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Claude Lemieux, 4-time Stanley Cup champion and 1995 Conn Smythe winner, dies at 60

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Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion best known for his 1995 Conn Smythe Trophy performance, has died at 60. The NHL Alumni Association confirmed the news Thursday, though no cause of death was provided. Lemieux had recently appeared in Montreal as part of the Canadiens' torch-lighting ceremony before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final.

Selected 26th overall by Montreal in 1983, Lemieux spent seven seasons with the Canadiens before becoming a cornerstone player for the New Jersey Devils and Colorado Avalanche. He captured his first Stanley Cup at age 20 in 1986, contributing 10 goals and six assists across 20 playoff games.

Lemieux's defining moment came in 1995 when he led all playoff scorers with 13 goals, powering the Devils to their inaugural championship while earning postseason MVP honors. The following season, his hit on Detroit's Kris Draper from behind sparked controversy and earned a two-game suspension during the Stanley Cup Final. He finished with 80 career playoff goals, ranking ninth all-time.

Over 21 seasons and 1,215 games, Lemieux compiled 379 goals and 786 points while accumulating 529 playoff penalty minutes. His career concluded in 2009 with brief stops alongside the Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars, and San Jose Sharks. Post-retirement, he transitioned into player representation, serving as North American president for 4Sports Hockey.