Hockey Hall of Famer and Montreal Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur has passed away at the age of 70 following a battle with lung cancer, his family announced.
In the storied history of the Canadiens, few players captured the hearts and souls of fans like “The Flower”. The Thurso, QC native played in 1,126 NHL games over 17 seasons, 14 of which came with Montreal.
His 1,246pts with the Habs remain the most in franchise history. Originally taken 1st overall in the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft, Lafleur would win 5 Stanley Cups in the 70’s with the Canadiens.
The 6x All-Star’s trophy cabinet rivals the best to ever play the game and includes: 3x Art Ross Trophies, 2x Harts, 3x Lester B. Pearson Awards, and a Conn Smythe Trophy. He also added a Memorial Cup championship to his resume as a member of the Quebec Remparts in the QMJHL in 1971.
Known as much for his flowing blonde hair as he was for his goal scoring ability, Lafleur earned the nickname “Le Demon Blond” as he terrorized opposing goaltenders from the moment he stepped onto an NHL rink.
His 60 goals during the 1977-78 campaign would tie Steve Shutt’s franchise record for most goals in a single season. He would also go on to become the first player in NHL history to post 6 consecutive seasons with at least 50 goals and 100 points. A feat he accomplished between 1975 and 1980 while winning 4 consecutive Cups with Montreal.
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, Lafleur’s impact on the Canadiens is immeasurable. To this day he remains one of the most popular players in franchise history, and his number 10 was retired by the club as a result.
In a statement posted to the team’s website, CEO and owner Geoff Molson remarked “We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Guy Lafleur. All members of the Canadiens organization are devastated by his passing. Guy had an exceptional career and always remained humble, accessible and close to the Habs and hockey fans in Quebec, Canada and around the world. Throughout his career, he allowed us to experience great moments of collective pride. He was one of the greatest players in our organization while becoming an extraordinary ambassador for our organization and for hockey,”
“Guy is part of the Canadiens family and the organization will provide all the necessary support to the members of his family and his close circle of friends during this extremely difficult time. On behalf of the Molson family and all members of the Montreal Canadiens organization, I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife Lise and his sons Martin and Mark,”
Further details from the Canadiens regarding plans to celebrate and honour Lafleur’s life and hockey legacy will be announced in the coming days.
Photo: Michael Barera. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.