Réal Lemieux Explained

Position:Right wing
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:5
Height In:11
Weight Lb:172
Birth Date:January 3, 1945
Birth Place:Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada
Death Place:Sorel, Quebec, Canada
Career Start:1965
Career End:1974
Played For:Detroit Red Wings
Los Angeles Kings
New York Rangers
Buffalo Sabres

Réal Gaston Lemieux (January 3, 1945 – October 24, 1975)[1] was a Canadian ice hockey right wing. He played in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres between 1967 and 1974.

Early life

Lemieux was born in Victoriaville, Quebec. He played junior for the Lachine Maroons and the Hamilton Red Wings from 1962 until 1965.

Professional career

Lemieux turned professional with the Detroit Red Wings, playing several seasons with their minor league teams, and one game with Detroit. Lemieux was claimed by Los Angeles in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft and became a regular with the Kings. Lemieux was traded to the New York Rangers in 1969 but was re-acquired after playing 55 games with the Rangers. In 1973–74, Lemieux played for the Kings, Rangers and Sabres. In his NHL career, the vast majority of which was spent with Los Angeles, Lemieux played in 483 games, scoring 51 goals and adding 104 assists.

Retirement and death

After being cut by the Sabres in 1974, Lemieux decided to retire and joined a steel company in Sorel, Quebec. In October 1975, he developed a blood clot in his brain and died on October 24 of that year.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
1962–63Lachine MaroonsMMJHL
1963–64Hamilton Red WingsOHA42 20 24 44 58
1964–65Hamilton Red WingsOHA48 48 40 88 64
1964–65Memphis WingsCPHL8 5 7 12 0
1965–66Memphis WingsCPHL53 11 15 26 68
1966–67Detroit Red WingsNHL1 0 0 0 0
1966–67Memphis WingsCPHL68 28 34 62 2117 4 0 4 7
1967–68Los Angeles KingsNHL74 12 23 35 607 1 1 2 0
1968–69Los Angeles KingsNHL75 11 29 40 6811 1 3 4 10
1969–70New York RangersNHL55 4 6 10 51
1969–70Los Angeles KingsNHL18 2 4 6 10
1970–71Los Angeles KingsNHL43 3 6 9 2
1970–71Springfield KingsAHL33 14 22 36 25
1971–72Los Angeles KingsNHL78 13 25 38 28
1972–73Los Angeles KingsNHL74 5 10 15 19
1973–74Los Angeles KingsNHL20 0 0 0 0
1973–74New York RangersNHL7 0 0 0 0
1973–74Buffalo SabresNHL11 1 1 2 4
NHL totals456 51 104 155 26218 2 4 6 10

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Untitled Document . 2007-04-23 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070609022729/http://www.sabresalumni.com/2001/lemieux_real.php . 2007-06-09 .