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| Guy Lafleur with the Montreal Canadiens. Source: Focus On Sport | Getty Images https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/22/ hockey-hall-of-famer-guy-lafleur-dies-at-age-70.html (May be subject to copyright) |
Through it all he carried himself with class and grace.
Such was the life of Guy Lafleur.
They laid the hockey legend to rest a few days ago and it brought back this odd mix of memories of the goal-scoring phenom they called “The Flower”.
Character
No matter what my opinion of Lafleur on the ice, he was all class off the ice. I remember when I first started watching CBC Calgary News. There was a story on a boy named Corey Guernsey, who was nine, the same age I was. It was January of 1980 and Guernsey was attacked and stabbed by someone recently released from prison. Guernsey was wearing a number ten Guy Lafleur Montreal Canadiens jersey during the attack, and it was ruined.
Heartbreak
It always seemed the Montreal Canadiens had the number of my beloved Boston Bruins. It was as if they were destined to beat Boston, even predestined.That really sunk in for me in the 1979 Stanley Cup semi-finals. It was Game 7 and Boston was leading late, only to get a too many men on the ice penalty. The Canadiens would tie the game then win it in overtime.
The game-tying goal was scored by Guy Lafleur.
Character
No matter what my opinion of Lafleur on the ice, he was all class off the ice. I remember when I first started watching CBC Calgary News. There was a story on a boy named Corey Guernsey, who was nine, the same age I was. It was January of 1980 and Guernsey was attacked and stabbed by someone recently released from prison. Guernsey was wearing a number ten Guy Lafleur Montreal Canadiens jersey during the attack, and it was ruined.
Thankfully, Guernsey survived. Lafleur found out what happened and visited Cory at the Holy Cross Hospital in Calgary. His mom said that visit gave Corey the will to live.
A few weeks later, Lafleur flew Corey to see the Canadiens play the Toronto Maple Leafs. He promised to score a goal for Corey – and did. He had the puck mounted on a plaque, signed it and gave it to Corey. Incidentally, Corey got another number ten Lafleur jersey as well.
A few weeks later, Lafleur flew Corey to see the Canadiens play the Toronto Maple Leafs. He promised to score a goal for Corey – and did. He had the puck mounted on a plaque, signed it and gave it to Corey. Incidentally, Corey got another number ten Lafleur jersey as well.
Lafleur was all class.
Near-death experience
It was a horrifying scene – a steel fence post sticking through a windshield where the driver’s head was supposed to be. It was Guy Lafleur’s car and he almost died in that accident.
It was a horrifying scene – a steel fence post sticking through a windshield where the driver’s head was supposed to be. It was Guy Lafleur’s car and he almost died in that accident.
It was March of 1981, and it came after a night of drinking with teammate Robert Picard. The post actually sheered off a part of Lafleur’s right ear, but he would return to the line up soon after.
I recalled how scary that looked and how glad I was Lafleur was okay.
Decline
That same 1980-1981 season, Lafleur scored 27 goals in 51 games, the first time since 1973-1974 he did not record 50 goals and 100 points in a season.
That same 1980-1981 season, Lafleur scored 27 goals in 51 games, the first time since 1973-1974 he did not record 50 goals and 100 points in a season.
In 1981-1982, he scored 27 goals and 57 assists for 84 points. The following season, 1982-1983, he scored 27 goals and 49 assists for 76 points; and in 1983-1984 he had 30 goals and 40 assists for 70 points.
By the 1984-1985 season, Lafleur's time with the Canadiens was coming to an end. He clashed with his former teammate Jacques Lemaire, who was now Montreal’s head coach. Lemaire was a defensive-oriented coach while Lafleur was all about offence.
With two goals and three assists, Lafleur asked for a trade, but was denied. Management feared the backlash from the fans if the Canadiens traded their beloved Lafleur.
So, Guy Lafleur announced his retirement.
It was the end of a magical career – or was it?
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| Guy Lafleur in his one season with the New York Rangers. Source: PHOTO BERNARD BRAULT, PRESS ARCHIVES https://www.lapresse.ca/sports/guy-lafleur/ 2022-04-27/la-parenthese-new-yorkaise-de-guy-lafleur.php (May be subject to copyright) |
Comeback
In 1988 Guy Lafleur was elected to the Hockey Hall Of Fame. Soon after, rumblings started that he was making a comeback. I thought him way too old for that, but really I had no idea how old he was.
In 1988 Guy Lafleur was elected to the Hockey Hall Of Fame. Soon after, rumblings started that he was making a comeback. I thought him way too old for that, but really I had no idea how old he was.
Indeed, he did return to the NHL, suiting up for the New York Rangers. As if to punctuate his return, he was one of the players still allowed to play without a helmet.
So the whole world could literally see Guy was back.
The New York Rangers signed him to a one-year contract. The highlight was his return to the Montreal Forum where he received a standing ovation and scored twice in a losing effort. He was also named the game’s first-star – just like old times.
He finished the year with 18 goals and 27 assists for 45 points. His effort helped the Rangers win the Patrick Division, before he was sidelined with a knee injury.
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| Guy Lafleur with his final team, the Quebec Nordiques. Source: Photo by Scott Levy/Getty Images https://thehockeywriters.com/ guy-lafleur-one-for-the-ages-1989-90/ (May be subject to copyright) |
Last hurrah
Guy Lafleur was not quite done. He returned, for what would be his final two seasons, with the Canadiens’ arch-rival the Quebec Nordiques.
Guy Lafleur was not quite done. He returned, for what would be his final two seasons, with the Canadiens’ arch-rival the Quebec Nordiques.
In the 1989-1990 season, he scored 12 goals and 22 assists for 34 points. Near the end of that season, Quebec started a fire sale, trading away their best players including Peter Stastny and Michel Goulet. By the end of it all, Joe Sakic, who the team had wisely decided to build their team around, led the team in scoring.
The second-leading forward on the list and third highest scorer was now – Guy Lafleur. Only defenceman Michel Petit and his 36 points were better than Lafleur’s 34 points.
The following season, 1990-1991, he scored 12 goals again and added 16 assists for 28 points.
Both years, the Nordiques finished with the worst record in the NHL.
Lafleur then retired again at the end of the 1991 season.
He had already been elected to the Hockey Hall Of Fame in 1988.
There really was nothing left for Guy Lafleur to accomplish.
There really was nothing left for Guy Lafleur to accomplish.
Parting thoughts
Initially, I never really liked Guy Lafleur, but I didn’t like any Montreal Canadiens. That deepened every time they beat the Bruins.
Initially, I never really liked Guy Lafleur, but I didn’t like any Montreal Canadiens. That deepened every time they beat the Bruins.
However, that changed as I saw the character he had. First, it was the way he treated Corey Guernsey, then the way he handled nearly dying in a car crash, and finally in the way he came back. He demonstrated grace and class, and was a true gentleman of the game.
Then I read “Lions in Winter”, a history of the Montreal Canadiens, where the writer described a much different Guy Lafleur than I pictured with the evil Habs. Lafleur was a small-town kid who loved hockey and was a reluctant super star. He was community-minded, giving, and kind.
That was obvious by the out-pouring of emotion after his death last month. He lied in state and was given a state funeral. Thousands gathered outside the church to pay their respects. It was a Catholic service, and priests even circulated outside among the crowd to give Communion.
It just seemed a fitting send-off for such an amazing person.
It just seemed a fitting send-off for such an amazing person.
Rest in peace Guy.
