Claude Lemieux dies at 60: NHL playoff legend, four-time champion
Four-time Stanley Cup champion and longtime NHL forward Claude Lemieux has died at the age of 60.
Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion, playoff MVP in 1995 and a controversial hit in 1996, died Thursday at the age of 60, the Montreal Canadiens announced.
Known for his troublesome play and clutch goals, Lemieux won his first Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1986.
“Today is a dark day for the Canadian family and the entire hockey community. We would like to extend our deepest condolences to Claude’s family and loved ones,” said Jeff Molson, owner and CEO of Group CH. “A fierce competitor who stood up to the occasion when it mattered, Claude was a relentless, courageous and tenacious player who led his team to the highest honors. He epitomized the essence of what it means to be a Montreal Canadiens player.”
Lemieux carried the torch to the Bell Center in Montreal before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 25.
In 1995, Lemieux won the Conn Smythe Trophy when the New Jersey Devils defeated the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final.
He said in the postgame press conference that his motivation came while sitting in Jamaica in 1994 and watching the New York Rangers hoist the Stanley Cup. The Devils lost to the Rangers in double overtime in Game 7 of the conference finals.
“Last year was just around the corner…I was crying like a baby,” he said.
Lemieux scored a league-high 13 goals during the 1995 postseason and earned his name on the playoff MVP trophy, which includes the names of Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers.
“Being the most hated man in hockey, it’s special to have your name on this trophy,” Lemieux said.
He was traded to the Colorado Avalanche that offseason after a contract dispute and went on to win his third Stanley Cup. During a postseason run, he slammed Chris Draper into the boards from behind, leaving the Red Wings player with a severe facial injury. Lemieux was suspended for two games.
The following season, the Red Wings and Avalanche got into a scuffle in an attempt to get revenge on Lemieux.
Darren McCarty, who fought against Lemieux, reacted to Lemieux’s death on social media.
“No matter how you feel about the past or present, this is very sad. My thoughts and prayers to his family and friends and those who watched him off the ice is that he was not the person on the ice. As I said, and as I will continue to call it, ‘When you’re on the ice with Claude Lemieux and your back is turned. You’re an idiot. But when you get off the ice, I’m mine.’
Lemieux returned to the Devils for one season in 1999-2000, winning their fourth Stanley Cup.
He finished his career with the Phoenix Coyotes and Dallas Stars, and returned for the 2008-09 season with the San Jose Sharks, playing in 18 games.
After retiring, Lemieux became a player agent, representing players such as Frederik Andersen, Timo Meier and Moritz Seider. His son Brendan played in the NHL from 2017 to 2024.
USA TODAY Sports reached out to the Palm Beach County Coroner’s Office and was informed that the information it holds about Claude Lemieux “has been removed from public records.”
“All public records you request regarding Claude Lemieux are exempt from public records as set forth in SB 474 – FS 406.135 (2)(c),” the Palm County Coroner’s Office told USA TODAY Sports in response to a public records request.
The Florida law cited by the Palm County Coroner’s Office, enacted in 2024, exempts photos, videos, audio recordings and autopsy reports related to suicide victims from general public records requests.
Lemieux played 21 seasons in the NHL, scoring 379 goals, 407 assists and 1,777 penalty minutes in 1,215 games.
He also played in 234 games in the playoffs, scoring 80 goals, including 19 wins, 78 assists, and 529 penalty minutes. He led the playoffs in goals in 1995 and 1997, scoring 13 goals each time.
The NHL commissioner released a statement following Lemieux’s death.
“The National Hockey League mourns the loss of Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion and one of the greatest big-game players in hockey history,” he wrote. You can read the full statement here.
