Darren McCarty shares a heartfelt message following Claude Lemieux's death

Longtime NHL player and four time Stanley Cup champion Claude Lemieux has passed away at just 60 years old.

Lemieux was the torch bearer for the Montreal Canadiens in Game 3 just a few short days ago.

Online tabloid TMZ is reporting that Claude Lemieux's death is being ruled as a suicide.

From TMZ:

Claude Lemieux, 4x Stanley Cup-winning NHL player, died by suicide, TMZ Sports has learned.

Lemieux was 60 years old.

Our sources tell us the 21-season NHL vet was found Thursday morning at a business in Florida, which is owned by his family.

The Athletic is also reporting the death as a suicide.

When asked about Lemieux’s death, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office told The Athletic that deputies responded early Thursday morning to a suicide attempt at a furniture showroom, which state records show is in Lake Park, Fla., and is owned by Lemieux and his wife, Deborah. The Sheriff’s Office secured the business for investigation. The Palm Beach County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Lemieux’s death but declined to release any records, citing a Florida statute exempting suicide cases from public records requirements.

Today, with news of Lemieux's death spreading across the world there's been no shortage of teammates and opponents sharing their condolences. One person who I did not expect to hear from today though was Lemieux's arch nemesis Darren McCarty.

The history between Lemieux and McCarty is one of the most infamous rivalries in NHL history, and it helped define the brutal feud between the Detroit Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche during the late 1990s.

Today, McCarty issued a thoughtful statement on Lemieux's death on social media:

The bad blood began in the 1996 Western Conference Final when Lemieux delivered a devastating hit from behind on Detroit forward Kris Draper, smashing Draper face-first into the boards. Draper suffered multiple facial fractures, a concussion, and required reconstructive surgery.

McCarty, one of Draper’s closest teammates, never forgot the incident. The tension boiled over on March 26, 1997, during the legendary “Fight Night at the Joe” game in Detroit. In one of hockey’s most iconic moments, McCarty attacked Lemieux during a massive brawl, repeatedly punching him as both benches erupted into chaos. The game featured nine fights and 148 penalty minutes, becoming one of the defining moments of the NHL’s toughest era.

The rivalry between the two players symbolized the hatred between the Red Wings and Avalanche, who combined to win five Stanley Cups between 1996 and 2002. McCarty became a Detroit folk hero for standing up to Lemieux, while Lemieux embraced his reputation as one of hockey’s ultimate agitators.

Interestingly, as the years passed, the relationship between the two softened. Both men later appeared together in documentaries and interviews reflecting on the rivalry, including ESPN’s “Unrivaled.” While McCarty admitted he never fully forgave Lemieux for the Draper hit, the two eventually developed mutual respect off the ice after years of war on it.