Lyle Odelein, Stanley Cup Champion and First Blue Jackets Captain, Dies

Former Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lyle Odelein, a member of the team that won the 1993 Stanley Cup and the first captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets, has died at 58, the Canadiens confirmed. The team said he died Friday, October 2. The reported cause was a heart attack, according to an account attributed to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette; the supplied reports do not cite a separate confirmation from family or medical authorities. Odelein played 1,056 regular-season NHL games over 16 seasons, recording 50 goals and 202 assists. He spent six seasons with Montreal, appearing in 420 games from 1990 to 1996, and was part of the Canadiens’ 1993 championship team. He was drafted by Montreal in the seventh round in 1986. His career also included stints with the New Jersey Devils, Phoenix Coyotes, Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers and Pittsburgh Penguins. Columbus selected Odelein in the 2000 expansion draft, and he became the franchise’s first captain. He retired after the 2005-06 season with Pittsburgh, where he later lived. The Canadiens and Blue Jackets issued tributes after his death.