The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) has named Mario Lemieux as the No. 1 player on its Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years list, honoring the league's top talent since its formation in 1975. Lemieux, who played for the Laval Voisins of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), set CHL single-season records with 133 goals and 282 points during the 1983-84 season.
Lemieux's junior career achievements include being a two-time CHL Player of the Year (1983, 1984) and leading the Voisins to the Memorial Cup in 1984. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997 and won two Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins (1991, 1992). The CHL list, released on May 14, 2026, also features other notable alumni such as Wayne Gretzky, who played for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, and Sidney Crosby of the Rimouski Océanic.
The CHL's Top 50 list was compiled by a panel of hockey experts, including former players, coaches, and media members, to celebrate the league's 50th anniversary. Lemieux's selection underscores his lasting impact on the sport, both in junior hockey and the NHL.
