Lyle Odelein, Stanley Cup winning defenseman who played for several NHL organizations, dies at 58
Toronto Maple Leafs' Tie Domi, right, and New Jersey Devils' Lyle Odelein fight during the first period of an NHL game, Feb. 25, 2000, in East Rutherford, N.J. Credit: AP/Bill Kostroun
MONTREAL — Lyle Odelein, a defenseman who won a Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in 1993 and played for several other NHL organizations, has died. He was 58.
Odelein's death on Friday was confirmed in social media posts by several teams he played for, including the Canadiens. No cause of death was provided. He played the last of his 16 NHL seasons with the Penguins in 2005-06 and lived in the Pittsburgh area.
The native of Quill Lake, Saskatchewan, was a seventh-round pick of the Canadiens in 1986 played in 1,056 NHL games with Montreal, New Jersey, Phoenix, Columbus, Chicago, Dallas, Florida and Pittsburgh.
He totaled 252 points (50 goals, 202 assists) and served 2,316 penalty minutes. He scored 20 goals and had 75 assists in 420 games with Montreal between 1990 and 1996 and ranks second in franchise history with 1,357 penalty minutes, leading the team in that category in each of his six seasons.
Odelein also contracted a near-fatal blood infection in 2018, apparently when he was pricked by a cactus while playing golf in Arizona. The infection traveled to Odelein’s heart and his organs began shutting down, so he needed liver, kidney and aortic valve transplant surgery, according to KDKA-TV. The surgery left him temporarily paralyzed.
“The entire Canadiens organization is saddened to learn of the passing of Lyle Odelein, who passed away Friday at the age of 58,” the Canadiens said in a statement.
Odelein was the first captain of the Columbus Blue Jackets when the team joined the NHL in 2000.
Florida Panthers right wing Valeri Bure, left, of Russia, and defenseman Lyle Odelein, right, celebrate Bure's goal in the first period against the Washington Capitals, Dec. 17, 2003, in Sunrise, Fla. Credit: AP/Wilfredo Lee
“Lyle is a significant part of our history, serving as our first captain and helping us celebrate our 25th season in March,” the Blue Jackets wrote in a social media post.
“He left an indelible mark on our organization and on our community. On the ice, Lyle was a fierce competitor and a Stanley Cup champion. Off the ice, he was warm, kind and quick with a smile and a kind word. He was a friend to all who knew him and will be sorely missed.”
The Penguins also remembered Odelein on Saturday in social media posts.
“Lyle was known for his tough exterior on the ice, but we will always remember his generous heart and enormous laugh,” the team wrote.
