What Gary Bettman did for Claude Lemieux is turning heads
Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion, has died at the age of 60, and Gary Bettman opened his Stanley Cup Final media availability with a tribute on Tuesday.
Bettman made sure to acknowledge the loss at the top of his press conference. He also paid respect to Jessi Pierce, the hockey journalist who passed away.
The timing makes this hit even harder. Lemieux was seen alive and well last Monday night, less than 48 hours before the announcement broke.
He served as the Montreal Canadiens torchbearer before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final at the Bell Centre. The Bell Centre crowd had no idea it would be his final public moment in the building where his legend started.
That torchbearer walk was vintage Lemieux. Hands raised, soaking in the ovation, the same swagger that made him a four-time Cup winner and one of the most polarizing players of his era.
NHL Alumni Association confirms the loss as tributes pour in
The location where Lemieux was when he died was not immediately clear. The Alumni Association statement did not provide further details on the circumstances.
Bettman's decision to open the Stanley Cup Final availability with this tribute carried weight. The Commissioner does not typically derail a championship news cycle unless the moment demands it.
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This moment demanded it. Lemieux won Cups with Montreal, New Jersey twice, and Colorado. He was the Conn Smythe winner in 1995, the heart of every team he played for, and the villain of every team he played against.
Players who broke into the league in the nineties grew up watching him. Coaches studied his playoff résumé. Few forwards in modern history did more with a postseason opportunity.
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![Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Sydney Crosby (87) lifts the trophy after defeating the United States during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden.](https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/medium/669393.webp "Feb 20, 2025; Boston, MA, USA; [Imagn Images direct customers only] Team Canada forward Sydney Crosby (87) lifts the trophy after defeating the United States during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden.")
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