Claude Lemieux facts for kids
Quick facts for kids 
Lemieux c. 1999–2000
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| Born | July 16, 1965 Buckingham, Quebec, Canada |
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| Died | May 28, 2026 United States |
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| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Montreal Canadiens New Jersey Devils Colorado Avalanche Phoenix Coyotes Dallas Stars EV Zug China Sharks San Jose Sharks |
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| National team | .svg){kind=small} Canada |
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| NHL Draft | 26th overall, 1983 Montreal Canadiens |
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| Playing career | 1983–2009 | ||
Claude Percy Lemieux (born July 16, 1965 – passed away on May 28, 2026) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played as a right winger for 21 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for six different teams between 1983 and 2009.
Lemieux was a true champion, winning four Stanley Cup championships during his amazing career. He won two Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils. He also earned the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1995 as the most valuable player during the playoffs. Claude was one of only 11 players to win the Stanley Cup with at least three different teams. He was also known for playing his best during the playoffs, scoring 80 career playoff goals, which is the ninth most in NHL history!
Born in Buckingham, Quebec, Canada, Claude Lemieux grew up loving hockey. He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in 1983. He won his first Stanley Cup with them in 1986. Later, he played for the Devils, Colorado Avalanche, Phoenix Coyotes, and Dallas Stars. He even made a comeback with the San Jose Sharks in 2008. After his playing days, he became a sports agent.
His son, Brendan Lemieux, also became an NHL player.
Contents
Who Was Claude Lemieux?
Early Life and First Stanley Cup
Claude Lemieux was chosen by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1983 NHL draft. He was a right winger, standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing 215 pounds. He played for the Canadiens from 1983 to 1990. In 1986, he helped the team win his first Stanley Cup. He scored 10 goals during those playoffs as a rookie!
A Champion with Many Teams
In September 1990, Claude was traded to the New Jersey Devils. He played five seasons there and won his second Stanley Cup in 1995. He was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner, which means he was the most valuable player in the playoffs that year. He scored 13 goals during that postseason.
Before the 1995-96 season, Lemieux joined the Colorado Avalanche. He quickly helped them win the Stanley Cup in 1996. This made him one of only a few players to win two Stanley Cups in a row with different teams!
In November 1999, Claude returned to the New Jersey Devils. He won his fourth and final Stanley Cup with them in 2000. After this, he played for the Phoenix Coyotes and the Dallas Stars. He briefly played in Switzerland before retiring from the NHL in 2003.
His Exciting Comeback
In 2008, Claude Lemieux decided to make an exciting comeback to the NHL! He started playing for the China Sharks and then the Worcester Sharks. Later, he signed with the San Jose Sharks. On January 19, 2009, he was called up to play in the NHL again. He even recorded an assist, helping his team score a goal. After the 2008-09 season, he retired from playing hockey for good.
Claude's Unique Playing Style
Claude Lemieux was known for playing his best hockey during the playoffs. He played in 18 different postseasons during his career. He played in 234 playoff games, which is the fifth most in NHL history! He often scored more goals in the playoffs than in the regular season. He retired with 80 career playoff goals, ranking ninth all-time in the NHL.
He was also known for his intense and competitive style on the ice. One memorable moment was a controversial hit during the 1996 playoffs. This incident sparked a big rivalry between the Colorado Avalanche and the Detroit Red Wings. The teams had many intense games after that.
The Famous "Fight Night"
The rivalry reached a peak in a game on March 26, 1997. This game is often called "Fight Night at the Joe". Many players from both teams got into fights. Claude Lemieux and Darren McCarty of the Red Wings had a memorable confrontation. Years later, they even worked together for charity events.
International Hockey
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| Representing Canada |
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| World Cup | ||
| Silver | 1996 Canada | |
| Canada Cup | ||
| Gold | 1987 Canada | |
| World Junior Championships | ||
| Gold | 1985 Canada | |
Claude Lemieux proudly represented Canada three times in international competitions. His first time was with the Canadian junior team in 1985. He helped Canada win a gold medal at the 1985 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
He was also part of the team that won the 1987 Canada Cup. His final international appearance was at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, where Canada finished second.
Life After Playing
After retiring from playing hockey, Claude Lemieux stayed involved in the sports world. In 2005, he became the president of the Phoenix RoadRunners hockey team for two years.
He also appeared on television shows like Pros vs. Joes and Battle of the Blades. On Battle of the Blades, he competed as a pairs figure skater! Later, he became a successful sports agent. He helped many hockey players manage their careers.
Claude Lemieux was born in Buckingham, Quebec. He later became a citizen of the United States in 2009. His older brother, Jocelyn Lemieux, also played in the NHL. Claude had four children, including his son Brendan Lemieux, who also played as a left winger in the NHL.
Claude Lemieux's Career Stats
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1981–82 | Richelieu Éclaireurs | QMAAA | 48 | 24 | 48 | 72 | 96 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 14 | ||
| 1982–83 | Trois-Rivières Draveurs | QMJHL | 62 | 28 | 38 | 66 | 187 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 30 | ||
| 1983–84 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | Verdun Juniors | QMJHL | 51 | 41 | 45 | 86 | 225 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 63 | ||
| 1983–84 | Nova Scotia Voyageurs | AHL | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 1983–84 | Verdun Juniors | MC | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 1984–85 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Verdun Junior Canadiens | QMJHL | 52 | 58 | 66 | 124 | 152 | 14 | 23 | 17 | 40 | 38 | ||
| 1985–86 | Sherbrooke Canadiens | AHL | 58 | 21 | 32 | 53 | 145 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 22 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 68 | ||
| 1986–87 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 76 | 27 | 26 | 53 | 156 | 17 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 41 | ||
| 1987–88 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 78 | 31 | 30 | 61 | 137 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 20 | ||
| 1988–89 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 69 | 29 | 22 | 51 | 136 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 58 | ||
| 1989–90 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 39 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 106 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 38 | ||
| 1990–91 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 78 | 30 | 17 | 47 | 105 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 34 | ||
| 1991–92 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 74 | 41 | 27 | 68 | 109 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 26 | ||
| 1992–93 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 77 | 30 | 51 | 81 | 155 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 19 | ||
| 1993–94 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 79 | 18 | 26 | 44 | 86 | 20 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 44 | ||
| 1994–95 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 45 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 86 | 20 | 13 | 3 | 16 | 20 | ||
| 1995–96 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 79 | 39 | 32 | 71 | 117 | 19 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 55 | ||
| 1996–97 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 45 | 11 | 17 | 28 | 43 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 32 | ||
| 1997–98 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 78 | 26 | 27 | 53 | 115 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 1998–99 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 82 | 27 | 24 | 51 | 102 | 19 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 26 | ||
| 1999–2000 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 13 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–2000 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 70 | 17 | 21 | 38 | 86 | 23 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 28 | ||
| 2000–01 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 46 | 10 | 16 | 26 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 82 | 16 | 25 | 41 | 70 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2002–03 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 36 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Dallas Stars | NHL | 32 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||
| 2003–04 | EV Zug | NLA | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 2008–09 | China Sharks | ALH | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Worcester Sharks | AHL | 23 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 1,215 | 379 | 407 | 786 | 1,777 | 234 | 80 | 78 | 158 | 529 | ||||
International Statistics
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Canada | WJC | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1987 | Canada | CC | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
| 1996 | Canada | WCH | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 19 | |
| Junior totals | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 | |||
| Senior totals | 14 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 23 | |||
Awards and Achievements
- QMJHL Second All-Star Team – 1984
- QMJHL Playoff MVP – 1985
- QMJHL First All-Star Team – 1985
- Guy Lafleur Trophy – 1985
- Conn Smythe Trophy winner – 1995
- 4x Stanley Cup champion – 1986, 1995, 1996, 2000
- Inducted into Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Hall of Fame – 2005
- 9th all-time in Stanley Cup playoff goals (80)
See also
- Notable families in the NHL
