Legendary NHL star Claude Lemieux has died just days after making an appearance at Montreal’s Bell Centre ahead of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final. He was 60.
Lemieux was regarded as one of the greatest pests in NHL history, but also had an uncanny ability to come up clutch in big moments.
He broke into the league with the Montreal Canadiens and was part of their Stanley Cup-winning team in 1986.
He won four Stanley Cups in his career and in 1995 and 1996 became the 10th player in NHL history to win back-to-back Stanley Cups with different teams, first with the New Jersey Devils and then with the Colorado Avalanche.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE
After the 1995 Stanley Cup Final, Lemieux was also awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy. In his postseason career, Lemieux had 158 points (80G, 78A) in 234 games played.
Lemieux retired in 2009 after attempting a comeback with the San Jose Sharks.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
In all, he appeared in 1,215 NHL games for the Canadiens, Devils, Avalanche, Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars and Sharks, and Sharks.
He went on to become a player agent, and oddly enough, according to North State Journal, represented Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen.
Andersen was between the pipes for the Hurricanes, while Lemieux carried the ceremonial torch into the arena for the Canadiens ahead of Game 3.
Lemieux’s brother, Jocelyn Lemieux, appeared in just under 600 NHL games, while his son, Brendan, played in just over 300 games for the Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers and Hurricanes. He currently plays for Swiss club Davos HC.
