# Junior Lessard

Lucien Lessard Jr. (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.

## 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

## Awards and honors

| Award | Year |
| WCHA All-Tournament Team | 2003 |
| All-WCHA First Team | 2003–04 |
| AHCA West First-Team All-American | 2003–04 |
| All-NCAA All-Tournament Team | 2004 |
* 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
* National Player of the Year honors in 2004 by College Hockey Online and Inside College Hockey

## Career statistics

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | 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 | AHL totals | AHL totals | 319 | 93 | 99 | 192 | 118 | 25 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 8 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 27 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — |