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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 Thursday.

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 quitting as a player to become the president of the Phoenix Roadrunners of the East Coast Hockey League.

Lemieux tired of the front-office duties and departed the Roadrunners, and has since done things like run a hockey school in the Phoenix area. He said he decided two and a half months ago that he wanted to give it a shot at a comeback to the NHL.

“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.

Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup winner who scored 80 goals and 158 points in 233 career playoff games, said he will act as his own agent and call teams to ask for tryouts. He expressed great interest in returning to the Avalanche, and believes his former team, or any other in the NHL, wouldn’t be sorry if they give him a chance.

Lemieux has been working out daily with noted fitness trainer Andrew Urban — who is living in Lemieux’s house — and said he would play for a team’s minor-league affiliate first if that’s what it takes.

“I’m not doing this just to play one game in the NHL and that’s it. I really think I can still help a team make the playoffs, and into the playoffs. It would sure be nice to get that fifth Stanley Cup,” he said. “I’m going to give myself two to three weeks to see if any team will give me a chance, but even if that doesn’t happen, it’s a long year and I plan to keep working out hard. The biggest thing is that I know I can still play with guys who are still playing now for teams, and I know what it takes to win.”

The Avalanche had no immediate comment if it has any interest in signing Lemieux.

Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com