- Claude Lemieux passed away at 60, the NHL Alumni Association announced Thursday
- He carried the Canadiens’ pregame torch at the Bell Centre just three nights earlier
- Read below for the full statement, the torch ceremony video, and a look back at his four-Cup career
Claude Lemieux is dead at 60.
The NHL Alumni Association broke the news Thursday afternoon, three days after Lemieux carried the Canadiens’ pregame torch at the Bell Centre before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final.
The Alumni Association did not disclose a cause of death and asked for privacy for his wife, Deborah, and their four children. TMZ Sports reported later Thursday that Lemieux died by suicide.
Here’s the full statement:
Monday night looked nothing like a goodbye. Lemieux stepped out in a Habs sweater, raised the torch, and let the building roar. He was 60, fit, and back where his pro career started.
Watch the moment that hit so much harder on Thursday:
That was the whole point. Lemieux was Montreal through and through. Born in Buckingham, Quebec. A second-round Canadiens pick in 1983 who made his NHL debut later that same year.
From there he built a 21-season career across six franchises in the Habs, Devils, Avalanche, Coyotes, Stars, and Sharks. He finished with 379 goals, 786 points, and 1,777 penalty minutes in 1,215 regular season games.
The playoffs are where Lemieux made his name. He won four Stanley Cups in all: Montreal in 1986, New Jersey in 1995 and 2000, and Colorado in 1996. His 1995 run earned him the Conn Smythe as Devils MVP after he piled up 13 goals in 20 games. In 234 career playoff games, he tallied 80 goals and 158 points.
After he hung up the skates, Lemieux moved into player representation and never really stopped working. He was still negotiating 16 active NHL contracts at his passing, including those of Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen and Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson. Both are still chasing trophies in this year’s playoffs.
Hockey ran in the family. Older brother Jocelyn played 598 NHL games. Son Brendan logged 307 of his own before heading to Switzerland in 2024.
We at Gino Hard send our condolences to the Lemieux family and the rest of the hockey world.
If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by call or text in the U.S. and Canada.
