Réal Lemieux

Réal Lemieux
Born	(1945-01-03)January 3, 1945 Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada
Died	October 25, 1975(1975-10-25) (aged 30) Sorel, Quebec, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	172 lb (78 kg; 12 st 4 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Detroit Red Wings Los Angeles Kings New York Rangers Buffalo Sabres
Playing career	1967–1974

Réal Gaston Lemieux (January 3, 1945 – October 24, 1975) was an 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.

Early life

Lemieux was born in Victoriaville, Quebec. He played junior for the Lachine Maroons and the Hamilton Red Wings from 1960 until 1963.

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.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database