Heartbreaking news hit the hockey world on Thursday. The NHL Alumni Association announced that the legendary Claude Lemieux died at age 60.
We actually last saw Lemieux in public as he carried the pregame torch ahead of Game 3 between the Montreal Canadiens and the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Center in Montreal. (The Hurricanes went on to win in overtime.) Sadly and tragically, that was only three days before Lemieux’s death on Thursday. At the time of this writing, the precise cause of death for Lemieux is unclear. He is survived by his four children and his wife.
The NHL Alumni Association is devastated to share that Claude Lemieux has passed away at the age of 60.
Born in Buckingham, Quebec, Claude was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft and would make his NHL debut just a few months later… pic.twitter.com/iohlATU6qz
— NHL Alumni (@NHLAlumni) May 28, 2026
Lemieux played 21 seasons in the NHL. He was a four-time Stanley Cup champion, winning one with the Canadiens, one with the Colorado Avalanche, and two with the New Jersey Devils. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the MVP of the postseason, for his efforts with the Devils in 1995. To this day, Lemieux is ninth all-time in postseason goals with 80 and is regarded as one of the greatest playoff performers ever.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Claude Lemieux cause of death: How did NHL legend die?