Even the greatest have heroes to mourn. Patrick Roy may have conquered the peaks of the National League and shone in the pantheon of the Montreal Canadiens, cancer mowed down one of his childhood idols on Friday. The death of Guy Lafleur saddens the heir to the last Stanley Cup of the Habs, but especially the “little ass” who, as a child, admired the prowess of the Blond Demon on the ice rink.
“Saturday nights with my parents during hockey nights, we were Guy Lafleur, we were Ken Dryden. They were not only idols, but models for us,” underlined, moved, the former star of Montreal.
Patrick Roy hoped until the very end that a miracle would happen and that his idol would thwart illness, as he had so often done with the opposing defence. “We may expect the worst, we are never ready for that,” he said.
The blond Demon’s best seasons in Montreal rocked the adolescence of the former Montreal goalkeeper. “He’s a legend,” said Mr. Roy. He is a man who has had an extraordinary impact on a lot of young people, especially those of my generation. »
The admiration that the goalkeeper had as a child at number 10 has never left him. Later, the two men briefly shared the same locker room when Patrick Roy attended his first National League training camp in 1984.
“I have very good memories of it,” he said. Just his bearing, I mean, seeing him walk into the locker room, you little ass watching hockey games on Saturdays and [qui se retrouve] in the same room as him… it was still quite impressive and intimidating. But he was very accessible, he liked making jokes and have fun with the gang. »
“I consider myself lucky to have had those moments,” added the former star goaltender. You don’t always realize, at these times, how lucky you are…”
A legend among the Remparts
Guy Lafleur remains to this day the best player to have donned the uniform of the Quebec Remparts, accumulating an incredible total of 252 points in 76 games during the 1970-1971 season. Patrick Roy is now coaching the team: he wanted to salute his idol’s commitment to the organization that saw his talent blossom.
“I always perceived him as someone who knew where he came from,” explained Mr. Roy. He is a premier brand ambassador for the organization. Not only was he the best player in history, but he was also someone who was always available, who was always accessible, who was always very generous with his time. »
The disappearance of Guy Lafleur also marks the end of a chapter in the history of the Montreal Canadiens. The Blond Demon embodies, in the eyes of Patrick Roy, this era when the Stanley Cup seemed to have a permanent residence in the Quebec metropolis.
“He represents excellence, said the former number 33. He was a player who was able to make the difference between victory and defeat. Today, we appreciate even more this time when the Canadians were dominant and won Stanley Cups repeatedly. »
The tribute that the Remparts will pay to one of its most famous representatives remains to be determined. The head coach is convinced that this one will be grandiose, like the legend of the player.
“Guy Lafleur may deserve an ovation in each of the amphitheatres where there will be a hockey game tonight,” concluded Patrick Roy. Instead of a moment of silence, I think people need to take it out and express how much admiration we had for the man. »