Guy Lafleur is the author of 5 books and has written for 500 newspapers. He was born in France, but now lives with his family in New York City.
Guy Lafleur is a Canadian hockey player who was born on September 26, 1937. He played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1956 to 1979 and won six Stanley Cups with them. Read more in detail here: guy lafleur.
Guy Lafleur, a founding member of the Montreal Canadiens, died on Friday, according to the franchise. He was 70 years old.
Although no cause of death was stated, Lafleur had just disclosed his diagnosis of right lung cancer in October 2020. In 2019, he had surgery to remove a malignant lobe from his left lung.
In a statement, Canadiens owner Geoff Molson stated, “We are very sorry to hear of Guy Lafleur’s passing.” “His death has left all members of the Canadiens organization distraught. Guy Lafleur had a remarkable career in which he stayed straightforward, approachable, and connected to the Habs and hockey fans in Quebec, Canada, and throughout the globe. He enabled us to have magnificent moments of communal pride during his career. He was one of our organization’s best players, as well as an outstanding spokesperson for our sport.”
The winger, nicknamed “The Flower” and “The Blond Demon,” spent 14 seasons with Montreal (1971-85) and was a key member of five Stanley Cup-winning teams, including receiving the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP in 1977. On the ice, Lafleur was a force to be reckoned with, becoming the first player in league history to score 50 goals and 100 points in six consecutive seasons (1974-80).
According to the NHL Players’ Association, Lafleur was a three-time Art Ross Trophy winner as the league’s leading scorer, a two-time Hart Trophy winner as league MVP, and a three-time Lester B. Pearson Award (now known as the Ted Lindsay) winner as most outstanding player during the peak of his career in the 1970s.
Lafleur’s obvious flair as a player was recognized by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.
In a statement, Bettman stated, “You didn’t need to see Guy Lafleur’s name and number on his uniform when ‘The Flower’ had the puck on his stick.” “When Lafleur sped down the ice of the Montreal Forum, his long blond hair streaming in his wake as he prepared to fire another puck past a helpless goalkeeper — or set up a linemate for a score — he cut a dashing and unmistakable figure.”
Lafleur was “unlike anybody else on the ice,” according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a big Canadiens fan.
In a statement, Trudeau stated, “His speed, talent, and scoring were hard to believe.” “… My thoughts are with everyone in Quebec, Canada, and the rest of the globe who is grieving this terrible tragedy. Number 10, we’ll miss you.”
Guy Lafleur led the Canadiens to five Stanley Cup victories in 14 seasons. Getty Images/Denis Brodeur/NHLI
Injuries plagued Lafleur in the 1980s, and he clashed with coach Jacques Lemaire when the latter took over during the 1983-84 season. They had played together during some of the Canadiens’ finest seasons in the 1970s, but as coach and player, they couldn’t establish a common ground. In 1985, Lafleur requested a trade from Montreal general manager Serge Savard, but he was turned down. Lafleur eventually decided to call it a day.
After being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, Lafleur opted to come out of retirement and play for the New York Rangers the following year. Only Gordie Howe had ever returned to the NHL after being inducted into the Hall of Fame at the time; Mario Lemieux did it years later.
After one season with the New York Rangers, Lafleur went on to the Quebec Nordiques for two years, where he tutored future star Joe Sakic, before retiring in 1991.
Lafleur grew up idolizing Montreal icon Jean Beliveau, who was born in Thurso, Quebec. Lafleur was picked first overall by the Canadiens in 1971 after a great junior hockey career. He went on to become a franchise legend in his own right, with his No. 10 jersey being retired by the organization in 1985. In October, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League honored him by retiring his number.
When physicians detected tumors during emergency quadruple bypass heart surgery in 2019, LaFleur was diagnosed with lung cancer. He had another surgery two months later to remove the top lobe of his lung as well as several lymph nodes.
Lafleur has been participating with Merck Canada as part of its “Be The MVP” program to promote awareness about early lung cancer diagnosis up to those health crises.
Lafleur played in 1,126 NHL games, scoring 560 goals and adding 1,353 points. He was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players of All Time by Sports Illustrated in 2017.
This article was written with the help of the Associated Press.
The “mike bossy” is a nickname given to Guy Lafleur. His name was actually Claude, but he was nicknamed “Guy” because of his resemblance to actor Guy Ritchie. He played for the Montreal Canadiens from 1953-1971, and won five Stanley Cups.
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