The NHL announced Thursday that Claude Lemieux, one of the most decorated and polarizing players in the league’s history, had died. He was 60 years old.
The cause of death has not been officially confirmed. According to a TMZ Sports report, Lemieux died by suicide. He was found Thursday morning at a family-owned business in Florida, according to the TMZ report.
The New York Times-owned publication The Athletic reported that Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office deputies “responded early Thursday morning to a suicide attempt at a furniture showroom, which state records show is in Lake Park, Fla., and is owned by Lemieux and his wife, Deborah. The Sheriffâs Office secured the business for investigation.”
According to the TMZ report, Lemieux “was found at the family furniture business by his adult son around 3 a.m. after they became concerned that he hadn’t returned home. The 21-year NHL vet was located in a rear warehouse.”
“The Palm Beach County Medical Examinerâs Office confirmed Lemieuxâs death but declined to release any records, citing a Florida statute exempting suicide cases from public records requirements,” The Athletic correspondents Michael Russo, Pierre LeBrun and Rebecca Tauber reported.
Claude Lemieux’s Four Stanley Cup Championships
The news arrived just three days after Lemieux had made a public appearance in Montreal. On Monday, May 25, he served as torchbearer at Bell Centre ahead of Game 3 of the Canadiens’ Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes, and a roaring crowd rose to give him a standing ovation as he emerged into the arena bowl with the franchise’s famous torch held aloft.
A native of Buckingham, Quebec, Lemieux was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the 1983 NHL Draft. He spent 21 seasons across six franchises â Montreal, New Jersey, Colorado, Phoenix, Dallas and San Jose â totaling 379 goals and 407 assists for 786 points in 1,215 regular-season games, according to stats reported by NHL.com columnist Dave Stubbs.
As a rookie in 1986, Lemieux scored 10 postseason goals to help the Canadiens claim their 23rd championship. He was traded to New Jersey in 1990 following a feud with Montreal coach Pat Burns, and went on to post career highs of 41 goals and 81 points with the Devils in 1991-92.
In 234 playoff games, sixth-most in NHL history, Lemieux totaled 80 goals and 158 points, with 19 game-winning goals among them. Sometimes called the “King of Spring,” he won the Cup four times, with Montreal in 1986, New Jersey in 1995 and 2000, and Colorado in 1996.
The 1995 run stands apart. With New Jersey sweeping Detroit in the Final, Lemieux led all playoff scorers with 13 goals in 20 games and earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason’s most valuable player.
“To be the most hated man in hockey and have your name on the Conn Smythe Trophy, it’s special,” Lemieux said after accepting the award.
He was a physical agitator who pushed to the edge of the rulebook and sometimes past it, accumulating 1,777 career penalty minutes. A 1996 hit from behind on Detroit’s Kris Draper, which required facial surgery, set off one of that era’s most heated rivalries.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman Responds to Claude Lemieux’s Death
Commissioner Gary Bettman released a statement Thursday honoring Lemieux’s legacy, and Canadiens owner Geoff Molson described the news as a dark day for the franchise and the hockey community at large.
“The National Hockey League mourns the passing of Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion and one of the greatest big-game players in hockey history,” Bettman said in a statement. “His teams reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 15 straight seasons; his 234 postseason games played rank sixth in NHL history; and his 80 career playoff goals rank ninth.”
After his playing career ended, Lemieux became a player agent with 4sports Hockey, representing some of the NHL’s highest-profile players in recent seasons. His client roster included Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen, New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier, Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Rasmus Andersson, and Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider.
Lemieux is survived by his wife, Deborah, and their four children: Brendan, Claudia, Michael, and Christopher.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or experiencing a mental health crisis, free and confidential support is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
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