NHL icon Claude Lemieux dies just days after public appearance in Montreal
Claude Lemieux has passed away (Getty)
Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion renowned for his clutch scoring, has died at the age of 60, as confirmed by the NHL Alumni Association on Thursday.
His passing came just days after he made a public appearance as a torch bearer at the Bell Centre in Montreal, though the association did not disclose the cause or exact date of his death.
Tributes quickly poured in from across the hockey world, with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Montreal Canadiens president Geoff Molson, and the New Jersey Devils all acknowledging his significant impact and tenacious play.
Lemieux, drafted by the Canadiens in 1983, won his first Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1986, followed by two with the New Jersey Devils (1995, 2000) and one with the Colorado Avalanche (1996), earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1995.
Throughout his extensive career, he amassed 379 goals and 407 assists in 1,215 regular-season NHL games, also representing Canada internationally and later transitioning to a respected career as a player agent.
