Claude Lemieux Completes Comeback, Ends Up in China

Former NHL super-pest and universally despised agitator (unless he played for your team) Claude Lemieux has finally completed his highly anticipated comeback and is now a member of the Sharks -- the China Sharks. That's right, Lemieux, he of the 379 goals and 20 seasons in the National Hockey League, is now a member of the China Sharks of the Asia Hockey League.

So it's not New Jersey or Colorado, but, hey, it's hockey and the 43-year old forward even recorded an assist this past Sunday against powerhouse Anyang Halla. I imagine those games have all the passion and tenacity of a Red Wings-Avalanche tilt from the 90's!

Lemieux has been hinting at a comeback for a couple of months now, and had been working out in Phoenix with members of the Coyotes back in September. As recently as a month ago, Lemieux was quoted in Larry Brooks' weekly column at the New York Post as saying he would be signed within two weeks.

"I've been talking to a few NHL teams who have a serious interest in me and who I feel really good about playing for," Lemieux told Slap Shots by phone from his training base of Prescott Valley, Ariz. "By my thinking, I'll be signed to an AHL contract in no later than two weeks by the NHL team that wants me. "They'll come to watch me, and if they like what they see, I'll be back."

Lemieux, as a member of the Avalanche, often times found himself at the center of the NHL's premier (and bloodiest) rivalry in the late-90's, when he was helping stir the pot against Detroit. Lemieux's antics also led to one of my all-time favorite quotes in sports history when, following the 1997 playoff series, then-Red Wings forward Dino Ciccarelli said, "I can't believe I shook that guys freakin' hand."



Classic. I miss those games.

While doing some research (google searches) on Lemieux's newest team and league, I noticed that former Islanders goalie Wade Flaherty is the No. 1 goalie for the Sharks, who happen to have the worst record league in the league. Flaherty, from what I can find, has the sixth-best save percentage in the league. Fascinating. I was always wondering what happened to Wade Flaherty.

I also found another familiar name, if you're a Penguins fan, among the overall scoring leaders, as former second-round pick Shane Endicott is second in the league in goals, and third in total points as a member of the Oji Eagles. Hey, Craig Patrick always told us he would be an impact player one day, he just forgot to mention that it would in Asia.

(H/T HF boards)