Steve Reinprecht to blame for Claude Lemieux

I saw this over on Puckdaddy. So now we you know who you can blame for the possible return to the NHL of Claude "the Fraud" Lemieux former Badger Steve Reinprecht.

He is 43 years old and hasn't played in the NHL in five years. But Claude Lemieux says he is in better shape than he was when he played for the Avalanche in the late 1990s, and says he will attempt a comeback to the game he loves.

"I got the passion back, and I know I can do it," Lemieux said.

Lemieux retired from the NHL after the 2002-03 season with Dallas, partly because of injuries to his groin and ankle. He then played briefly in Switzerland in 2003-04, before becoming president of the Phoenix RoadRunners of the East Coast Hockey League.

Lemieux tired of front-office duties and has since done things like run a hockey school in the Phoenix area. He said he decided two and a half months ago he wanted to try an NHL comeback.

"I skated with some guys from the Coyotes, including one that played with the Avs for a while, Steve Reinprecht. After a scrimmage, he said to me, 'You're flying out there, you going to play again?' And I said, 'You think I should?' and it kind of went from there," Lemieux said.