The extended family of the Montreal Canadiens has suffered a tragic loss with the news of the passing of former Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Lyle Odelein at just 58 years of age.
As confirmed by The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Odelein passed away of a heart attack late on Friday evening. He was part of Montreal’s most recent Stanley Cup-winning team of 1993.
Lyle Odelein Won The Stanley Cup With The Montreal Canadiens In 1993
Odelein’s road to the NHL started with the Moose Jaw Warriors before the Canadiens drafted him 141st overall in 1986. He quickly made a name for himself as a physical, defense-first defenseman before eventually adding more offense to his game.
Odelein was part of Montreal’s 1993 Stanley Cup-winning team, scoring one goal and five assists in 20 postseason games during that title run.
His best season came in 1993-94, during which he reached career highs with 11 goals, 29 assists and 40 points.
He also scored his first career hat trick against the St. Louis Blues and later picked up five assists against the Hartford Whalers, tying the Canadiens’ single-game record for assists by a blue liner.
Odelein Played For Multiple Teams In His NHL Career
Montreal dealt Odelein to the New Jersey Devils in 1996, beginning a stretch that saw him play for several NHL clubs, including Phoenix, Columbus, Chicago, Dallas and Florida. After joining the Blue Jackets through the 2000 expansion draft, Odelein was named the first captain in franchise history.
Odelein skated in all 82 games during the 2003-04 season for the Panthers. Following the 2004-05 NHL Lockout, Odelein spent the last year of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but was limited to just 27 games.
Odelein finished with 1,056 regular-season NHL games, scoring 50 goals with 202 assists for 252 points. He also had 18 points in 86 career playoff games.
Lyle Odelein Endured A Serious Health Crisis In 2018
Years after his playing career ended, Odelein faced a life-threatening medical emergency following an unusual incident while golfing in Arizona. After being pricked by a cactus, his condition deteriorated to the point that he fell into a coma and became paralyzed.
Odelein was diagnosed with critical illness polyneuropathy and underwent heart-valve surgery along with liver and kidney transplants at Allegheny General Hospital.
Tragedy Strikes Canadiens With Passing of 1993 Stanley Cup Winner