only the designee may not be replaced, and he is released upon the expiration of the two or five minutes, at which point the ten-minute misconduct begins. In addition, game misconducts are assessed for deliberate intent to inflict severe injury on an opponent (at
20048-417: The number of stick-on-body occurrences, as well as other detrimental and illegal facets of the game ("zero tolerance"). In men's hockey, but not in women's, a player may use his hip or shoulder to hit another player if the player has the puck or is the last to have touched it. This use of the hip and shoulder is called body checking . Not all physical contact is legal—in particular, hits from behind, hits to
20227-618: The off-season, in May 2008, Nash was named the cover athlete and spokesman for the NHL 2K9 video game. Going into the 2008–09 campaign , the Blue Jackets had gone without a playoff appearance in franchise history. Led by the newly appointed captain Nash and bolstered by rookie goaltender Steve Mason , the Blue Jackets finished the season as the seventh seed in the Western Conference to earn
20406-442: The officials' discretion), or for a major penalty for a stick infraction or repeated major penalties. The offending player is ejected from the game and must immediately leave the playing surface (he does not sit in the penalty box); meanwhile, if an additional minor or major penalty is assessed, a designated player must serve out of that segment of the penalty in the box (similar to the above-mentioned "two-and-ten"). In some rare cases,
20585-442: The opposite end of the rink. The players use their sticks to pass or shoot the puck. With certain restrictions, players may redirect the puck with any part of their body. Players may not hold the puck in their hand and are prohibited from using their hands to pass the puck to their teammates unless they are in the defensive zone. Players can knock a puck out of the air with their hands to themselves. Players are prohibited from kicking
20764-540: The other team scores during the power play. In the case of a goal scored during the first two minutes of a double-minor, the penalty clock is set down to two minutes upon a score, effectively expiring the first minor penalty. Five-minute major penalties are called for especially violent instances of most minor infractions that result in intentional injury to an opponent, or when a minor penalty results in visible injury (such as bleeding), as well as for fighting. Major penalties are always served in full; they do not terminate on
20943-413: The other, the opposing team gets a power play for the remainder of the time); this applies regardless of current pending penalties. In the NHL, a team always has at least three skaters on the ice. Thus, ten-minute misconduct penalties are served in full by the penalized player, but his team may immediately substitute another player on the ice unless a minor or major penalty is assessed in conjunction with
21122-488: The parties together in a last-ditch effort to save what remained of the 2004–05 season, but no agreement was reached and the season was lost. On January 24, 2006, Lemieux announced his second and permanent retirement from professional hockey at the age of 40. This followed a half-season in which he struggled not only with the increased speed of the "new NHL" but also with atrial fibrillation , which caused him to experience irregular heartbeats. Although he had put up points at
21301-602: The past, he has also made contributions to the re-election fund of Republican former US Senator Rick Santorum . On June 17, 2009, Lemieux was made a Knight of the National Order of Quebec (CQ) by then Quebec Premier Jean Charest . In the 2010 Canadian honours , Lemieux was made an Officer of the Order of Canada (OC) from then Governor General Michaëlle Jean . Lemieux has been criticized for his involvement in multiple sexual assault scandals. In 1992, Lemieux
21480-468: The penalty is still assessed to the offending player, but not served. In 2012, this rule was changed by the United States' National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for college level hockey . In college games, the penalty is still enforced even if the team in possession scores. A typical game of hockey is governed by two to four officials on the ice, charged with enforcing the rules of
21659-499: The play is restarted at a faceoff. Some infractions result in a penalty on a player or team. In the simplest case, the offending player is sent to the penalty box and their team must play with one less player on the ice for a designated time. Minor penalties last for two minutes, major penalties last for five minutes, and a double minor penalty is two consecutive penalties of two minutes duration. A single minor penalty may be extended by two minutes for causing visible injury to
21838-411: The player is looking for the right balanced flex that allows the stick to flex easily while still having a strong "whip-back" which sends the puck flying at high speeds. It is quite distinct from sticks in other sports games and most suited to hitting and controlling the flat puck. Its unique shape contributed to the early development of the game. The goaltender carries a stick of a different design, with
22017-461: The players serve five minutes without their team incurring a loss of player (both teams still have a full complement of players on the ice). This differs with two players from opposing sides getting minor penalties, at the same time or at any intersecting moment, resulting from more common infractions. In this case, both teams will have only four skating players (not counting the goaltender) until one or both penalties expire (if one penalty expires before
22196-656: The playoffs since 1982, and had not had a winning season since 1979. He debuted on October 11, 1984, against the Boston Bruins , and on his first shift, he stole the puck from Hall of Fame defenceman Ray Bourque and scored a goal with his first NHL shot against Pete Peeters . Later that season, Lemieux played in the NHL All-Star Game and became the first rookie to be named the All-Star Game's Most Valuable Player . Despite missing seven games during
22375-480: The postseason against the Philadelphia Flyers on April 25, 1989. He tied the NHL record for most goals and points in a postseason game, most goals in a postseason period (four in the first), and most assists in a postseason period (three in the second). However, the Penguins lost the series 4–3. During the 1989–90 NHL season , Lemieux scored at least one point in 46 consecutive games before he ended
22554-415: The president's and CEO's posts to Ken Sawyer, but remained chairman and principal owner. In January 2006, Lemieux confirmed the team was for sale, but would consider offers only from those who would keep the team in Pittsburgh. Late in 2000, there were rumours that Lemieux was attempting a comeback. Upon announcing his comeback, Lemieux also signed a "career spanning deal" with Nike to wear their equipment on
22733-412: The previous tournament. He also did not want to break up his junior season. He finished his QMJHL career with 562 points (247 goals, 315 assists) in only 200 games across three seasons. Before the 1984 NHL Entry Draft , Lemieux announced that he wanted to play for whoever drafted him. He and his agent were deadlocked with the Pittsburgh Penguins and could not negotiate a contract. Because of this, when
22912-537: The puck across the blue line into the American zone, and fired a pass across the zone. Lemieux then faked like he was receiving the pass and proceeded to take a shot at the net, all while letting the puck slide through his legs, knowing he had forward Paul Kariya streaking behind him. Lemieux's fake caused American goalie Mike Richter to lunge in Lemieux's direction, and thus created a wide-open net for Kariya to fire
23091-439: The puck carrier and the other two forwards cover the oppositions' wingers, with the two defencemen staying at the blueline. The 1–4 is the most defensive forecheck system, referred to as the neutral zone trap, where one forward applies pressure to the puck carrier around the oppositions' blueline and the other four players stand basically in a line by their blueline in hopes the opposition will skate into one of them. Another strategy
23270-406: The puck carrier in the neutral zone preventing him from entering the offensive zone. Body checking is using one's shoulder or hip to strike an opponent who has the puck or who is the last to have touched it (the last person to have touched the puck is still legally "in possession" of it, although a penalty is generally called if he is checked more than two seconds after his last touch). Body checking
23449-514: The puck forward. With the arrival of offside rules, the forward pass transformed hockey into a true team sport, where individual performance diminished in importance relative to team play, which could now be coordinated over the entire surface of the ice as opposed to merely rearward players. The six players on each team are typically divided into three forwards, two defencemen, and one goaltender. The term skaters typically applies to all players except goaltenders. The forward positions consist of
23628-405: The puck in the goal crease, a goaltender intentionally displacing his own goal posts during a breakaway to avoid a goal, a defender intentionally displacing his own goal posts when there is less than two minutes to play in regulation time or at any point during overtime, or a player or coach intentionally throwing a stick or other object at the puck or the puck carrier and the throwing action disrupts
23807-560: The puck in, as he received the pass from Pronger after Lemieux let it go to Kariya. During the tournament, his hip injury required several painkilling injections to keep him on the ice, and he only played one more NHL game after the Olympics before being lost for the season. He would then play in his final international event, once again captaining Team Canada to victory in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey , where he'd be Team Canada's fourth leading scorer, despite being 38 years old, having injuries, and playing in just 10 NHL games that year. Lemieux
23986-413: The puck into the opponent's goal, though unintentional redirections off the skate are permitted. Players may not intentionally bat the puck into the net with their hands. Hockey is an off-side game, meaning that forward passes are allowed, unlike in rugby. Before the 1930s, hockey was an on-side game, meaning that only backward passes were allowed. Those rules emphasized individual stick-handling to drive
24165-409: The puck. A deflection is a shot that redirects a shot or a pass towards the goal from another player, by allowing the puck to strike the stick and carom towards the goal. A one-timer is a shot struck directly off a pass, without receiving the pass and shooting in two separate actions. Headmanning the puck , also known as breaking out , is the tactic of rapidly passing to the player farthest down
24344-419: The quickest goal in All-Star Game history, just 12 seconds in and ended the game with a hat-trick . Completing the season with 38 goals and 69 points, Nash nearly matched his personal best goals total and set a career high for points and assists. Shortly before the end of the season, on March 12, 2008, Nash was also named the fifth captain in Blue Jackets history, replacing the recently traded Adam Foote . In
24523-418: The right side" (of the puck). Another popular concept in ice hockey defensive tactics is that of playing a 200-foot game . An important defensive tactic is checking—attempting to take the puck from an opponent or to remove the opponent from play. Stick checking , sweep checking , and poke checking are legal uses of the stick to obtain possession of the puck. The neutral zone trap is designed to isolate
24702-568: The rookie settle in Pittsburgh, and served as Crosby's mentor. Lemieux's unique status as player and owner placed him in a potential conflict of interest with respect to NHL labour negotiations . Because he was also an owner, Lemieux was no longer a member of the National Hockey League Players Association , although he still paid union dues to maintain his pension . By agreement with the NHLPA, Lemieux
24881-418: The season a close second to Gretzky in voting for the Hart Trophy, and set several milestones and records in the process, becoming the second player to score 70+ goals in two seasons, the fourth player to score 50 goals in 50 games , and the only player to score 13 shorthanded goals in one season. Buoyed in part by Lemieux's performance, the Penguins made the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Perhaps
25060-611: The season with 69 goals and 92 assists to lead the league and then became the seventh player to win three Hart Trophies and the fourth player to win five Art Ross Trophies. Despite his return, the Penguins fell to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final in seven games. The next season , Lemieux, playing against the Vancouver Canucks , scored his 600th career goal in his 719th game, and went on to put up his tenth career 100-point season, both
25239-489: The season, Lemieux scored 100 points and won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the rookie of the year. The next season , Lemieux finished second in league scoring with 141 points, behind Wayne Gretzky 's NHL-record 215 points. He won the Lester B. Pearson Award as the NHL's best regular-season player as voted by his peers. Lemieux missed 17 games of the 1986–87 NHL season —his point production slipped, and
25418-415: The season, Lemieux scored at least one point in 54 of his 60 games played. Notwithstanding Gretzky's abiding majesty, posterity will never forget that no athlete—not even the sainted Lou Gehrig—has ever before Lemieux been struck down by a deadly disease at the very moment when he was the best of his sport at the best he ever would be. And since: Lemieux has achieved miraculously in remission, struggling, on
25597-486: The season, he announced that he would take a leave of absence because of fatigue brought on by his radiation treatment. Lemieux returned for the 1995–96 season and on October 26, 1995, against the New York Islanders , he scored his 500th career goal in his 605th game. Lemieux reached 500 goals at the second fastest rate. Only Gretzky achieved the plateau faster scoring 500 goals in 575 games. Lemieux finished
25776-668: The second game of the Patrick Division finals, the New York Rangers ' Adam Graves slashed and broke Lemieux's left hand; Lemieux missed five games, but still led the playoffs with 16 goals and 18 assists. The Penguins swept the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals to earn their second consecutive Stanley Cup, and Lemieux won the Conn Smythe Trophy for the second consecutive postseason. Lemieux racked up an astonishing 78 combined points during
25955-445: The second-most in history after Wayne Gretzky's 600 goals in 718 games and fifteen 100-point seasons. In his last game against his hometown Montreal, Lemieux tied an NHL record for most goals in a period, with four goals in the third. Lemieux won his sixth scoring title with 122 points (50 goals, 72 assists). On April 6, 1997, Lemieux announced that he planned to retire following the playoffs. The Penguins were eliminated in five games by
26134-403: The side, with a back injury so grievous that it has benched him after he merely laced up a skate. That is the stuff that answers people these days when they wonder where all our sports heroes have gone. — Frank Deford , Newsweek The Penguins dispatched the New Jersey Devils in the first round in five games, but were upset by the New York Islanders in seven. After the season, Lemieux
26313-544: The skater's feet from contact with other skaters, sticks, pucks, the boards, and the ice itself. Rigidity also improves the overall manoeuvrability of the skate. Blade length, thickness (width), and curvature (rocker/radius) (front to back) and radius of hollow (across the blade width) are quite different from speed or figure skates. Hockey players usually adjust these parameters based on their skill level, position, and body type. The blade width of most skates are about 1 ⁄ 8 inch (3.2 mm) thick. Each player other than
26492-501: The streak by leaving a game due to injury. The streak's length was second only to Gretzky's 51-game streak. Lemieux won his third All-Star Game MVP with a four-goal performance. Although he missed 21 games, he finished fourth in the league in scoring with 123 points (45 goals, 78 assists). The Penguins did not qualify for the playoffs. Lemieux's back injury progressed into a herniated disc , which subsequently developed an infection. On July 11, 1990, Lemieux underwent back surgery to fix
26671-411: The street from Mellon Arena. The deal keeps the Penguins in Pittsburgh for at least 30 years. Lemieux was instrumental in negotiating this deal, despite outside efforts to move the team to Kansas City . It was later revealed that Lemieux did visit Kansas City only to put pressure on the city and state to push through plans for the new arena. The Penguins returned to the playoffs, losing in five games to
26850-407: The team on which the penalty was called cannot control the puck without stopping play, it is impossible for them to score a goal. In these cases, the team in possession of the puck can pull the goalie for an extra attacker without fear of being scored on. It is possible for the controlling team to mishandle the puck into their own net. If a delayed penalty is signalled and the team in possession scores,
27029-524: The team to gold by defeating the United States 5–2 in the final game. Lemieux showcased his amazing hockey intelligence during the gold medal game against the United States. With Team Canada trailing 1–0 in the first period, Lemieux made one of the most famous and savvy plays in Olympic hockey history. After a cross-ice pass from Lemieux in the neutral zone, Canadian defenceman Chris Pronger carried
27208-483: The time. After the draft, Johnston signed Lemieux to a two-year contract for $ 600,000 plus a $ 150,000 signing bonus. At the start of Lemieux's career, the Penguins were in financial turmoil and there were rumors of relocation . The team had declared bankruptcy after the 1974–75 season , and by 1983, they were averaging fewer than 7,000 fans per game—less than half of the Civic Arena's capacity. They had not made
27387-457: The top-seeded New Jersey Devils , as their players held Lemieux and Jágr without a goal that series. Lemieux finished Game Five in the penalty box after slashing the Devils' John Madden ; afterwards Lemieux signed his stick and handed it to a young fan. Before the start of the 2001–02 season, Pittsburgh was forced to trade most of their expensive players, so the team plummeted to the bottom of
27566-407: The tournament on Sidney Crosby 's wing, he was switched to a line with Mike Richards and Jonathan Toews , who was named Best Forward. Nash earned his first Olympic medal in the tournament as Team Canada went on to win gold. Nash was named captain of Team Canada for the 2011 IIHF World Championship . Canada finished fifth in the tournament. Rick Nash won his second gold medal with Team Canada at
27745-530: The trade deadline, Nash was traded to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Ryan Spooner , Matt Beleskey , prospect Ryan Lindgren , a 2018 first-round pick (which became Jacob Bernard-Docker ), and a 2019 seventh-round pick (which became Massimo Rizzo ). Rick Nash's first goal as a Bruin, and his 800th career point, came on February 27, 2018, in a 4–3 overtime Bruins home ice win over the Carolina Hurricanes . Nash would go on to play 23 games for
27924-399: The two. Defensive skills involve pass interception , shot blocking , and stick checking (in which an attempt to take away the puck or cut off the puck lane is initiated by the stick of the defensive player). Tactical points of emphasis in ice hockey defensive play are concepts like "managing gaps" (gap control), "boxing out"' (not letting the offensive team go on the inside), and "staying on
28103-498: The victimized player. This is usually when blood is drawn during high sticking. Players may be also assessed personal extended penalties or game expulsions for misconduct in addition to the penalty or penalties their team must serve. The team that has been given a penalty is said to be playing short-handed while the opposing team is on a power play . A two-minute minor penalty is often charged for lesser infractions such as tripping , elbowing , roughing , high-sticking , delay of
28282-613: The year with 57 points. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout , Nash played for HC Davos of the Swiss Nationalliga A (NLA). He scored 26 goals and 46 points in 44 games and added 11 more points (nine goals and two assists) in 15 games in the NLA playoffs. Joined by fellow NHL-er Joe Thornton , Davos went on to win the Swiss Championship, as well as the 2004 Spengler Cup . With the NHL set to resume play in 2005–06 ,
28461-657: Was a highly regarded prospect with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) where he spent two seasons, earning the Emms Family Award in 2001 as the League's Rookie of the Year. He began his NHL career with the Blue Jackets immediately following his draft, in 2002–03 , and was nominated for the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year. In his second NHL season, Nash scored 41 goals to tie with Jarome Iginla and Ilya Kovalchuk as winners of
28640-503: Was also forced to make several trades to stop the bleeding, most of which backfired. The situation became so dire that the Penguins were forced to declare bankruptcy in November 1998. For most of the 1998–99 NHL season , it looked like the Penguins would either move out of town or fold altogether. At this point, Lemieux stepped in with an unusual proposal to buy the team. Years of deferred salaries, adding up to $ 32.5 million, had made him
28819-434: Was also influential. The former games were brought to North America and several similar winter games using informal rules developed, such as shinny and ice polo, but later were absorbed into a new organized game with codified rules which today is ice hockey. While the general characteristics of the game remain constant, the exact rules depend on the particular code of play being used. The two most important codes are those of
28998-492: Was also selected by team Canada for the 2006 Winter Olympics , but declined due to health. Early in his career, Lemieux smoked, at one point consuming a pack of cigarettes daily. He gave up the habit, perhaps due to Hodgkin's Disease . Lemieux married Nathalie Asselin on June 26, 1993. They have four children: Lauren (born April 1993), Stephanie (born 1995), Austin Nicholas (born 1996), and Alexa (born 1997). Austin
29177-496: Was awarded his second Hart Trophy, as well as the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy , given to the player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. On July 23, 1993, Lemieux underwent his second back surgery, this time to repair a herniated muscle. He missed the first ten games of the season to recover from surgery and missed an additional 48 games due to the injury. After
29356-409: Was aware of the challenge, made good on it when he scored the game-winning goal right off a faceoff during the third period. In 2002–03 , at the age of 37, Lemieux led the NHL in scoring for most of the season but missed most of the games towards the end of the schedule and finished eighth in scoring with 91 points in only 67 games. Lemieux missed all but ten games during the 2003–04 season. After
29535-516: Was born prematurely, weighing just two pounds , five ounces, but he is perfectly healthy today, and played college hockey at Arizona State University . The family lives in the affluent Pittsburgh suburb of Sewickley . Lemieux also had a second home in Quebec near Mont-Tremblant which was built starting in 2009, costs US$ 20 million, and came to be known as the Chateau Fleur de Lys; he put
29714-490: Was developed in Canada, most notably in Montreal , where the first indoor game was played on March 3, 1875. Some characteristics of that game, such as the length of the ice rink and the use of a puck, have been retained to this day. Amateur ice hockey leagues began in the 1880s, and professional ice hockey originated around 1900. The Stanley Cup , emblematic of ice hockey club supremacy, was initially commissioned in 1892 as
29893-430: Was in the same room while his former teammate Dan Quinn allegedly raped a woman. In 2000, while Lemieux owned the team, the Penguins signed Billy Tibbetts , who was convicted of raping an unconscious 15-year-old girl when he was 17 years old. When asked about the signing, Lemieux said: "I think that’s a great story. That kid faced so much adversity, did his time, came back after three and a half years. To find himself in
30072-528: Was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame , becoming the ninth player in history to have the mandatory three-year waiting period waived. The Penguins' free-spending ways of the early 1990s came at a high price. Through most of the 1990s, Penguins' owners Howard Baldwin and Morris Belzberg mismanaged the team, owing over $ 90 million to various creditors. As a consequence, the Penguins asked Lemieux and other prominent players to defer their salaries. The team
30251-723: Was named one of the " 100 Greatest NHL Players ". He was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2004, and into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2008. Lemieux was born in Montréal to Pierrette, a stay-at-home mom, and Jean-Guy Lemieux, an engineer. He and his older brothers Alain and Richard grew up in a working class family in the Ville-Émard district. He began playing hockey at age three in his basement; before using real equipment, he and his brothers used wooden kitchen spoons as hockey sticks and bottle caps as pucks. His father created
30430-572: Was never able to play a full season, and only played in 70 or more games in a season on only six occasions during his career - four of which came before the age of 25. Lemieux's career was plagued by health problems that limited him to 915 of a possible 1,430 regular season games between the opening of the 1984–85 campaign and the conclusion of the 2005–2006 campaign. Lemieux's NHL debut was on October 11, 1984 and his final game took place on December 16, 2005. His numerous ailments included spinal disc herniation , Hodgkin's lymphoma , chronic tendinitis of
30609-619: Was one of the three finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy and Lester B. Pearson NHLPA awards and earned a selection on the postseason NHL All-Star second team. Lemieux led the Penguins in the postseason and led in playoff scoring for much of it. His team surprised many by going to the Eastern Conference finals, knocking off the higher-seeded Washington Capitals and Buffalo Sabres along the way in six and seven games, respectively. The Penguins lost in five games to
30788-440: Was only 21 years old at the time. To be around guys like Wayne [Gretzky] and Mark Messier and Paul Coffey ... was a tremendous learning experience." By the 1987–88 season , Wayne Gretzky already won seven consecutive Art Ross Trophies for leading the league in points. That season, fuelled by his Canada Cup experience, Lemieux scored 168 points and won his first NHL scoring title. He also won his first Hart Memorial Trophy as
30967-479: Was paid the average league salary of about $ 1.4 million and it was from this amount that his union dues were calculated and deducted. He did not vote in owners' meetings, delegating this role to a Penguins vice-president. He suggested that the NHL adopt a salary structure similar to the National Football League , which has a hard salary cap . Lemieux and fellow NHL team executive Gretzky brought
31146-747: Was raised in Brampton , Ontario , where he attended Brampton Centennial Secondary School . He played minor hockey in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), where he caught the attention of OHL scouts in 1999. He played in the 1998 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Toronto Marlboros minor ice hockey team. As a member of the London Knights for two seasons in the OHL, Rick Nash began his major junior career with 66 points in his first year, receiving
31325-570: Was retired by the franchise in 2022. Internationally, Nash has represented Team Canada , with whom he has won one gold and two silver medals at the World Championships , and two gold medals at the Winter Olympics in 2010 and 2014 . Additionally, he has represented Canada at the 2002 World Junior Championships , helping the team to a silver medal, and also competed for Canada in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin . Nash
31504-545: Was solid defensively throughout, and the Rangers reached the Stanley Cup Finals , ultimately losing in five games to the Los Angeles Kings in a series in which all the games were close decisions. Nash had a superstar season in 2014–15 scoring a career-high 42 goals (third in the NHL behind Steven Stamkos with 43 and Alexander Ovechkin with 53) and 27 assists. Nash's production also improved during
31683-399: Was successful, as Lemieux broke the league record for points in a season with 282 (133 goals, 149 assists) in 70 games. In his last game of the regular season, Lemieux needed three goals to tie Guy Lafleur 's record of 130 goals; he scored six and added six assists in a 16–4 victory. During the playoffs, he scored 29 goals and earned 52 points in 14 games, while leading his team to a berth at
31862-399: Was that in return for Nash the Blue Jackets would ask for a top six forward, a top prospect and a first-round draft pick. Trade speculation continued on into the summer with no deal imminent. While Howson claimed he merely wanted to receive "market value" in any deal for Nash, there was speculation that his asking price was too high for many rival NHL GMs to consider. Columbus eventually found
32041-458: Was the team's principal owner until selling controlling interest in the team to Fenway Sports Group in 2021. However, he remains part-owner and chairman of the board. The Hockey Hall of Fame inducted Lemieux immediately after his first retirement in 1997, waiving the normal three-year waiting period; upon his return in 2000, he became the third Hall of Famer (after Gordie Howe and Guy Lafleur ) to play after being inducted. Lemieux's impact on
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