Serge Savard has seen Guy Lafleur wither away, like the rest of the Quebec public, in recent years, but he admits that the death of his former teammate still gave him “a little shock”.
“I’m not surprised, because we all knew his situation, but when it happens, it’s still a bit of a surprise,” Savard told The Canadian Press on Friday, minutes after the news broke. Lafleur’s death.
Savard and Lafleur rubbed shoulders for 10 seasons with the Canadiens. They participated in five Stanley Cup conquests, forging bonds that will last a lifetime.
According to Savard, Lafleur completes the trio of great modern-day players at the Canadiens with Maurice Richard and Jean Béliveau.
“What made them admired was that they were ordinary people, who spoke to everyone,” said Savard. They never refused to give a child an autograph, they never refused to speak to the world. They were the idols of a people. »
Savard said it was not easy watching Lafleur weaken over the past few years and months as he battled cancer.
“The last time I saw him was for his party last fall,” Savard said. It was federal election day (September 20). It was like in the old days. We drank wine, we talked about our memories. We had fun. But he knew his days were numbered. »
“We were talking about such an era or such a conquest. He had a big smile. Then when he talked about his situation, he had tears in his eye. »
Savard, however, underlined how Lafleur remained involved in the community, notably with the founding of the CHUM, until the end of his life.
“He’s a guy who wanted to make a difference on Earth, as a player and as a citizen,” concluded Savard.