NHL four-time Stanley Cup Champion Claude Lemieux passes away at 60

Four-time Stanley Cup winner Claude Lemieux has died at the age of 60, the NHL Alumni Association announced on Thursday.

Authorities later confirmed that the former NHL star died by suicide.

According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded shortly after 3 a.m. to an apparent suicide at a furniture showroom in Lake Park, Florida.

Officials stated that the victim was believed to be Lemieux and that he was discovered in a rear warehouse by one of his sons.

The tragic news came only three days after Lemieux appeared at the Bell Centre in Montreal as the Canadiens’ ceremonial torch bearer before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final.

“Today is a dark day for the Canadiens family and the entire hockey community,” Canadiens owner Geoff Molson said.

“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 time.”

Born in Buckingham, Quebec, Lemieux was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the 1983 NHL Draft.

Over a career spanning more than two decades, he played 1,215 NHL games and recorded 786 points, including 379 goals.

Lemieux won four Stanley Cups with Montreal, New Jersey and Colorado, and claimed the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1995 after scoring 13 playoff goals for the Devils.

Renowned for his intensity and physical style, he was one of the NHL’s most controversial yet influential figures.

Following retirement, Lemieux worked as an NHLPA-certified agent, representing several current NHL players. He is survived by his wife and four children.