The NHL Alumni Association has announced that four-time Stanley Cup champion Claude Lemieux has died at the age of 60.
The tragic news comes just days after Lemieux made a highly emotional public appearance. On Monday night, he served as the Canadiens' ceremonial torchbearer prior to Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre.
“Today is a dark day for the Canadiens family and the entire hockey community. I wish to express my most sincere and deepest condolences to Claude’s family and loved ones,” said Geoff Molson, owner and CEO of Groupe CH. “A fierce competitor who rose to the occasion in big moments, Claude was a relentless, courageous, and tenacious player who led the team to the highest honors. He embodied the very essence of being a Montreal Canadiens player. Today we mourn the untimely passing of one of our champions. Our thoughts are with his family on this difficult day.”
Drafted by Montreal in the second round of the 1983 NHL Draft, the Buckingham, Quebec native entered the league as a brash, intensely physical winger. He broke out during the 1986 playoffs, scoring 10 goals—including two in overtime—to help the Canadiens capture the Stanley Cup.
He remains one of only 11 players in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup with at least three different franchises. Following his 1986 title in Montreal, he won championships with the New Jersey Devils (1995, 2000) and the Colorado Avalanche (1996).