“It was an honor for me to be here. »
Posted at 3:46 p.m.
Laurent Dauphin is not the most talkative of the Canadian’s current players. But when he left the church, his voice did not lie. The emotions he had just experienced were real.
Almost all of the Habs’ current roster showed up for Guy Lafleur’s funeral, including captain Shea Weber and goaltender Carey Price. However, there was no real watchword from the organization. In fact, it wasn’t necessary. “We wanted to show that we are all part of the same family, that we are there for Guy,” continued Dauphin.
“It was important that we were part of it,” added Nick Suzuki. It was a wonderful ceremony, a beautiful way to celebrate his life. »
For this native of London, Ontario, the testimonies of the last days that converged until the last weekend in chapel as well as at the state funeral on Tuesday clearly illustrate the impact that Lafleur had on Quebec society. .
“See everyone,” said number 14 of the Canadian, pointing to the crowd gathered in front of the Marie-Reine-du-Monde cathedral.
“We can feel that something is happening in town, how special it is. You had to be there. »
The speeches of former teammates and members of the family of Lafleur “came to seek” Mathieu Perreault. For him too, the wave of love that has swept since the announcement of his death “demonstrates the impact and the magnitude that you can have on a community in the world of hockey”.
Francis Bouillon, ex-defender who became coach assigned to the development of players at CH, was for his part “thrown to the ground” by the performance of Ginette Reno, herself “an icon in Quebec”.
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” he added.
The tributes that were paid to the Blond Demon were “fully deserved”, said Dominique Ducharme, ex-head coach of the club.
Born in 1973, Ducharme recalls that number 10 was “the first star” he saw in action. Lafleur was, moreover, his father’s idol. “For me, it has always been an inspiration, not only as a player, but also considering what the Canadian represented. »
Of the Canadian’s current players, Brendan Gallagher is certainly the one most connected to the club’s history.
Before Tuesday’s ceremony, he recalled having often spoken with Lafleur and having been surprised to see how much the legendary winger, rather than recounting his exploits endlessly, wanted to know much more about the daily life of the club. 2020s.
Gallagher was still blown away by the evening that the Canadian organized ten days ago. Before a duel against the Boston Bruins, a vibrant tribute culminated with an almost 10-minute ovation.
“There are only a few games in the season that will stick in your mind at the end of your career, and this one will definitely be one of them,” said the veteran. It was a very powerful moment. »