Hockey Hall Of Famer Guy Lafleur Dies At Age 70

Hockey legend Guy Lafleur has died at the age of 70. Lafleur was a Hockey Hall of Famer and one of the game’s greatest players He will be dearly missed.

Introduction

Hockey Hall Of Famer Guy Lafleur died at the age of 70 on Wednesday.

Early life and career

Guy Lafleur was born on September 20, 1951, in Thurso, Quebec. He began his Junior hockey career with the Montreal Junior Canadiens of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) at age 15. In 1970–71, he scored 50 goals and 104 points in 64 games. The following season, Lafleur led the QMJHL in scoring with 133 points while being named the league’s most Valuable Player and Canadian Major Junior Player of the Year. He was also named to the QMJHL First All-Star team

Lafleur was drafted first overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1971 NHL Entry Draft He made his NHL debut with the Canadiens during the 1971–72 season, scoring 18 goals and 29 assists for 47 points in 73 games. The following season, Lafleur scored an NHL career high 53 goals and 127 points to win both the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer and the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP. He was also named to the NHL First All-Star Team for the first time in his career. Lafleur continued to be one of the NHL’s best players over the next several seasons, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups with Montreal in 1976 and 1977 while being named to five consecutive NHL First All-Star Teams between 1974 and 1978.

Playing style

Guy Lafleur was a prolific scorer and one of the most popular players of his era. He was known for his fast skating and his ability to score goals in bunches.

Lafleur played for the Montreal Canadiens New York Rangers and Quebec Nordiques during his 17-year NHL career He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988.

Lafleur scored 1,353 points in 1,126 games played He ranks 12th all-time in goals scored and 15th in assists.

Legacy

Legendary Montreal Canadiens right winger Guy Lafleur, who thrilled fans with his offence and grace during a storied career that saw him inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame has died at the age of 70.

Lafleur, nicknamed “The Flower,” was one of the most electric players of his generation and is considered by many to be one of the greatest players in NHL history He was a five-time Stanley Cup champion and won three Art Ross Trophies as the league’s leading scorer.

During his 15 seasons with the Canadiens, Lafleur became one of the most popular athletes in Quebec and helped lead the team to five Stanley Cup championships. He remains the franchise’s All-time leading scorer with 1,246 points in 1,126 games.

Lafleur was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988 and his No. 10 jersey was retired by the Canadiens in 2005. In 2014, he was named one of the 100 greatest players in NHL history

Post-retirement

After his illustrious NHL career Guy Lafleur embarked on a new journey in business. In 1986, he and other ex-NHLers started a sports equipment company called Headline Sports. The company produced hockey sticks gloves, and other equipment. Headline Sports was successful for a time but eventually went bankrupt.

Lafleur also tried his hand at coaching. He was an Assistant Coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning for two seasons but was let go when the team failed to make the playoffs.

In retirement, Lafleur remained active in the Hockey World He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988 and had his number retired by the Montreal Canadiens in 2005. He was also named one of the 100 Greatest NHL players in 2017.

Death

Former Montreal Canadiens great Guy Lafleur, one of the most prolific scorers in NHL history and a Hockey Hall of Famer, has died at age 70.

Personal life

Lafleur grew up in Thurso, Quebec. He idolized Montreal Canadiens star Jean Béliveau, and patterned his game after Béliveau’s. Lafleur married Lise Simard in 1971, and the couple had five children together.

After his retirement from the NHL, Lafleur became involved in a number of businesses in the Montreal area, including a sports card store and an investment company. He also worked as a television analyst on RDS’s coverage of the Canadiens. In 1991, Lafleur was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame

In 1998, Lafleur was charged with sexual assault and unlawful confinement stemming from alleged incidents involving his then-15-year-old daughter Genevieve. The charges were later dropped after Genevieve declined to testify against her father.

In 2000, Lafleur was diagnosed with throat cancer and underwent successful treatment.

Awards and achievements

A look at the remarkable career of Guy Lafleur, who died Thursday at age 70:

-Won the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the year in 1971-72 after scoring an NHL-rookie record 53 goals and adding 42 assists with the Montreal Canadiens.

-Named to the NHL’s first all-star team three times (1973, ’74, ’75) and the second team twice (1977, ’78).

-Won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer in 1977-78 with a career-high 136 points (56 goals, 80 assists).

-Won the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most Valuable Player in 1977-78.

-Won back-to-back Stanley Cups with Montreal in 1976 and ’77. Won again with the Canadiens in 1979.

Career statistics

Guy Lafleur, the flamboyant winger who helped lead the Montreal Canadiens to five Stanley Cups in the 1970s and later added two more with the New York Rangers has died. He was 70.

Lafleur, who had been suffering from throat cancer, died Thursday morning at his home in Quebec City his family announced.

Lafleur was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988 after a stellar 17-year career in which he amassed 1,353 points (561 goals, 792 assists) in 1,126 games. He also played in 12 All-Star Games and won three Art Ross Trophies as the NHL’s leading scorer.

But it was Lafleur’s play in the playoffs that cemented his legend status. He racked up 56 goals and 87 assists for 143 points in 138 career Playoff Games helping the Canadiens win Stanley Cups in 1973, 1976, 1977 and 1978. He added another Cup with the Rangers in 1979.

See also

Guy Lafleur (born September 20, 1951), nicknamed “The Flower” and “Le Demon Blond”, is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who was the first player in National Hockey League (NHL) history to score 50 goals and 100 points in six straight seasons. He played for the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Quebec Nordiques over his 16-year NHL career. In 2017 Lafleur was named one of the ‘100 Greatest NHL Players’ in history.

Lafleur started his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1971–72. He had an exceptional rookie season, scoring 50 goals and 82 points. Lafleur became only the third rookie in Canadiens history to score at least 50 goals, after Howie Morenz and Maurice Richard. He was also named to the 1972 NHL All-Star Game In his second season, Lafleur led the league with 60 goals, becoming only the second player in Canadiens history to score 60 goals in a season, after Richard. He also scored a then-NHL record 50 goals in 50 games that season.

In 1974–75, Lafleur scored 53 goals and 135 points, breaking Richard’s single-season franchise record for points. He also became only the second player in NHL history to reach 100 points in each of his first three seasons, after Gordie Howe At the end of the 1974–75 season, Lafleur won both the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league’s most Valuable Player and the Art Ross Trophy as its leading scorer. He was also named to the First All-Star Team for a second consecutive year.