Nothing came before the game, as Lafleur dedicated himself to a single objective: having his team come out on top every night. As the Montreal Canadiens enjoyed success unseen since the 1950s, winning four consecutive titles from 1976 through the end of the decade, Lafleur led the way, with both his scoring numbers and his strength of character. The grumblings from the stands that had been associated with his efforts in previous years were gone, replaced with cheers from packed houses as Lafleur, now referred to as “Le Démon Blond” in some quarters, emerged as the single most exciting player in the league. “The Flower”, as he was known to teammates, blossomed in 1974-75, more than doubling the previous season’s numbers with 53 goals and 66 assists. Respectable results for most youngsters to be sure, but short of what the Forum faithful were hoping for from the kid who was expected to carry forward the torch that Maurice Richard passed on to Jean Beliveau. Lafleur scored 29 goals in his rookie year, 28 the next, the same year his name was added to the Stanley Cup for the first time, and 21 in his third season. Chosen first overall in the 1971 Amateur Draft, Lafleur’s every move on the ice was observed, commented on and compared to the play of the legends who preceded him by the most demanding fans in the league. Just as Frank Selke had done 20 years earlier, Habs General Manager Sam Pollock went to great lengths to ensure that things worked out as they should, trading several skilled players to guarantee the youngster would enter the NHL wearing the colors of the Montreal Canadiens. His Quebec Remparts won the 1971 Memorial Cup, with the youngster from Thurso already one of Quebec’s top sports figures, having recorded 130 goals and 209 points in his last amateur season. The top junior player in the country, Lafleur finished his amateur career at the top of the heap. Lafleur thrilled fans with a career that ranks among the greatest of all-time, his speed, skill and pride epitomizing the qualities that made the Montreal Canadiens of the 1970s the class of the NHL. Not since Jean Béliveau 20 years earlier had a youngster’s arrival been as eagerly anticipated by Canadiens supporters as Guy Lafleur’s. He was also awarded the Hart Trophy as the NHL MVP twice and was enshrined into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988.NICKNAMED “THE BLOND DEMON”, GUY LAFLEUR’S INCREDIBLE RUSHES AND LETHAL SHOT MADE HIM THE MOST FEARED FORWARD OF HIS ERA. In his career, Lafleur won the Art Ross Trophy as the leading scorer in the NHL and the Ted Lindsay Award – voted as the most outstanding player by the NHL Players Association – in 1976, 19. As distinctively stylish as he was remarkably talented, Lafleur cut a dashing and unmistakable figure whenever he blazed down the ice of the Montreal Forum, his long blond locks flowing in his wake as he prepared to rifle another puck past a helpless goaltender – or set up a linemate for a goal,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement on Friday. “You didn’t need to see Guy Lafleur’s name and number on his sweater when ‘The Flower’ had the puck on his stick. Between 1974-80, the Canadian scored at least 50 goals in six straight seasons and won the Stanley Cup four consecutive times with the Canadiens from 1976-79 after having won it 1973. Lafleur scored 1,353 points (560 goals, 793 assists) in 1,126 career NHL games with the Canadiens, Rangers and Quebec Nordiques. Lafleur won the Stanley Cup five times with the Canadiens. ![]() 1 pick in the 1971 Amateur Draft as the top junior player in Canada with the Quebec Remparts. Lafleur, nicknamed “The Flower,” was a five-time Stanley Cup champion with the Canadiens. ![]() While undergoing the emergency bypass, surgeons detected lung cancer and he would have one-third of his right lung removed two months later. In September 2019, Lafleur underwent emergency bypass surgery after a routine checkup revealed he had four nearly fully blocked coronary arteries, according to NHL.com. He was one of the greatest players in our organization while becoming an extraordinary ambassador for our sport.” Throughout his career, he allowed us to experience great moments of collective pride. “Guy Lafleur had an exceptional career and always remained simple, accessible, and close to the Habs and hockey fans in Quebec, Canada and around the world. All members of the Canadiens organization are devastated by his passing,” said Geoff Molson, President of the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club. “We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Guy Lafleur. Montreal Canadiens icon and Hockey Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur died at age 70, the team announced on Friday.
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