Lemieux’s death touched almost everyone in the Hurricanes locker room because his son, Brendan Lemieux, played for them in 2023-24 before playing professionally the past two seasons in Switzerland. But Andersen had a special connection with Lemieux.
When Lemieux split with business partner Ritch Winter, Andersen’s former agent, in 2015, Andersen went with him, and they’ve been together ever since. When Lemieux, who won the Stanley Cup for the first time with the Canadiens in 1986, was asked to be the torchbearer in the pregame ceremony prior to Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final in Montreal on Monday, he called Andersen to let him know ahead of time.
Andersen wished he could’ve shared the win Friday with Lemieux. Still, Andersen knew what Lemieux would have told him about the upcoming Cup Final against the Golden Knights, which opens with Game 1 here on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, SN, CBC, TVAS).
“Claude made an unimaginable impact on me during the more than 15 years that he was a part of my life,” Andersen said in a statement issued by the Hurricanes on Sunday. “I almost feel sorry for people who didn’t have an opportunity to get to know him beyond his achievements and impact on the ice.
“As phenomenal as his hockey career was, he was an even better human being. From day one, he made me feel like I was a part of his family — treating me with care, compassion, loyalty and love as if I was his own son. He had a similar effect on members of my own family, leaving a lasting impression on every life that he touched.
“I cannot imagine the pain Claude was in, and I pray that he is in a better place now. My thoughts are with Deborah, Brendan, Claudia and the entire Lemieux family as we grieve together. Claude’s spirit will remain in my heart, always.”