SIMMONS: Claude Lemieux became great when games counted most

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Brendan Shanahan was watching television on Monday night as his old friend, Claude Lemieux, walked towards the ice at the Bell Centre, carrying the famous torch of the Montreal Canadiens.

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“I thought to myself, this is great,” said Shanahan. “He looked so good. He looked so happy. That was so nice to see.”

Three days later, Lemieux was dead at the young age of 60. Dead of an apparent suicide. One day smiling and waving for all the hockey world to see. A few days later, gone.

“It’s shocking,” said Shanahan, who played with Lemieux and against Lemieux for so much of his career. “My memory of him, when I think of him, I think about the really sensitive, vulnerable guy we had in New Jersey. He was an incredible competitor once you put the equipment on — there weren’t many like him — but he had a sweet personality, he was very sensitive. A lot of people didn’t get to see that side of him.

“A lot of people only knew the hockey player.”

And what a hockey player he was. This is Claude Lemieux time, playoff time. He had a gift few players in history could claim. He was a good NHL player but a great playoff performer.

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His game got better when the game mattered more. Few have ever raised their game from regular season to post-season the way Lemieux managed. He scored 80 playoff goals in his Stanley Cup career and that ranks him eighth on the career list, in a spectacular position just behind Rocket Richard, and just ahead of Jean Béliveau.

Imagine that: A kid from Buckingham, Que., who played junior in Verdun and Trois-Rivieres, drafted to the historic Canadiens. And on the career list just behind The Rocket, and just ahead of Les Gros Bill. Lemieux, though, was a legend of his own making. He wasn’t heading to the Hockey Hall of Fame. He wasn’t on anybody’s list of great career scorers. But he was come playoff time, when the bright lights came on, and then he was as great as almost anyone who ever played.

“He had a way of disturbing things on the ice,” said Lou Lamoriello, his general manager through two stints and two Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils. “His game rose. I was always amazed by how strong he was, how big his body was, and his leg strength. Everything about him was built for the big game and he seemed to savour that.

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“I have so many fond memories of Claude as a player and fond memories of the many conversations we had. We had a personal relationship for a long time. He won a Cup with us, and won a Conn Smythe Trophy here, and then we brought him back and we won another Cup with him. He was a special player.

“I’m in shock today,” said the 83-year-old Lamoriello. “I’ve gotten a few texts in the last few hours. I don’t really know what happened. All I can say is I’m shocked.”

Lemieux won his first Stanley Cup in Montreal, his second in Jersey but his third came in Colorado in 1996, when he was central to the blood feud the Avalanche had with the Detroit Red Wings. Lemieux’s famous hit from behind on Kris Draper is more than a part of hockey’s nasty history: The hit broke Draper’s nose, fractured his jaw, shattered his cheekbone and broke his orbital bone. Lemieux’s Avalanche eliminated the Red Wings that night and they went on to win their first Stanley Cup two weeks later.

Lemieux missed the first two games of the final, suspended for the hit on Draper.

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“He was as competitive a guy and you’ll ever come across,” said Shanahan, who was traded to Detroit the following season to make the Red Wings stronger and tougher up front. To have a left winger to play opposite Lemieux’s right side.

“He and I went cut from the same cloth. One you were on the ice, once you were opponents, you did whatever you had to do to win. If you beat (Claude) at anything, you accomplished something. Didn’t matter if it was hockey or cards. He hated losing.

“You know, him and Darren McCarty (who was on Draper’s line) became close friends later on in life. He and I stayed in touch but it was different with Darren. I remember Darren saying that he never believed he would say anything this this in 1997 — but he can say it now, Claude Lemieux is my friend.”

Lemieux surprised Shanahan in 1996 when he told him that he and his wife were expecting a little boy and they were going to name him Brendan. He was so happy about that. “I don’t know if he really named the baby after me or if he just liked the name.”

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Brendan Lemieux, one of Lemieux’ four children, went on play 307 NHL games for five different teams, played this season in the Swiss Hockey League. The late Lemieux, who lived recently in Arizona, was among Auston Matthews’ early hockey tutors and went on to become a player agent, representing Matthews’ close friend, Frederick Andersen, among his many clients.

“We are devastated to learn of Claude’s passing,” said Joe Sakic, a former teammate of Lemieux and current president of the Avalanche. ‘Pepe’ was a terrific hockey player, a fierce competitor and a champion in every way. He was also a loyal friend who would do anything for his teammates and someone you could always count on. Most importantly he was a wonderful family man and there is nothing he enjoyed more than spending time with his grandchildren.

“Today is a very sad day for the Avalanche family and Claude will be greatly missed by all of us who had the privilege of knowing him. … Gone but never forgotten. Rest in peace my friend.”

ssimmons@postmedia.com

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