(New York) The relationship between Jacques Lemaire and Guy Lafleur is complex, for reasons that have been explained many times in recent days. But it wasn’t open warfare between the two former teammates either.
Posted at 7:55 p.m.
“What happened happened. But I never changed my point of view on Guy because of that, said Lemaire, in an interview with The Press, tuesday. Guy remained the player and the person that I thought. If he said intense things about me, I have to get over it. But what he did for the Canadiens, for the people of Quebec, for the other players and for me, that’s what remains. I will not dwell on just one incident. »
Lemaire also wanted to attend Lafleur’s funeral, as he had revealed to the colleague of the Montreal Journal Jonathan Berner. He lives in Florida, just like Steve Shutt. The two had planned to take the same flight to greet the legendary right winger of their trio one last time.
Except that Lemaire not being vaccinated against COVID-19, he would have been limited in his activities upon his arrival in Canada. “My doctor suggested I not take the vaccine because of my heart problems. I had problems two or three years ago and now I have a Pacemaker,” he said.
It is with regret that he will miss the event, because he assures that he maintains the greatest respect for the Blond Demon.
A cold
The towel was already burning between Lafleur and the CH in 1984, a relationship that continued to deteriorate when Lemaire became head coach, with 17 games to play in the 1983-1984 season. Lafleur was limited to 2 goals and 9 assists in those 17 games. In the playoffs: no goals, 3 assists in 12 games.
It wasn’t much better at the start of the following season (5 points in 19 games), so Lafleur only had 4 goals in 48 games under Lemaire when he decided to return home and then announce his retirement.
“As a coach, you have different opinions. I had a job to do. It’s obvious that I would have liked Guy to be part of it. When we were in the conference final [en 1984], he was still part of that. »
Lemaire was then just starting out as a head coach in the NHL. He retired from playing at the end of the 1979 season, and then learned his trade in Switzerland, at the American university level and with the Chevaliers de Longueuil.
“It’s obvious that when you start, there are certain things that you would do differently with hindsight, he admits. But I still tried things and got no results. When a player doesn’t perform as expected, you sit down and try to work things out. Obviously it didn’t work. Maybe I could have done something else to help her, and Guy too. »
Lafleur held a grudge for some time. Take this quote at New York Times in 1988, when he returned to the game, about the end of his career in Montreal: “It was the worst period of my life. I had a choice to get stomach ulcers at 33 or retire. »
That said, water flowed under the bridges and relations became cordial when the two men crossed paths in events. But to hear Lemaire, there still remained a certain gray area.
“We never even touched on the point, assures Lemaire. We were talking about different things, but not about what had happened. We were talking about current affairs. If he had wanted, I would have given him my point of view, but he never asked me.
“Clashes happen. I had it with Ken Daneyko, and we talked about it afterwards. He wanted to know what I was thinking. He had great respect for me, and I for him. With Guy, neither wanted to talk about it. That’s why between the two of us, we didn’t talk about it, we never answered the question. »
Good memories
Lemaire still keeps a positive memory of his former trio companion.
“It was very easy to play with him, because of his talent, his vision. He was really a good person. I’ve never seen him mad at anyone. He was a very easy going. It’s obvious that he helped my career, that of Steve Shutt. He helped the careers of everyone he played with, like Wayne Gretzky. »
For his part, as the defensive conscience of his line with two resolutely offensive wingers, Lemaire has learned lessons for his career as coach.
“I had Marian Gaborik, and I always sent someone to take care of the defense, so that Marian didn’t think he had to change the way he played. Guy never had to think about it because he knew I was behind it. With Ilya Kovalchuk in New Jersey, it was the same. He was offensive, and the defense, he didn’t believe it! It’s simple, you put defensive players with him and tell them: let him go, make sure you come back, and it will work. If you put three offensive guys together, you will have very good evenings, but also more difficult moments! »