Claude Lemieux, one of the embellished and polarizing playoff performers in NHL historical past, has died on the age of 60, the NHL Alumni Association announced Thursday.
Lemieux, just a few months shy of his 61st birthday, appeared at the Bell Centre on Monday for Recreation 3 of the Japanese Convention Finals between the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes, carrying the ceremonial torch.
Lemieux was born in Buckingham, Que., and carved out a 21‑yr skilled profession as a relentless competitor with a capability to raise his recreation when the stakes had been highest. He stays certainly one of solely 11 gamers in league historical past to win the Stanley Cup with three completely different franchises.
Lemieux was drafted within the second spherical by the Montreal Canadiens in 1983, and he shortly turned recognized for his postseason influence. In 1986, Lemieux scored 10 targets and 16 factors in 20 playoff video games because the Canadiens captured the Stanley Cup, the primary of his 4 championships.
After 5 extra seasons in Montreal, Lemieux was traded to the New Jersey Devils for Sylvain Turgeon, the place he cemented his status as an elite playoff performer. In 1995, he scored 13 targets in 20 video games to guide the Devils to their first Stanley Cup and declare the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Lemieux’s championship pedigree adopted him to Colorado, the place he joined the Avalanche for his or her inaugural season in Denver in a commerce involving longtime Toronto Maple Leafs ahead Wendel Clark. He performed a key function within the crew’s 1996 Stanley Cup victory, with 12 factors in 19 playoff video games and 55 penalty minutes.
He returned to New Jersey in 1999 and added a fourth Stanley Cup in 2000, changing into one of many few gamers to win titles throughout three organizations. Lemieux later performed for the Phoenix Coyotes and Dallas Stars earlier than making a quick comeback with the San Jose Sharks in 2008–09, returning to the NHL at age 43.
Lemieux additionally represented Canada on the worldwide stage, successful gold on the 1985 World Junior Championship and contributing to Canada’s victory within the 1987 Canada Cup.
He retired from the NHL with 379 targets, 786 regular-season factors and 158 factors in 234 profession playoff video games. His son, Brendan, performed 10 seasons within the NHL with Winnipeg, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Carolina.
The NHL Alumni Affiliation stated Lemieux was “liked by his spouse and 4 kids,” and the household is asking for privateness right now.
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