The will of four-time Stanley Cup champion Claude Lemieux has revealed that his wife, Deborah Lemieux, has been appointed to manage his estate. Lemieux, a prominent and often controversial figure in hockey history, died by suicide on May 28 at the age of 60.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ and filed in Arizona, Lemieux left his entire estate to a trust established with Deborah in September 2008. The document names Deborah Lemieux as the "Personal Representative to administer my estate." Should she be unable to fulfill this role, their children Brendan and Claudia Lemieux are designated as "co-representatives."
Lemieux's two sons from his first marriage, Christopher and Michael, were not named as representatives or beneficiaries in the will. His daughter, Claudia, expressed the family's profound grief on social media, stating, "No words to express the level of devastation we feel. I love you forever daddy. Forever your only girl." Her husband, Hunter Bishop, also shared a tribute, calling Lemieux "a truly amazing man."
Brendan Lemieux, another son, posted a heartfelt message online: "I love you dad! My son’s favorite person is going to watch from above for a while. We will see you."
Lemieux's death occurred just three days after he served as the ceremonial torch bearer for the Montreal Canadiens before an Eastern Conference Final game. He played in the NHL from 1983 to 2009, amassing 80 playoff goals and 234 playoff games, ranking ninth and sixth in NHL history, respectively. He also accumulated 1,777 penalty minutes in 1,215 regular season games. Lemieux is also remembered for a notable hit on Kris Draper that intensified the rivalry between the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche.