Mario Lemieux's Quotes

The first few games that we played against some of the teams, the young guys, you know, want a stick sign or photo sign, and I think that they respect what I have achieved throughout my career.

We feel that, with Sidney, we have a great opportunity over the next few years to put a great team on the ice. We're prepared to lose some money along the way. Eventually we're going to need some help.

I've gone through back surgery a couple times, and of course, my radiation treatments for six weeks got me to the point where I was not able to play at the level that I was accustomed to.

A month before the season I stop putting ketchup on my french fries.

One thing I hate is people screaming at me. If you want me to do something, talk to me.

Since the beginning, I always loved the game. When you grow up in Montreal, one day you want to be a professional hockey player. When I was six or seven, I knew that was what I wanted.

All I can say to the young players is, enjoy every moment of it. Just enjoy every moment of it. Your career goes by very quickly.

As I've said, in 2007, we're free to go and we'll just have to do what's best for the business.

Depending on how we start the season, I can play center or wing... It doesn't matter to me.

I can no longer play at a level I was accustomed to in the past.

I didn't like the way the game was being played.

I didn't speak English until I came to Pittsburgh.

I think the game has opened up, and that's why I decided to come back and try to be a part of it.

I'm only 35, and I felt that the time was right to try to come back and have a chance for him to see me play.

It's up to the community now to decide if they want to keep this team.

Oh, I did stop smoking a long time ago.

Well, I think just a desire to come back and be a part of the game again.

When I'm able to see the ice ahead of time when I get the puck, I'm able to make some pretty good plays.

When someone screams at me to hurry up, I slow down.

Everybody I talked to - from my friends to my family and some of the players - really gave me a lot of support from the start. And that certainly made me feel good about trying to come back and be one of the best again.

He's only 4 years old, so I don't think he realized, you know, that I played so many years. Of course, we watch tapes here from the Stanley Cup years, but I don't think he realized how many years I played.

I don't try to match wine with food, I just drink what I like. And I think a lot of people are going towards that now, which never used to be in the past.

I think people in Montreal smoke a lot, and I used to smoke when I was 17-18, and just picked it up when I was playing juniors. But I think I stopped when I was 22, which was a big decision in my life.

I think that with a lot of hard work and dedication, I feel that I could be the best in the world. I'm still only 35 years old... I have a fresh start physically and mentally, and I feel that I can achieve my goal to be the best again.

My body's feeling it a little bit. But one good thing, my back is in good shape, and that's my main concern. I know that my legs are going to take awhile to get back to where I was a few years ago, but as long as my back is solid, I feel that I can play many years.

Of course, my family has been a big reason for me to come back, especially my son who loves the game of hockey - he was a big reason for me coming back.