New Details of Claude Lemieux's Death Revealed After Four-time Stanley Cup Champ Dies at 60
New Details of Claude Lemieux's Death Revealed After Four-time Stanley Cup Champ Dies at 60
Anna Lazarus CaplanFri, May 29, 2026 at 3:17 PM UTC
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Claude Lemieux
Credit: Richard Wolowicz/Getty
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More details have been revealed about the death of retired NHL star Claude Lemieux
Lemieux, 60, died by suicide, authorities told PEOPLE
The four-time Stanley Cup champion played for 21 seasons and across six teams
More details regarding the death of Stanley Cup champion Claude Lemieux have been revealed, according to Florida authorities. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said Lemieux, 60, — who was found inside his Lake Park furniture business at 3:23 a.m. on Thursday, May 28 — died by suicide.“Deputies responded to a suicide at the Andros Home showroom,” the sheriff's office tells PEOPLE in a statement. “After not returning home, the Decedent was found hanging in the rear warehouse by his son.”The sheriff’s office adds that the business was “secured for evidence preservation/investigation by VCD [Violent Crimes Division] Homicide” and that “the victim is believed to be Claude Lemieux.”
On Thursday afternoon, the NHL Alumni Association announced the news of Lemieux's death."The NHL Alumni Association is devastated to share that Claude Lemieux has passed away at the age of 60," the association's statement said.Follow your favorite athletes on and off the field with PEOPLE's free sports newsletter — sign up now!Just days before his death, Lemieux made an appearance on Monday, May 25, at Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, during which he carried the torch for the home team, the Montreal Canadiens.
Claude Lemieux is honored at the the Colorado Avalanche's 30th Anniversary Celebration of the 1995-1996 season on Dec. 11, 2025 in Denver
Credit: Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty
A native of Quebec, Lemieux was selected in the second round of the 1983 NHL Draft by the Montreal Canadiens.
He scored his first NHL goal on Dec. 4, 1983, and went on to win four Stanley Cup championships over his 21 years in the league, where he played for six different teams.
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Lemieux, whose nickname was “Pepé” after Pepé Le Pew, the cartoon skunk, was known for his tenacious talent.“He was a bulldog,” former NHL player Doug Gilmour told The Athletic. “A pain in the a-- to play against, you want him on your team.”
Geoff Molson, owner and CEO of Groupe CH, which owns the Canadiens, said in a statement on Thursday, “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."
Molson continued, "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 day.”Lemieux is survived by his wife Deborah and his four children, including professional hockey player Brendan Lemieux.If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.
on People
Source: “AOL Sports”
