Mario Lemieux wasn’t noted for feuding with individuals during his illustrious NHL career.
But there were certainly those he disliked.
His biggest nemesis wore a striped shirt, not an opposing sweater.
Kerry Fraser officiated in the NHL from 1973-2010 and was a self-important jackass every second of that time. Fraser would lecture Mario, telling him he needed to act more like a leader. Fraser later did the same with Sidney Crosby.
Hey, haircut: Just make calls and blow the whistle, OK?
Fraser was tagged a “superstar referee,” but there’s no such thing. Imagine some zebra telling the game’s best players how they should behave. Wow.
The rancor between Lemieux and Fraser reached a crescendo on April 5, 1994 during a game between the Penguins and visiting Tampa Bay.
Fraser whistled Lemieux for high-sticking, words were exchanged, more penalties were assessed, and Mario came charging out of the penalty box at Fraser. Lemieux was ultimately ejected.
That night’s customers were deprived of seeing a full game’s worth of Mario Lemieux. Not one of them had paid to see Kerry Fraser.
Fraser wrote an autobiography. The cover tags him a "legend in stripes" (gag). Don't read it.