Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion, has died at 60, the NHL Alumni Association confirmed on May 28.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded in the early hours of May 28 to a suicide attempt at a furniture showroom. The league asked for privacy for the Lemieux family.
Lemieux is survived by his wife Deborah and four children, including fellow NHL star Brendan Lemieux, who has called his father his "biggest role model on and off the ice."
Over 21 seasons with Montreal, New Jersey, Colorado, and other teams, Lemieux compiled 329 goals and won four Stanley Cups. He claimed the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1995 and built a reputation as a relentless competitor known for thriving in crucial moments.
Geoff Molson, co-owner of the Canadiens where Lemieux played seven seasons, released a statement: "Today is a dark day for the Canadiens family and the entire hockey community. 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."
Days before his death, Lemieux carried the Olympic torch into Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on May 25.
After retiring in 2009, Lemieux worked as an NHL player agent.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available: Call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or text HOME to 741741.
