RIP Claude Lemieux

Former Av died today

I’m in shock. In shock that former Av, four-time Stanley Cup champion, Claude Lemieux has died at age 60.

This one hurts to write about. Anyone associated with the original Avs team of 1995-96 will always be special to me, and I know to many Avs fans. That was my first year on an NHL beat, and it just so happened to have players such as Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Patrick Roy on it. And, Claude Lemieux.

Claude was a reporter’s dream. He actually liked talking to the press. Sure, some of that was because he loved the attention and to promote himself, but it was genuine at least. And, he took the time to always give a thoughtful answer to any question, and almost always one with full honesty.

He wasn’t much beloved on the ice by opposing players and fans. He knew he was a villain, and he played that part of his personality up to the fullest, to try and distract opponents and fans, to help his team. We all know what happened in 1996 with his hit on Kris Draper, and the ramifications of what came after. He was stubborn and didn’t endear himself to many with what seemed like an unapologetic demeanor after that.

But he dealt with the consequences like a man, and showed a lot of humility about it in later years. Hockey was a bit different then. To show any kind of “weakness” by apologizing was seen as just that - weakness.

Off the ice, Claude was a very kind person I thought. He liked kids, and would always sign autographs for them and give them an encouraging word. He had four kids himself, one of whom, Brendan, became an NHL player.

He was involved in a lot of businesses after hockey, including many years as a player agent. He passed the torch at a Montreal Canadiens game just the other night. He didn’t seem sick at all.

The cause of death has yet to be made public. Darren McCarty himself tweeted a picture of a broken heart over the news.

*TMZ has reported that Lemieux died by suicide in Florida. I feel sick to my stomach over that possibly being true.

I reached out to Sakic and he said, “So sad. Such a great guy.”

My heart feels broken right now, too. It’s shocking when someone you knew so well dies suddenly. We weren’t close friends or anything, but we texted over the years and I feel like I lost a friend.

I can only imagine how his wife and four kids feel.

Thanks for the honor of knowing you Pepe. See you on the other side.