The hockey world mourns a four-time Stanley Cup champion and postseason icon. Longtime colleagues reflect on the fierce competitiveness and "unforgettable" legacy of a legendary big-game performer.
The NHL lost a total legend on Thursday, when NHL legend Claude Lemieux passed away at the age of 60 in Florida.
The Quebec native played 1,215 NHL regular-season games along with 234 playoff games, winning four Stanley Cups and one Conn Smythe Trophy. He has the ninth-most playoff goals in NHL history with 80, and has the 27th most points with 158.
Lemieux won two Stanley Cups with ex-New York Islanders' coach Patrick Roy, in 1986 with the Montreal Canadiens and in 1996 with the Colorado Avalanche.
The duo were teammates for a decade total, first with the Canadiens from 1984 until 1990, then reuniting in Colorado from 1996 until 2000.
Roy eulogized Lemieux Thursday evening:
“I am deeply saddened to learn of Claude Lemieux's passing," Roy said in a statement to TVA's Renaud Lavoie. "Claude was an exceptional teammate, a fierce competitor, a key element in several of our greatest achievements, and a player who left his mark on our sport.
"His intensity and determination made him a player respected by his teammates and feared by his opponents. We shared unforgettable moments, memorable victories, and a shared passion for hockey. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this ordeal.”
Lemieux's Conn Smythe victory came in 1995 with the New Jersey Devils and then-general manager Lou Lamoriello.
Lamoriello, the Islanders' President of Hockey Operations and General Manager from 2018 until 2025, traded for Lemieux twice while with the Devils, first in 1990 and then early in the 1999-2000 season.
The Devils went on to win the Stanley Cup in 2000, with Lemieux playing a key role.
Lamoriello spoke to The Athletic about his relationship with Lemieux and his untimely passing.
"Lamoriello told The Athletic on Thursday how 'shocked' he was by the death of his former player and an agent with whom he negotiated contracts."
Lemieux, a player agent post-retirement, represented several active NHL players, including Pierre Engvall, signing his current contract with the Islanders and Lamoriello on July 1, 2023.