As one of the most talked-about figures, Mario Lemieux has built a significant fortune. Our team analyzed the latest data to provide a clear picture of their income.

What Is Mario Lemieux's Net Worth and Salary?

The vast, vast, vast majority of Mario Lemieux's net worth was earned thanks to his former ownership of his former team, the Pittsburgh Penguins. Mario ended up owning a stake in the team after the Penguins' previous ownership group filed for bankruptcy in November 1998. In ashrewd business move, Mario offered to forgive $20 million of the $32 million in deferred salary that he was owed from the team into a 25% ownership stake in a newly formed ownership group led by billionaire Ron Burkle. Over the next two decades, Mario increased his stake slowly to the point where he owned 40% when the team was acquired in late 2021 by Fenway Sports at a valuation of $900 million. Mario and Ron maintained a portion of their equity, so it's not quite fair to say they cashed out; however, clearly Mario made hundreds of millions of dollars from the sale,easily $200-300 million, pre-tax.

He broke many records over the course of his playing career, which is even more astonishing when you consider how many health issues Mario had to deal with. Many experts have stated that if he hadn't been struggling with things like a herniated disc and Hodgkin's Lymphoma, he probably would have achieved even more on the ice.

Mario Lemieux was born on October 5, 1965, in Montreal, Quebec. Raised in a working-class household alongside two elder brothers, Mario first started playing hockey at the age of 3. In the early days, he and his brothers practiced with wooden spoons and bottle caps, and Mario's father created a rink in the backyard so the boys could constantly hone their skills. Mario got started at a young age, playing in a minor league team alongside future NHL stars like Marc Bergevin and J.J. Daigneault. He was drafted into the NHL in 1984 at the age of 19.

Mario Lemieux is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player who has a net worth of $300 million. Also known as "Le Magnifique" (the magnificent one) and "Super Mario," Mario Lemieux is considered one of the greatest hockey players of all time. Over the course of his 17-season playing career, he won the Stanley Cup twice. In 1999, he assumed ownership of the team, and after he finished his playing career, he won the cup a further three times.

Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

During this period, Lemieux was the only player to ever come close to Gretzky, who was regularly scoring more than 200 points per season. After scoring 199 points during the 1988-89 season, the Penguins made the playoffs for the first time in seven years. During that year, Mario scored 8 points in a game against the New Jersey Devils, which included five goals in all five possible "game situations." He is the only player to accomplish this feat.

Mario's debut in the NHL was almost too good to be true. He stole the puck from Ray Brouque, a Hall of Fame defender, and immediately scored with his first-ever shot in the NHL. He ended the season as the first-ever rookie to be named Most Valuable Player. He scored 100 points in his debut season despite missing seven games, and Mario continued to improve over the next few seasons – although the Penguins still had trouble making the playoffs.

In 1987, he played on the Canadian national team alongside greats likeWayne Gretzky,Mark Messier, and Paul Coffey during the Canada Cup. He later stated that this was a "tremendous learning experience" that allowed him to excel during the next few years. During the 1987-88 season, Mario scored 168 points and won the league scoring title for the first time.

Mario joined the Penguins amidst controversy. He and his agent had been deadlocked with the owners, unable to finalize a deal to both parties' liking. Upon being drafted by the team, Mario famously refused to shake the GM's hand or pose with the team jersey for a photo. Controversy continued, as the Penguins were in serious financial trouble when Lemieux joined. The team's performance was also quite terrible when Mario joined, and they hadn't won the playoffs for two years.

Ultimately, Mario Lemieux's financial journey is a testament to their success.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.