05/28/2026
The Grind Time family is heartbroken by the passing of hockey legend Claude Lemieux.
One of the greatest big-game players the sport has ever seen, Claude was a four-time Stanley Cup champion — winning with the Montreal Canadiens in 1986, the New Jersey Devils in 1995, the Colorado Avalanche in 1996, and the Devils again in 2000. He's one of only 11 players in history to lift the Cup with at least three different teams, and a back-to-back champion with two different franchises. In 1995 he was named playoff MVP, taking home the Conn Smythe Trophy after leading all skaters in postseason goals. His 80 career playoff goals still rank ninth — a testament to a man who lived for the biggest moments.
Across 21 NHL seasons and over 1,200 games, Claude built a reputation as one of the fiercest, most relentless competitors to ever lace up skates. That fire is part of what made his rivalry with our own Darren McCarty one of the most legendary chapters in hockey history.
But what stands out most today is what came after. Two men who once stood on opposite sides of one of the sport's most heated rivalries were later able to sit down together, share their stories, and find respect and even friendship — a reconciliation captured for the world to see. It's a reminder that the battles we fight don't have to define us forever, and that there's always room for grace.
We send our deepest condolences to the Lemieux family, to his friends, to everyone in the hockey world, and to all those affected by this loss.
Rest in peace, Claude. 🕊️
Darren McCarty
