Authorities report that NHL legend Claude Lemieux died by suicide by hanging, and that his body was discovered by one of his sons at the family’s furniture store in Lake Park, Florida.
In a statement from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Lemieux’s body was discovered in the warehouse of the family furniture store at 3:32 a.m. on Thursday after he failed to come home that night.
Lemieux has three sons, though it is unclear which made the grim discovery.
The four-time Stanley Cup winner had carried the torch for one of his former teams, the Montreal Canadiens, for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the Bell Centre, mere days before his suicide.
“Today is a dark day for the Canadiens family and the entire hockey community. I wish to express my most sincere and deepest condolences to Claude’s family and loved ones,” Canadiens Owner Geoff Molson said in a statement.
“A fierce competitor who rose to the occasion in big moments, Claude was a relentless, courageous, and tenacious player who led the team to the highest honours. He embodied the very essence of being a Montreal Canadiens player. Today, we mourn the untimely passing of one of our champions.”
In addition to winning the Stanley Cup with three different teams, Lemieux also won the Conn Smythe Trophy, the NHL’s most valuable player award.
Lemieux is survived by his wife, Deborah, and their four children.