NEED TO KNOW
Claude Lemieux, who died on May 28, married his wife Deborah in the mid-90s
The Stanley Cup champion was a father of four: Brendan, Claudia, Michael and Christopher
His son Brendan is also a professional hockey player
Claude Lemieux‘s hockey legacy lives on in his family.
The four-time Stanley Cup champion, who died on May 28, welcomed two children with his wife, Deborah Lemieux. He was already a father of two when they married, having welcomed two sons with his ex-wife.
Claude and Deborah’s son, Brendan Lemieux, pursued a hockey career of his own. After the 2014 draft, Brendan told the media that his dad is his “biggest role model on and off the ice,” per USA Today.
“I’m proud of the career he had,” he said at the time. “I definitely want to follow in his footsteps. I want to be the guy that can step up and be that playoff performer.”
The NHL Alumni Association announced Claude’s death at 60 on May 28, writing that he was “loved by his wife and four children.”
Here’s everything to know about Claude Lemieux’s wife and kids.
He was married twice
Claude Lemieux is honored at the the Colorado Avalanche’s 30th Anniversary Celebration on Dec. 11, 2025, in Denver.
Credit: Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty
Claude divorced his first wife sometime in the early to mid-90s, per The New York Times.
He then met Deborah, and their first date was at a restaurant in New York, according to The New York Times.
While Claude joked to the outlet that Deborah thought he was a “mobster” at first, she added that he was actually “a big old bear” and “so easygoing.”
Claude and Deborah got married in the Bahamas
Claude and Deborah wed in the mid-90s in the Bahamas, according to The New York Times. Claude sang Rod Stewart‘s “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You” during the celebratory event.
“I was pretty proud of myself,” he told the outlet. “But I was nervous. I was a wreck.”
Claude was a father of four
Claude Lemieux and his daughter Claudia.
Credit: NHL Winnipeg Jets/X
Claude had four children: sons Brendan, Michael and Christopher, and daughter Claudia. He welcomed Michael and Christopher with his first wife, per The New York Times.
Brendan, who Claude welcomed with Deborah in 1996, per USA Today, is a professional hockey player.
Claudia joined her dad in the stands to cheer on Brendan at his games, as shared on X by the Winnipeg Jets in October 2017.
Claudia married her husband, Hunter Bishop, in 2024, per her Instagram. They welcomed a daughter in February 2026.
Michael and Christopher stay primarily out of the spotlight.
Claude has influenced Brendan’s gameplay
Brendan Lemieux #48 of the Los Angeles Kings warms up before the game on Oct. 13, 2022, in Los Angeles.
Credit: Harry How/Getty
Brendan has taken after his dad when it comes to how he plays on the ice. After the 2014 draft, Claude spoke about similarities between him and his son’s gameplay, saying, “Basically the way I played is how Brendan plays and he’s proud of it,” per USA Today.
During an October 2018 interview with The Athletic, however, Brendan noted that his “dad played an ’80s-hockey style of game and that’s not where the NHL is now.”
“People expect me to play an ’80s-style of game just like my dad did, but I don’t because I would be in the penalty box literally all the time,” he said.
Brendan also spoke about the pressure that comes with being an NHL player’s child, saying that “people can see the mistakes of your father and expect the son to make similar mistakes.”
“I’ve always seen it as an advantage but there are disadvantages. Some guys don’t want to see you do well,” he continued. “People know your name before you’ve played. You’re not just nobody you’re ‘Claude Lemieux’s son.’ “
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