Junior Lessard

Lucien Lessard Jr.^[1][2][3] (born May 26, 1980), known as Junior Lessard, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who last played for the Thetford Mines Isothermic of the LNAH.

Junior Lessard
Born	(1980-05-26) May 26, 1980 (age 45) Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, Quebec, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	191 lb (87 kg; 13 st 9 lb)
Position	Right wing/Centre
Shot	Right
LNAH team Former teams	Thetford Mines Isothermic Dallas Stars Tampa Bay Lightning Ilves Augsburger Panther
NHL draft	Undrafted
Playing career	2004–2011

Playing career

As a youth, Lessard played in the 1993 and 1994 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournaments with a minor ice hockey team from Beauce, Quebec.^[4]

Lessard attended the University of Minnesota Duluth, where he led the NCAA in goals (32) and points (63) as a senior during the 2003–04 season, numbers that would be good enough to win the Hobey Baker Award. He also led the WCHA in the same categories with 19 goals and 39 points in conference play.^[5]

On April 15, 2004, Lessard signed a free agent contract with the Dallas Stars and made his NHL debut during the 2005–06 season.

Lessard was traded to Tampa Bay on January 15, 2008 in exchange for Dan Jancevski.^[6]

Lessard signed a contract with the Atlanta Thrashers on July 9, 2008 and was assigned to affiliate the Chicago Wolves to start the 2008–09 season.

On January 13, 2009, Lessard was traded by the Thrashers to the New York Islanders for Brett Skinner and was immediately sent to the Islanders' AHL affiliate, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.^[7]

On October 7, 2009, Lessard signed a one-year contract with SM-liiga team Ilves, but was released on November 4 due to injury after only four games.^[8]

On January 13, 2010, Lessard signed with Canadian semi-pro team the Thetford Mines Isothermic of the LNAH.

On February 1, 2010, after recovering from injury, Lessard signed with German team Augsburger Panther of the DEL for the remainder of the season.^[9]

Awards and honors

Award	Year
WCHA All-Tournament Team	2003	[10]
All-WCHA First Team	2003–04
AHCA West First-Team All-American	2003–04
All-NCAA All-Tournament Team	2004	[11]

• 1998–99 -MJHL All-Rookie Team
• 1999–00 -MJHL First All-Star Team
• 1999–00 -MJHL Most Valuable Player
• Named Canadian Junior A Hockey League Player of the Year with the Portage Terriers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League
• 2003–04 -WCHA Player of the Year
• 2003–04 -NCAA Hobey Baker Award^[12]
• National Player of the Year honors in 2004 by College Hockey Online^[13] and Inside College Hockey^[14]

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1998–99	Portage Terriers	MJHL		60	20	41	61	129		—	—	—	—	—
1999–2000	Portage Terriers	MJHL		60	60	48	108	61		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	University of Minnesota Duluth	WCHA		36	4	8	12	12		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	University of Minnesota Duluth	WCHA		39	17	13	30	50		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	University of Minnesota Duluth	WCHA		40	21	16	37	20		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	University of Minnesota Duluth	WCHA		45	32	31	63	34		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	Houston Aeros	AHL		71	11	11	22	25		5	1	0	1	0
2005–06	Dallas Stars	NHL		5	1	0	1	12		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Iowa Stars	AHL		66	26	32	58	30		7	3	4	7	4
2006–07	Dallas Stars	NHL		1	1	0	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Iowa Stars	AHL		65	27	25	52	32		12	4	5	9	4
2007–08	Dallas Stars	NHL		2	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Iowa Stars	AHL		36	10	11	21	15		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL		19	1	1	2	9		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Norfolk Admirals	AHL		19	6	9	15	4		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Chicago Wolves	AHL		41	6	5	11	10		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Bridgeport Sound Tigers	AHL		21	7	6	13	2		1	0	1	1	0
2009–10	Ilves	SM-l		4	0	1	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Thetford Mines Isothermic	LNAH		4	2	1	3	0		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Augsburger Panther	DEL		4	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Thetford Mines Isothermic	LNAH		4	0	3	3	2		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Idaho Steelheads	ECHL		22	10	10	20	16		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Thetford Mines Isothermic	LNAH		25	12	11	23	6		8	1	3	4	0
2012–13	Thetford Mines Isothermic	LNAH		2	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	St-Joseph Justiciers	LHBBF		8	4	7	11	6		10	3	2	5	4
2016–17	St-Joseph Justiciers	LHBBF		11	1	9	10	6		4	0	2	2	2
AHL totals				319	93	99	192	118		25	8	10	18	8
NHL totals				27	3	1	4	23		—	—	—	—	—