Family pays tribute to Claude Lemieux following death days after Canadiens honor
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The NHL and the sports world continue to mourn the loss of two-time Stanley Cup champion Claude Lemieux, who died on Thursday. He was 60 years old.
Lemieux’s death came as a surprise because he was the torchbearer for the Montreal Canadiens on Monday ahead of the team’s Game 3 home game against the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals. Lemieux smiled in his No. 32 red and blue Canadian sweater and carried a flame toward the darkened track.
As news of Lemieux’s death spread, tributes quickly poured in, with his daughter among those remembering one of hockey’s most revered — and polarizing — figures.
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Just days before his death, Claude Lemieux appeared at the Bell Center in Montreal for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final. (Photo: Matt Garies/NHLI via Getty Images)
After reposting the New Jersey Devils tribute to her father on Instagram Stories, Claudia Lemieux shared her own heartfelt message to her father. “There are no words to express the level of devastation we feel. I love you forever, Dad. Forever your only daughter.”
Claude Lemieux’s son Brendan also honored his father by sharing a photo of three generations of the family on social media.
Claude Lemieux, wearing number 22, scores for the Canadian Legends against the USA Legends during the Legends Classic Hockey Game at the Air Canada Center in Toronto, Ontario on November 7, 2010. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
“I love you, dad! My son’s favorite person will be watching from above for a while. See you around.” he wrote along with a red heart emoji. Brendan inherited his father’s passion for hockey and spent a decade in the NHL; He last played for Carolina in the 2023-24 season.
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Lemieux scored one of the most famous goals in Canadiens history as a rookie in 1986, lofting a backhand shot over the glove of Hartford goaltender Mike Liut and into the top corner in Game 7 of the second round.
Claude Lemieux is honored at the Colorado Avalanche’s 30th anniversary celebration of the 1995-1996 season before the game against the Florida Panthers at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on December 11, 2025. (Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
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Lemieux grew up in Mont-Laurier in Western Quebec.
Former Canadiens center Doug Gilmour said Lemieux had a rare ability to frustrate opponents while earning the respect of his teammates, a trait that stood out during the 1989 Stanley Cup Final.
“He was a pain in the ass to play against, but you wanted him on your team.”
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