Hockey great Claude Lemieux’s death stunned the hockey world last week. He was in Montreal immediately before his death, carrying the torch into the arena to fire up the Montreal Canadiens fans in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. And then, he was gone.
Obviously, questions abound about the circumstances surrounding Claude Lemieux’s death. Some of the speculation I understand, while other depictions I don’t. The idea that he wanted to say goodbye to the public by carrying the torch seems out of character. It doesn’t align with the Pepe we grew to love, a gentleman who lived life to the fullest.
That said, Lemieux’s death should raise questions. While the public may never know all the details associated with his demise, hockey fans everywhere knew about Lemieux’s play. His history of getting into fights with players to get them off their game is well-documented. It was his specialty, along with timely scoring moments in the NHL playoffs.
Lemieux’s pattern of play has me wondering whether all those hits to the head eventually caught up with him. We have seen such cases in football and hockey, and it’s a possible explanation we can’t automatically rule out.
Hockey fans don’t like it when critics complain about fighting and hits, contending that such critiques, if responded to, will ruin the sport. Violence is what makes ice hockey what it is, they argue, and renders the sport “beautiful.” That’s bull I say. Hockey should be about speed and scoring, along with excellent goaltending.
What is “beautiful” about Devils enforcer Scott Stevens laying the boom on Eric Lindros in Game 7 of the 2000 Eastern Conference finals?
Perhaps, if anything, the sudden death of someone of Lemieux’s caliber will give pause for reflection about the game and the consequences associated with its play.
Photo courtesy Yahoo! Sports
Lemieux is probably best remembered internationally for his play in Montreal, but around here, fans recall his tremendous play with the New Jersey Devils (1990-95 and 1999-2000). He was the Devils’ best postseason player ever, scoring 34 postseason goals, including 13 in the year the Devils won their first Stanley Cup in 1995. Lemieux won the Conn Smythe Trophy that year.
We can talk about Scott Stevens and Martin Brodeur being the franchise’s best players, and they deserve that respect. But know this: the Devils don’t win their first Cup without Lemieux. And make no mistake about it, he was a character and a fan favorite. He knew how to make people laugh and goaded opponents into taking penalties. Plus, he drove his coaches up the wall.
They don’t make guys like Lemieux anymore. These days, many professional athletes are more introverted than bombastic, and they don’t display emotion, seeming to let stress and pressure drive them from joy.
But the more important issue isn’t about any of that. It’s about hoping that Lemieux’s death will raise awareness about CTE. It has been an issue for a long time, and it’s about time the NHL responded constructively. No one should be dying from it, whether it’s Derek Boogaard at 28, Bob Probert at 45, Greg Johnson at 48 (all confirmed cases), or possibly Lemieux at 60.
It’s encouraging that Lemieux’s brain is being donated to Boston University for CTE research. The more we raise awareness of it, the better we will be, and there could be solutions to prevent it. Hockey players shouldn’t have to pay the price for senseless beating with short careers and deaths. Too many players are being slammed into the glass or boards. Blindside hits are not what this game is about. That’s why watching the Carolina Hurricanes play this postseason is refreshing, as they play the game with precision rather than relying on cheap gimmicks.
If hockey can do well in the Olympics with fighting being prohibited, then the NHL can do just fine without it. That says to me it’s time for the league to evolve, just as it’s time for us to evolve in society and get with the times, and embrace the importance of mental health.
If the league takes serious measures, maybe we won’t be mourning more deaths of highly publicized hockey players, such as Pep, and any players, for that matter. Changing that narrative would be for the good of the game.
