Question 1

True or false: Lemieux was drafted first overall in 1984, the same year Wayne Gretzky was drafted fourth.

Accepted Answer

False. Gretzky entered the NHL in 1979 and was never draft-eligible in 1984; he was already a star by then.

Question 2

True or false: Lemieux won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP before winning the Stanley Cup.

Accepted Answer

False. He won his first Conn Smythe in 1991, the same year the Penguins won their first Cup—so it was during, not before.

Question 3

True or false: Mario Lemieux bought the Pittsburgh Penguins out of bankruptcy while still an active player.

Accepted Answer

True. In 1999, Lemieux led a group to purchase the team, becoming the first player-owner in NHL history.

Question 4

True or false: Lemieux was the first NHL player to score a goal in every building in the league in a single season.

Accepted Answer

False. No player has ever achieved that feat; it's a common myth. Lemieux did score in every rink over his career, but not one season.

Question 5

True or false: Lemieux never won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in back-to-back seasons.

Accepted Answer

False. He won the Hart in 1988 and 1993, but those were not consecutive years—he missed 1989–1992 due to injury and lockout.

Question 6

True or false: Lemieux once beat a goaltender by shooting the puck through his own teammate's legs.

Accepted Answer

True. In a 1988 game, Lemieux intentionally banked the puck off teammate Rob Brown's skate to fool the goalie and score.

Question 7

True or false: Lemieux returned from retirement to play with his son Austin in a charity game.

Accepted Answer

True. In 2020, Mario and his son Austin skated together for the Pittsburgh Penguins alumni team in a charity event.

Question 8

True or false: Mario Lemieux once scored goals in five different ways in a single NHL game.

Accepted Answer

True. On Dec. 31, 1988, against the Devils, he scored even-strength, on power play, shorthanded, penalty shot, and into an empty net.

Mario Lemieux Trivia Questions