Former NHL star Claude Lemieux dies by suicide at 60

Claude Lemieux, a four-time Stanley Cup champion renowned for his clutch postseason performances, has died. He was 60. The NHL Alumni Association announced his death on Thursday.

Multiple reports indicate Lemieux died by suicide in Florida. His death came just three days after his final public appearance, where he served as the ceremonial torch bearer for the Montreal Canadiens before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Carolina Hurricanes at Montreal's Bell Centre.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement that the league mourns the passing of "one of the greatest big-game players in hockey history." He extended condolences to Lemieux's wife, Deborah, and his four children.

Lemieux's 21-season NHL career was defined by playoff excellence. Drafted by Montreal in 1983, he scored 10 goals in 20 playoff games as a rookie to help the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup in 1986. He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1995 with the New Jersey Devils, adding championships with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 and again with the Devils in 2000. He is the tenth player in NHL history to win consecutive Stanley Cups with different teams.