Claude Percy Lemieux (July 16, 1965 โ May 28, 2026) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 21 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for six teams between 1983 and 2009. Lemieux won four Stanley Cup championships during his career, including two with the New Jersey Devils, with whom he won the Conn Smythe Trophy during the team’s victory in the 1995 Stanley Cup Final.
๐ Stanley Cup Championships
Lemieux was drafted in the second round of the 1983 NHL entry draft by the Montreal Canadiens and played with them from 1983โ1990, winning his first Stanley Cup with the team in 1986. In 1990, he was traded to the Devils, with whom he played five seasons and won a second Stanley Cup.
He was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in 1995 and won his third Stanley Cup during the 1996 Cup Final. In 1999, Lemieux was traded back to the Devils and won a fourth Stanley Cup with them in the 2000 Cup Final.
๐ Career Statistics and Playoff Performance
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound wing scored 379 goals and made 407 assists for a career point total of 786. Lemieux retired with 80 career playoff goals, ninth all-time in the NHL.
He played in 234 playoff games, which is fourth all-time in the NHL. On three occasions, he scored more goals during the playoffs than during the regular season (1985โ86 with Montreal, 1994โ95 with New Jersey, and 1996โ97 with Colorado).
โ๏ธ Controversial Reputation
Lemieux was also notorious for being among the league’s most hated and dirtiest players; as late as 2018, Bleacher Report labeled him as the third most hated player of all-time behind Sean Avery and Matt Cooke. While playing for Montreal in the 1986 Stanley Cup Final against the Calgary Flames, Lemieux bit Calgary’s Jim Peplinski on the finger during a scuffle.
Lemieux’s reputation for playing dirty was solidified in a 1996 incident with the Avalanche when Lemieux checked Kris Draper of the Detroit Red Wings into the boards from behind during Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals. This incident sparked a bitter rivalry between the two teams.
๐ International Career
Lemieux represented Canada three times in international competitions. He made his first international appearance as a member of the Canadian national junior team at the 1985 World Junior Championships in Helsinki, Finland.
Lemieux was also a member of the 1987 Canada Cup winning team where he tallied 2 points in 6 games. His final appearance in international play came when he was selected to the Team Canada roster for the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
๐จโ๐ฆ Personal Life and Family
Lemieux was born in Buckingham, Quebec on July 16, 1965. He resided in Huntington Beach, California. Lemieux became a naturalized U.S. citizen on June 26, 2009.
His son, Brendan Lemieux, is also a former NHL player, and currently plays for HC Davos of the National League in Switzerland. They are the only father-son duo to both be punished by the NHL for biting other players.
| Category | Detail | Category | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | July 16, 1965 | Died | May 28, 2026 |
| NHL Seasons | 21 (1983โ2009) | Teams Played For | 6 |
| Stanley Cups | 4 | Conn Smythe Trophy | 1995 |
| Career Goals | 379 | Career Assists | 407 |
| Playoff Goals | 80 (9th all-time) | Playoff Games | 234 (4th all-time) |
| Draft | 2nd round, 1983 | Drafted By | Montreal Canadiens |
| International | Canada (3 tournaments) | Post-Retirement | Sports agent |
| Son | Brendan Lemieux (NHL) | Citizenship | Canadian, U.S. (2009) |