Guy Lafleur, the former legend of the Montreal Canadiens, is one of three personalities honored by the Order of Hockey in Canada for 2022.
Hockey Canada, which is behind the honour, made the announcement in a press release on Wednesday.
The other two honorees are Lanny McDonald, who had a long career in the National Hockey League during the 1970s and 1980s, and Quebecer Kim St-Pierre, a former goaltender with the national women’s hockey team of Canada.
Elected among the 100 best players in the history of the NHL, Lafleur played for 17 seasons, from 1971 and 1991, including 14 with the Canadiens, 1 with the New York Rangers and 2 with the Quebec Nordiques.
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, Lafleur is the top scorer in Canadiens history with 1,246 points. His number 10 with the Canadiens was retired during the 1984-1985 season. Five-time Stanley Cup winner with the Canadiens, including four times in a row between 1976 and 1979, Lafleur also won the Art-Ross trophy (top scorer) and Lester B. Pearson (player by excellence) between 1976 and 1978.
McDonald played 16 NHL campaigns with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Calgary Flames, between 1973 and 1989. He was the team’s co-captain when the Flames won the first Stanley Cup of their history, in 1989. Winner of the Bill-Masterton and King-Clancy trophies, McDonald accumulated 1006 points in 1111 games. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1992.
Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2021, Kim St-Pierre ranks first among goaltenders in Women’s National Team history for games played (83), wins (64) and games white (29). Over the years, she has won three Olympic gold medals and five gold medals at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship.
At the 2002 Winter Olympics, she was named the best goalkeeper.
The Order of Hockey in Canada is an initiative of Hockey Canada that recognizes individuals for their outstanding contribution or service to the growth and development of hockey in Canada. A total of 36 women and men have been named to the Order of Hockey in Canada since 2012.
The achievements of the 2022 honorees will be celebrated at the annual Hockey Canada Foundation Gala and Golf Tournament, June 23-24, in Niagara Falls.
This event, which was to take place in Niagara Falls in June 2020, will also be an opportunity to celebrate the six personalities honored with the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2020 and 2021: Ken Dryden, Bill Hay, Angela James, Sheldon Kennedy, Kevin Lowe and Dr. Charles Tator.