Fans Are Wondering — Is Claude Lemieux Related to Fellow Hockey Player Mario Lemieux?

Content warning: This article mentions allegations of sexual assault and suicide.

Former hockey players Mario and Claude Lemieux share a lot in common. Obviously, the men have the same last name and chose the same profession. However, the similarities don't end there. Both athletes are French-Canadian, both were born in 1965, both in Quebec, and they're both hailed as NHL legends.

Given how connected these two men are, most notably with their shared heritage, birthplace, and last name, many people wonder if the pair are twins or related in some other way.

Surprisingly, Mario and Claude Lemieux are not related at all! Rather, their similarities are sheer coincidence — or a glitch in the Matrix, if you prefer to go down that route.

That said, the two athletes seemed to have a positive relationship with one another, often expressing mutual respect and contentment that they both represented their country in hockey.

Claude Lemieux played as a right winger for six different teams throughout his NHL tenure from 1983 to 2009. He made a whopping 80 career playoff goals and won four Stanley Cup championships with three separate teams.

After retiring in 2005, Claude became a figure skater, reality TV star, and president of the ECHL incarnation of the Phoenix RoadRunners. He made a comeback in 2008, before retiring permanently later in the season.

As for Claude's family (which does not include Mario), they are also NHL superstars. Claude's younger brother, Jocelyn, played as a forward, and Claude's son, Brendan, was a left-winger.

Tragically, Claude took his own life on May 28, 2026. He is survived by his wife and four children, as well as his NHL legacy. Claude's last public appearance was as a torch-bearer for the Montreal Canadiens several days before his passing.

Mario Lemieux was a center (forward) for the Pittsburgh Penguins from 1984 to 2005. He went from player to owner, as he became the team's majority owner in 1999. Overall, Mario won an impressive five Stanley Cups — two as a player, and three as an owner.

Unfortunately, Mario suffered multiple health issues that took him out of the NHL several times. In 1994, he had to step away in order to receive cancer treatments. Then, Mario permanently retired in 2005, after being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat.

Mario's career was riddled with scandal, as the athlete was connected to multiple sexual assault cases. While he, himself, was never accused of hurting anyone, he was allegedly in the room while another player harmed a women. He also signed a known, convicted rapist to the team. His reasoning, per Wikipedia, was, "I think that’s a great story. That kid faced so much adversity, did his time, came back after three and a half years. To find himself in the NHL is a great accomplishment."

Today, Mario is still very much involved in hockey, as well as his charity, the Mario Lemieux Foundation, which funds medical research and supports other medical organizations. Mario is married, and as four children, making that just one more similarity between him and Claude.