CHL Names Lemieux Top Player of Past 50 Years

The Canadian Hockey League has named Mario Lemieux as the greatest player in its history over the past 50 years, capping a monthlong countdown of its top 50 performers as part of the league's 50th anniversary celebrations.

Lemieux, who starred for the Laval Voisins from 1981 to 1984 in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, topped the list announced Thursday. He finished ahead of Sidney Crosby of the Rimouski Oceanic, Wayne Gretzky of the Peterborough Petes and Soo Greyhounds, Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters and Mike Bossy of the Laval National.

The rankings were determined through a combination of media and fan voting, according to CHL officials. "This list reflects the extraordinary legacy of the CHL and the impact our players have had on the game at every level," CHL president Dan MacKenzie said.

Lemieux rewrote the QMJHL record book during his junior career, accumulating 562 points in 200 games. In his final season of 1983-84, he set CHL single-season records with 133 goals and 282 points in 70 games, including a 61-game point streak and 21 hat tricks. He scored six goals and five assists in his last regular-season game to secure the goals mark. In the playoffs that year,...