Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen recounted a special gesture from late NHL legend Claude Lemieux. The two shared a dialogue before the 2026 Eastern Conference Final against the Montreal Canadiens.

Before Game 3 at the Bell Center, Montreal stalwart Lemieux was invited to participate in the team's torch-carrying ceremony, a special pre-game honor.

Later, a reporter asked Andersen whether he saw Lemieux and the ceremony. The goaltender said he did not see it live and missed the moment inside the arena.

“To be honest, I didn't get to see it. It happened before we were really on the ice," he stated, as per Sportsnet. "But I'll share this, that he made sure to call me beforehand.” 

Before the Canadiens' ceremonial torch-carrying honor, Lemieux personally contacted Andersen to ensure he was comfortable with the decision.

“He obviously told me that they asked him to do this, and he told them that he needed to talk to me first and ask what I thought about it and make sure that I was okay with it”, Anderson stated. 

The gesture showed the respect between the two. Lemieux mentored the former Conn Smythe Trophy winner for over 15 years. Furthermore, he had been Andersen's agent until his demise.

As for the ceremony, the goaltender said there was never any issue and supported the decision.

“But right away, obviously, I said, go for it. It's a very big honor for a very big storied franchise to get to do that and be a guy that they asked for that honor," Anderson stated. "And it speaks really highly of how he thinks of his loved ones to ask that first.”

Following Lemieux's passing, Anderson shared a heartfelt statement about his former mentor. He lauded Lemieux's support and impact during their 15-year association.

He also credited his teammates for supporting him, as the Hurricanes rolled over Montreal in the conference finals.

Anderson's Brilliance Helped Carolina Reach the Stanley Cup Final

The 36-year-old's calm and steady presence has been one of the biggest reasons for the team's playoff run.

The Hurricanes beat Montreal 4-1 in the series after losing Game 1. A key moment came in Game 3, when Carolina won 3-2 in overtime on the road.

While the first three games were close, the Hurricanes assumed full control and won the final two games comfortably. Andersen notably made 23 saves in Game 5, as his team secured a dominant 6-1 win.

He has been instrumental in the Hurricanes' postseason success. In 13 playoff games, he has a 12-1 record, three shutouts, and a 1.41 goals-against average. He also leads the playoffs in save percentage at .931.

He stands ahead of all goalies in 5-on-5 save percentage (.940) and has the best 5-on-5 close save percentage.

Now, the Hurricanes will face the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final starting June 2. Carolina will once again depend on Andersen to win its first Stanley Cup since 2006.

What do you think? Will the Hurricanes win the 2026 Stanley Cup? Comment down below.

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Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Sijo Paul