Former Devil Claude Lemieux is retiring again, this time apparently for good.
Lemieux and the San Jose Sharks have scheduled a news conference for this afternoon to make the announcment.
"I want to thank my former teammates from my entire career for all of their support,” Lemieux in a statement. “I feel very fortunate that I was able to have a career like I had. There have been many great NHL players who did not get the opportunities to win that I had. I played for a long time but it went by so very fast.”
Lemieux, 44, made a comeback in 2008-09 with the Sharks after being out of the game for five years. In 18 regular season games with San Jose, he had no goals and one assist.
He fell short of his dream of a winning a fifth Stanley Cup, however, when the Sharks were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Anaheim.
Lemieux became a naturalized U.S. citizen on June 26.
happy trails Claude.... you are and always will be my favorite player of all time.
Posted by: Pearl Jammed | July 08, 2009 at 09:57 AM
I saw Claude Lemeuix and for a second before I saw the whole headline thought he had signed with the Devils....
Posted by: MattP | July 08, 2009 at 10:00 AM
He'd be an upgrade of Pando.
Posted by: Jason | July 08, 2009 at 10:01 AM
*over
Posted by: Jason | July 08, 2009 at 10:02 AM
ALL THE BEST PEPE'. Thanks for the CUPS.
Posted by: devilstown | July 08, 2009 at 10:03 AM
We'll miss you, Claude! Thanks for the memories!
Posted by: Jeff O. | July 08, 2009 at 10:04 AM
One of my favorite Devils. Right up there with Stevens, Marty and Dano. But, I'm still upset with him over the stuff he pulled after '95. He should of retired a Devil and had his number hanging in the Rock. I've never seen a more clutch Devil in a big spot. Ron Hextall is still wondering how that shot got behind him in the '95 conference final. Thanks for the memories Pepe!
Posted by: Grofe | July 08, 2009 at 10:08 AM
I love Pepe, but it's sad that this is the most exciting news I've read here in weeks lol.
Posted by: MattP | July 08, 2009 at 10:10 AM
After he retires, he will be named head coach of the Devils (E12).
Posted by: BF | July 08, 2009 at 10:26 AM
The one time I really missed Claude was in the '97 playoffs against the New York team. Messier nearly decapitated Gilmour, nothing was done, and the Devils lost the series pretty badly. That act would not have been allowed to stand had Claude been with the team.
Posted by: Peter | July 08, 2009 at 10:28 AM
BF: LOL!!!!!!
Posted by: Grofe | July 08, 2009 at 10:29 AM
Love Le Claude...live long and prosper. Thank God I met him after the February game. However, why he'd ever wanna be recognized as an American is beyond me. CANADA IS MUCH..MUCH BETTER!
Posted by: Lucifer's Truth | July 08, 2009 at 10:39 AM
Best wishes to Claude. He was a clutch performer who liked to play physical and stir it up. If only he had been willing to drop the gloves more, I would have really loved the guy. Even though he would quack nonstop and never fight, anyone who wins a Conn Smythe with the Devils has a special place in my heart. VIVA LA CLAUDE!! I wish you had discovered HGH 10 years sooner!!!!!!
Posted by: ____amania | July 08, 2009 at 10:43 AM
One of my all time favorites as well. Good luck, pepe!
Posted by: ron | July 08, 2009 at 10:46 AM
claude is retired until lou calls him and says "hey, wanna sign with us? we signed holik and rolston last year in a...let's get the old band back move. it really worked out well so we're doing it again this year. besides, i think the cap is going down to $20M next year so we must be prepared. by the way, do you know pat conacher's cell number?"
just kidding folks.
Posted by: SonicDude | July 08, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Hey ____amania, I thought you might go for "Pikkarainenamania". But I guess we should wait and see how he plays first.
Posted by: Peter | July 08, 2009 at 10:52 AM
my best memory in person of claud lemiuex was him scoring on that breakway in game 6 in 95 off hextall which gave the devs a 4-2 lead in the 3rd and put the nail in the coffin on our way to the first ever finals appearance. What an incredible game that was....
Posted by: HF | July 08, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Lucifer, he should have dual citizenship unless he gave up his Canadian citizenship for some reason. He's still Canadian, now he's a Canadian-American also. Plus even if he gave up his Candian Citizenship he'd be still Canadian from birth.
Posted by: Alien Life Form | July 08, 2009 at 10:55 AM
MattP
Signing Oduya and Greene wasn't the most exciting thing?
Posted by: Zorin | July 08, 2009 at 10:57 AM
I was being somewhat facetious....
Posted by: MattP | July 08, 2009 at 10:58 AM
I know..haha, come on, trying to get some laughs!
Posted by: Zorin | July 08, 2009 at 11:15 AM
I thought so...wasn't sure. Maybe Richer and Andreychuck will come back?
Posted by: MattP | July 08, 2009 at 11:16 AM
According to the TSN Free Agent Tracker, Versteeg is staying with the 'Hawks for a three-year deal.
Posted by: Jeff O. | July 08, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Sonic - Sharp would be a nice fit. At $3.9m for this year and next to get a young veteran center who has over 50 goals the last two seasons I would imagine just about every team with cap room would be looking to get him though. If they are looking for defensive prospects we have a few, if they're looking for cheap forwards we have Clarkson that's about it. We'll see. I'd imagine they'd want at least two top prospects or a top prospect & Clarkson if they're looking for cap relief. Anyone else we have that we'd be willing to trade that's worth their while on the NHL roster is making as much as he is.
Posted by: JJ | July 08, 2009 at 11:23 AM
funny how ek-fraud has updated his kaberle to sabres rumour with a leafs have talked about other d-men rumour (not kaberle). burke said this on XM. wow, real 'buzz.'
i tried to nail the fraud on how he positioned his koivu-devils headline as new news yesterday. but you now need to give him your cell number to register and reply on his site (yeah, as if...). this is his way of screening out the millions who want to rip him. i think ek-fraud might be alf.
Posted by: SonicDude | July 08, 2009 at 11:29 AM