Austin Lemieux on his relationship with Sidney Crosby: "He's more of a mentor and a friend to me. I look up to him. Just like my dad, if have any questions, he's not shy to help out. He's a great person to have." #Pens — Wes Crosby (@OtherNHLCrosby) June 28, 2018

At his third development camp, Austin Lemieux is looking to take the next step in his own hockey career https://t.co/1cyYJZPffQ — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (@PittsburghPG) June 28, 2018

Austin Lemieux on being a leader at development camp: "I try to... They ask me a few questions. I tell them to be themselves, enjoy it, and try to take as much as you can back to your teams." — Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 28, 2018

– For the first time in his life, he had to sit and watch. Not just one game, but an entire season – the longest he has ever gone without game action., a redshirt freshman from Sewickley, Pa., just outside of Pittsburgh, came to ASU knowing he would academically redshirt his first year in Tempe. He was able to practice and hone his skills, but donning the maroon and gold on gamedays would have to wait."I have the itch to play," said Lemieux, a forward. "It might be a slow start; I'm hoping it won't be. But I haven't had a game in over a year now. It's going to be an adjustment."While it was frustrating at times to see plays developing from the stands and not having the opportunity to make them, Lemieux viewed it as a learning opportunity.He was able to study the collegiate game, a strength the coaching staff is antsy to see him demonstrate in a live game."He has a very high hockey I.Q. and can really slow the game down," said head coach. "You see a lot of guys play so fast but don't accomplish anything. Austin's decision making really makes him a special player. Slowing the game down is really a lost art these days and Austin does it very well."While both Lemieux and the staff would have liked to have him out on the ice last year, nobody is denying that redshirting may have been the best thing for him.Recruiting sites consistently described Lemieux's stature as being tall, thin and needing to "fill out his frame." With a year off, he was able to address that evaluation. The hockey staff has already seen improvements in leg and core strength, and noticed Lemieux is much more explosive on the ice than when he arrived in Tempe."Austin has worked hard throughout his redshirt year," said strength and conditioning coach and former NHL defenseman Garnet Exelby. "He has achieved numerous strength goals and added approximately 10-pounds in size. However, what Austin has learned best over the year was how hard he needs to push himself, and to get out of his comfort zone to grow as an individual and a collegiate athlete."In addition to physical strength and conditioning, Lemieux had the chance to work on his game – from shooting to skating and everything in between."I was able to hone in on some skills that I would like to get more developed," Lemieux said. "I think it was good for me to work on a few skills with the coaches and then get myself ready for this year and be ready to go."Despite not being able to suit up with his teammates on gamedays, Lemieux brought a strong presence to the locker room. Although quiet, he is a lead-by-example kind of player, and carries a maturity and professionalism that many don't have at his age.It's pretty easy to trace those traits back to his roots.You've probably put it together by now.If the name doesn't give it away, one look at Austin confirms your suspicion with the resemblance of his father, Pittsburgh Penguins' Stanley Cup champion and Hockey Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux.While that certainly played a huge role in his life and how he developed and matured on and off the ice, there is another Penguins great – one whose legacy isn't fully written yet – who serves as a significant role model in his development.Current Penguins' superstar Sidney Crosby lived in the Lemieux household during his first few seasons in Pittsburgh. Crosby's career briefly overlapped with Mario's in 2005-06 before he moved into his ownership role, and Mario was willing to take him under his wing.This gave the younger Lemieux a chance to grow up around not one, but two hockey greats. While Lemieux was just a kid, he was already learning from and studying Crosby."I think it is very beneficial at a young age to see how he interacts with others, how he takes care of his body," Lemieux said. "I got to see that even growing up with my dad. [Crosby] is a mentor to me and it is great to have him around when I was young."[My biggest takeaway] was to see his professionalism and how well he takes care of himself to be the best in the world."Lemieux now brings those lessons with him to Arizona State, where he intends to create a legacy of his own."ASU was the best opportunity for me to develop as a player and as a person," Lemieux said. "Being able to help out an up-and-coming program is something that me and my teammates take pride in, and we are all hoping to help this program get to the top as quickly as possible."The ASU coaching staff simply wants Lemieux to be himself."We made the decision early on to recruit 'Austin' and didn't even speak with his dad until late in the process," Powers said. "I think part of why he came to ASU is that we are a new program. It gives him a chance to put his own stamp on something special, and I believe he will do that."Lemieux has the intangibles and he certainly has the hockey IQ, which helped him attend his third-straight Pittsburgh Penguins Development Camp just over a week ago. Now, looking ahead, the anticipation is building as the 2018-19 season and Lemieux's first official collegiate season approaches."He can make his way into our top six," said Powers on what his expectations are for Lemieux this year. "His decision-making gives him the ability to play almost anywhere on the ice. I think long-term I would like to see him play down the middle where the puck can be on his stick as much as possible."There are still nearly three months until the season opener on Oct. 6 vs. Alaska-Fairbanks at Oceanside Ice Arena in Tempe. Until then, Lemieux will continue counting down the days – working and waiting just a little bit longer.