Mario Lemieux Quotes

My goal was to play in the NHL, because that is the best hockey in the world.

For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a professional hockey player.

I hope one day I will be able to play in a game in the NHL, not just practice.

I was impressed all my life. Because of the Montreal Canadiens' past, it means a lot because it was a team I cherished as a kid. It was my dream playing for the Montreal Canadiens - it was my dad's team.

As a kid growing up in the little city of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, I dreamed of one day playing in the NHL, but never did I expect it to be as much fun as it turned out to be.

Listen, everything I have in my life is because of the NHL and because of hockey, and I love the game and I loved every minute of being a player, I loved coaching, I loved being involved in the NHL.

I still love playing the game, and it's amazing we can do this as a so-called 'job,' and it's amazing we can come to the rink every day and play the game we love.

It's a big step to be drafted. Ultimately, it's everybody's dream. That's where you start thinking about making the team, maybe about winning the Stanley Cup.

It's a dream come true to be part of an NHL team, to be a regular in the NHL, to live the life, to make the money and do all that stuff.

I grew up trying to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs, not Team Canada. Didn't even know it existed.

Growing up in Canada, most kids from Canada dream of playing in the NHL, and they also hope one day to be on a Stanley Cup team. That was a big goal.

It's an honour and a thrill and a privilege just to play in the NHL.

It's been a great honor for me to be a player for the Detroit Red Wings, to play for an Original Six franchise. I know I'm far from perfect, but I learned a lot.

I always played hockey, I was always a hockey fan, but I was never bitten by the hockey bug... I never looked into playing it professionally.

I think whenever anyone asked me why I wanted to be a hockey player, that's where it all started, watching the Winnipeg Jets play as a young kid.

Playing 10 years in the NHL, almost 600 games, there's going to be some wear and tear for everybody.

I was lucky enough to have a hockey career in the NHL.

Anyone who plays in the NHL dreams to win the Stanley Cup and I dreamed as well to be one of them and raise the cup in Washington and bring it home to Moscow and celebrate with my friends and my parents.

Maybe playing in the NHL would be pretty nice, but that's more of a pipe dream for me.

I played professional hockey in Europe. I played in the German third league and the Dutch elite league.

I think it would be unbelievable to play in the NHL as an 18-year-old.

I remember starting hockey at age 7 and going to my first tryout and dreaming about how great it would be, and it's been even better. These 20 years in the NHL, it's been better.

My dad would talk to players like Claude Lemieux and Stephane Richer and tell them one day his son was going to play in the NHL. How many dads say the same thing? But, gee, he was right.

I was always a decent hockey player, but I'd have never made the NHL.

You get drafted by an NHL team, you're kind of living the good life. So, I mean for me, it's all awesome.