Lyle Odelein, a defenseman who won a Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993, has died at the age of 58. His passing was confirmed Friday via social media posts from multiple NHL teams he played for, including the Canadiens, Devils, Blue Jackets, and Penguins. Odelein played 16 NHL seasons, appearing in 1,056 games with Montreal, New Jersey, Phoenix, Columbus, Chicago, Dallas, Florida, and Pittsburgh.
He recorded 252 points (50 goals, 202 assists) and 2,316 penalty minutes over his career. With Montreal from 1990 to 1996, he scored 20 goals and 75 assists in 420 games and ranks second in franchise history with 1,357 penalty minutes. A seventh-round pick by the Canadiens in 1986, Odelein was also the first captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets when they entered the NHL in 2000.
He lived in the Pittsburgh area after retiring and had previously survived a near-fatal blood infection in 2018 from a cactus prick during golf in Arizona, which led to liver, kidney, and aortic valve transplant surgery. The Canadiens, Blue Jackets, Penguins, and other organizations have expressed their condolences, remembering him as a fierce competitor and a kind, generous man off the ice.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing