Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen raised his first Stanley Cup in 2026. But his joy was contrasted by an emotional goodbye. He honored his friend and long-serving agent, Claude Lemieux, who passed away on May 28, 2026, at age 60.

Andersen spoke to reporters David Amber and Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet on Sunday, June 14. After the Hurricanes defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-0 in Game 6, he commented on Lemieux's passing.

“He [Claude Lemieux] would just be so proud. I know that,” an emotional Andersen remarked. “He is a competitor. He always wanted the best for me, his players, and his family. It's tough to really describe how much he meant to me and how cool it is to have my name on that trophy with him.”

Andersen's name will join Lemieux's on the Stanley Cup, among more than 3000 NHL champions.

Lemieux, in his 21 seasons in the NHL, won four Stanley Cups with three different franchises. He won with the Montreal Canadiens in 1986, the New Jersey Devils in 1995 and 2000, and the Colorado Avalanche in 1996.

The Canadian became one of only 11 NHL players ever to achieve this feat with three different teams. Andersen now joins him with his first-ever win.

On June 1, Andersen released a statement on Lemieux's death.

“Claude made an unimaginable impact on me during the more than 15 years that he was a part of my life,” he wrote, per NHL.

While Anderson mourns his friend, his performance for the Hurricanes is not to be overlooked.

Frederick Andersen’s Contribution to the Carolina Hurricanes’ Finals Series

Frederik Andersen played in the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final. After that, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour dropped him to the bench.

His last appearance in the best-of-seven came before the third period of Game 3. He had allowed four goals in the second period at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC.

Andersen hadn’t played at his best in the first two games of the Cup Final, letting in a few soft goals, but it all came to a head during Game 3.

Overall, Andersen had 65 save attempts during that time, completing 53 of them for a save percentage of .815 while having a goals against average (GAA) of 4.44.

Before that, in the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he registered an incredible .931 save percentage and 1.44 GAA to secure the third final for the Canes.

The replacement for Andersen, 27-year-old Brandon Bussi, made his first career appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs in the third period of Game 3 in the final. Since then, he made 81 saves out of 87 for an outstanding save percentage of .931 and a GAA of 1.60.

While Bussi played a key role in the success of Carolina in the second half of the Cup Final, Andersen’s contribution throughout the postseason can’t be understated.

Will Frederick Andersen continue to be an asset for the Carolina Hurricanes in the twilight of his career? Give us your thoughts in the comments.

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Written by

Arjun Sharma

Edited by

Surjo Ray