NHL Star Ronald Duguay Dead at 69 After Cancer Battle

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Ron Duguay -- the former NHL star who was dating Sarah Palin -- is dead after a long battle with cancer.

Sarah announced his death Thursday on Instagram ... saying he died "peacefully" on Thursday "after a hard fought battle with cancer." She says a celebration of life will be announced at a later date.

The former Governor of Alaska also wrote, "It's with a shattered heart, but also deep peace knowing Ron is with Jesus now. He fought so hard. Love never ends."

Oilers vs. Wild R-Slur Heard During Broadcast All Goalies Are 'R*****ed'

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MICS ARE HOT

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10:05 AM PT -- Minnesota Wild tells TMZ ... "We are aware of offensive language that was picked up on last night’s broadcast. The language is unacceptable and has no place on our broadcast. While our investigation is ongoing, the comment did not come from a member of our broadcast team. We deeply regret that this occurred."

Fans of the Minnesota Wild got more than they bargained for during the broadcast of Tuesday night's game against the Edmonton Oilers ... when someone threw out an NSFW word that got picked up by a hot mic.

The incident happened about halfway through the game in Edmonton ... when, during a quiet moment in the broadcast, someone was heard saying, when the score is 3-0, "every goalie is r*****ed."

The comment's followed by a chorus of squealing laughter ... though, as far as we can tell, it was never addressed during the broadcast.

NHL Star Andrei Kuzmenko Father Mauled To Death By Bear

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Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko left the team to return home to Russia and grieve with his family ... after the NHL star's father was mauled to death by a bear.

The Penguins announced Thursday that Kuzmenko was taking a break after the death of his 62-year-old father, Alexander, in Russia. Earlier in the day, Kuzmenko reportedly showed up for practice with his teammates before flying to Moscow to mourn with his family.

According to Ren.tv. -- a Russian media outlet -- Alexander was on a fishing trip Tuesday when he was mauled by a bear that came out of the woods in Siberia's Tuva Republic.

Claude Lemieux Son Explains Dad's Sex Addiction Relapse ... After Finding Him Dead

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GRUESOME AFTERMATH

NHL legend Claude Lemieux was kicked out of his home after confessing he had relapsed into sex addiction ... setting off a chain of events his son later recounted to police.

TMZ Sports has obtained body cam footage from the night Claude died by suicide ... showing his son, Brendan Lemieux, explain to cops his father had been sober for 12 years before his mother discovered that was no longer the case.

Brendan tells officers his mother confronted Claude after the family noticed changes in his behavior over the previous year. He says things had recently spiraled, with his father lashing out at times.

Justin Bieber Surprise, Puckers!!!

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Justin Bieber shocked sports and music fans alike ... when the superstar showed up to announce the No. 1 overall pick at the NHL draft!

The Canadian pop star was greeted by a roaring crowd as he approached the stage to announce the newest player drafted for his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs.

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JB noted it was a full-circle moment ... he's loved the Leafs since he was a kid.

The singer was grinning ear-to-ear when he announced Gavin McKenna would be joining the Toronto team.

Puck, yeah!

Kyle Calder Longtime NHL Player Dead At 47 ... After 'Brief Illness'

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Kyle Calder, who spent 10 seasons in the National Hockey League, died on Monday after briefly battling an unknown illness, his daughter announced.

He was 47 years old.

Calder, a 5'11" winger, started his NHL career with the Blackhawks in the 1999-2000 season, spending six years in Chicago before stints with the Flyers, Red Wings, Kings, and Ducks in 2009-2010.

Over the course of his decade-long stint in the league, Calder, a 5th round draft pick, played 590 games, scoring 114 goals, 180 assists, and accumulating 294 points.

Kyle's daughter, Madison, wrote a touching and emotional tribute on social media.

Claude Lemieux Death Certificate Released ... Body Moved To N.C. For Burial

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Claude Lemieux's body was transported from Florida to North Carolina ... where the late hockey legend will be laid to rest, according to a death certificate obtained by TMZ Sports.

Lemieux, who was 60, was found deceased on May 28 by one of his adult children at a warehouse owned by the family.

As we previously reported, the longtime hockey star took his own life.

Ex-NHL Star Sean Avery My 'Crazy Neighbor' Opened Fire, Sent Hookers to My House!!!

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Sean Avery says his neighbor did more than allegedly fire gunshots at his L.A. home ... the ex-NHL star claims the guy's "crazy" behavior included sending 2 prostitutes to Sean's door.

We broke the story ... sources told us shots rang out at Sean's Hollywood Hills house while a contractor was working on the residence, and shortly afterward, Sean went on camera to break down the wild incident.

Keep in mind neither he nor his wife, Hilary Rhoda, were home when it happened, but the former NHL star said ... "My crazy neighbor shot out the tires of the contractor building a new deck at the house."

Former NHL Star Sean Avery Shots fired at contractor at his home

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6:17 PM 6/2/2026 -- Multiple sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ … the suspect in custody is Sean’s neighbor.

Our Law Enforcement sources tell us that LAPD responded to a call at Sean's home for criminal threats around 10 AM Tuesday. The caller stated the suspect was a neighbor who had been harassing and threatening their contractors. The caller told officers this had been an ongoing issue.

Our LE sources tell us when officers arrived Tuesday morning, there was no indication of any threats made. No report was taken.

Sean Avery and his wife, Hilary Rhoda's Los Angeles home was the scene of a frightening shooting ... TMZ has learned.

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... the couple's contractor was working at their Hollywood Hills residence Tuesday when the shots rang out. We're told that during the shooting, a tire on the contractor's vehicle was struck.

As of now, our law enforcement sources say there are no known injuries. Our LE sources tell us one person is in custody. The investigation is ongoing.

We're told neither Avery or Rhoda was home at the time of the shooting.

Claude Lemieux Former Client Fights Tears After NHL Win ... Days After Agent Died

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Carolina Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen was overcome with emotion Friday night after helping his team reach the Stanley Cup Final -- delivering the win just days after the death of his longtime agent and mentor, NHL legend Claude Lemieux.

Before Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Montreal Canadiens, the Hurricanes held a moment of remembrance at Lenovo Center honoring Lemieux, who was remembered as a "great champion" of the sport.

Lemieux also had a personal connection to the game on the ice -- he was the agent for Andersen, who was one of his earliest clients, and had long been considered a mentor and father figure to the goaltender.

Following Carolina’s dominant 6-1 win, Andersen was visibly emotional as teammates mobbed him in celebration on the ice. The moment quickly turned personal when he addressed reporters, reflecting on what Lemieux would have said to him after such a career milestone -- "Just go get it."

President Trump Claude Lemieux Was One of the 'Fiercest' Players ...And a Major Supporter, Too!

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President Donald Trump is honoring 4x Stanley Cup champion Claude Lemieux as "one of the fiercest competitors Hockey has ever seen" following his shocking suicide.

47 posted a tribute on Truth Social Thursday evening, celebrating him as a friend to his family and a "tremendous" Trump supporter before raving about his accomplishments in the NHL.

He also directly named Lemieux's son, pro hockey player Brendan Lemieux, and applauded them both as "warriors on the ice."

Buffalo Sabres Fans Belt Out 'O Canada' ... After Singer's Mic Issues

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TEAM EFFORT

No mic, no problem -- Buffalo Sabres fans had an all-time assist when a national anthem singer's performance was rocked with technical issues ... 'cause the whole crowd joined in to belt out "O Canada."

The blooper-turned-highlight went down ahead of Game 5 on Tuesday night at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo ... as "The Voice" alum Cami Clune started a beautiful rendition of the song.

Just a few words into it, her mic gave out ... but the thousands in attendance had her back.

Avalanche vs. Kings Glass Showers!!!

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It was cloudy with a 100% chance of glass at the Avalanche vs. Kings playoff game on Tuesday ... when some rowdy fans got so excited over a penalty shot save, they broke a glass panel behind the bench!!!

The chaos went down early in the second period ... right after Colorado goalie stopped L.A. right winger Quinton Byfield's penalty shot in its tracks.

The folks sitting feet away from the Kings celebrated by pounding on the glass barrier ... and seconds later, it completely shattered and crumbled to the ground.

Dallas Stars Fan Banned From Arena ... After Apparent Nazi Salute

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The Dallas Stars have taken action against a fan who was seen doing an apparent Nazi salute during a game at American Airlines Center in December ... the NHL team has banned him "indefinitely" from the arena.

A spokesperson for the Stars told The Dallas Morning News that they identified the individual who "purchased the tickets and will be banning the individual indefinitely from American Airlines Center."

“Any type of discriminatory or hateful behavior will not be tolerated and has no place in our arena. Creating and sustaining environments that are inclusive, safe and respectful is a non-negotiable for the Dallas Stars.”

NHL Reporter Jessi Pierce Honored With Press Box Tribute ... After Tragic Death

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Days after NHL reporter Jessi Pierce and her three kids were tragically killed in a devastating fire at their Minneapolis home ... the Tampa Bay Lightning shared a touching gesture as they welcomed the Minnesota Wild to town -- leaving an open spot in the press box for the longtime beat writer.

The team's social media account posted a photo of the spot in the media room reserved for Pierce, which featured her name on a card and a vase of flowers.

Before the puck was dropped, there was also a moment of silence in the arena for Pierce.

Connor McDavid Lands Punches on Opponent's Face ... Rare In-Game Scrap

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Connor McDavid proved he's got hands on Thursday ... the NHL star shockingly started throwing haymakers aimed squarely at his opponent's face during an on-ice melee -- and it was intense!

The one-on-one went down after a small fight erupted at the end of the second period of the Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars game at the American Airlines Center.

Broadcast footage showed McDavid going right at Stars role player Justin Hryckowian during the fracas, yanking on his black and green jersey while throwing left-handed jabs at his face.