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Guy Lafleur (1951–2022), Montreal Canadiens legend 

by Kirk Fox

Guy Lafleur was a legendary Hall of Fame winger for the Montreal Canadiens who helped the team win five Stanley Cup Championships.

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Guy Lafleur was a native of Quebec who was drafted first overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1971 NHL draft. Nicknamed “The Flower,” he was known for his artistic skating and deft scoring touch, winning five Stanley Cup championships with the Canadiens. He was a two-time NHL MVP, a three-time scoring leader, and a six-time All-Star. He was the first NHL player to score 50 goals and 100 points in six consecutive seasons. Lafleur did not get along with coach Jacques Lemaire, who was a former teammate that took over in 1984, so he asked for a trade the next year and was denied so he decided to retire. In 1988, the year he was inducted into the Hall of Fame, he came back to play for the New York Rangers, and then played two more seasons with the Quebec Nordiques before retiring again.  

Notable Quote

“I went to the Forum on Saturday afternoon to prepare for the game that night against the Detroit Red Wings.” “I sat down in the locker room and wondered what I was doing there. It was the first time in my 14-year career that I had a reaction like that. I realized then that it was time to retire. – Lafleur said during his retirement news conference, according to the Montreal Gazette

Tributes to Guy Lafleur

Full Obituary: ESPN

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