Inspiration for future generations

For half a century, practically all the players who climb the ladder of Quebec hockey have crossed paths with Guy Lafleur at one time or another. For having faced him themselves or seen him play, if not for having heard his exploits told by their parents, many of them keep an unforgettable memory of the Blond Demon. Great local hockey players explain why Guy Lafleur was so special to them.

Simon Olivier Lorange
The Press

Martin St Louis

45 years old, originally from Laval

1,134 NHL games (1998-2015)

“As I was born in 1975, I mainly knew him through my father, whose favorite player he was. I knew the kind of player he was. »

“I met him a few times, but the one that struck me the most was when he came to represent the Canadiens at my mother’s funeral in 2014, during the playoffs. It was a very emotional moment for my family and for me. He was more than a hockey player, he was a very good person. »

“I have the greatest respect for those who played before me, who had a big impact on the league. Guys like Guy Lafleur or Mario Lemieux, their presence invades the room in which they are. They are not arrogant: they may not say anything, but it is special from the moment they enter. They are in a class of their own. »

Daniel Briere

43 years old, originally from Gatineau

973 NHL games (1998-2015)

“We both come from the Outaouais, me from Gatineau and he from Thurso, so he was a very, very well-known person around me when I grew up. Like all players my age, I greatly respected what he did for hockey, but also his outspokenness. He didn’t cut corners to say what he had to say. His honesty was refreshing, it always impressed me. »

“I met him a few times. He is someone who gave off a lot, you felt his presence when he was around. It’s hard to explain, but as soon as you saw him near you, you knew you were rubbing shoulders with a legend. It’s fascinating. »

“I felt a bit the same when I met greats like Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Bobby Orr, Jean Béliveau… Guy Lafleur was part of that class of player, of the hockey elite. »

Patrice Bergeron

35 years old, from L’Ancienne-Lorette

1089 NHL games (since 2003)

“He was my dad’s favorite player, back in the days of the Remparts and the Canadiens, so I’ve heard a lot of stories about him. For me, he is a legend, an icon. It is a name that is of the stamp of Maurice Richard and Jean Béliveau. »

“The only time I met him, I was 5 or 6 years old [vers 1991] and it was at the Passe-Rondelle tournament in Quebec, the final of which was held at the Coliseum. We had won the tournament and Mr. Lafleur was there for the final. He came by to say hello and gave us our medals. We were very young, but there was a whole buzz… with our parents! The way they told us about him, we realized that he was someone important who had had a major impact in hockey. »

“He is one of the great ambassadors, like Raymond Bourque or Bobby Orr, in Boston, who marked the franchise in their time and who continued to embody something very special for their community. »

Alexis Lafreniere

19 years old, from Saint-Eustache

First overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft

“I met Guy Lafleur for the first time at the QMJHL Gold Rondelles gala in 2019. It was Mario Lemieux and him who gave me my prize [pour le joueur le plus utile à son équipe]. For a guy like me who grew up in Quebec playing hockey and watching the Canadiens, it was quite an honor to rub shoulders with these great players. »

“I then saw him again at the Bell Center for the presentation of the hopefuls of the QMJHL, last winter. He wasn’t awkward at all, he started the conversation right away. We chatted about everything and nothing; of Rimouski, of my early career… He asked me questions, he inquired. It was amazing to be able to just chat like that with such a hockey legend. My parents were a little jealous! »

“My generation didn’t have the chance to see him play, but I was told a lot about it and I saw several videos. We see how dominant a player he was and we understand why he has marked history so much. »

Simon Gagne

40 years old, from Sainte-Foy

822 games in the NHL (1999-2015)

“When I was a novice or an atom, Lafleur had retired from the Canadiens, but I had the LP on which he gave tips for training and developing our hockey skills. I made him play in my room and I tried to do what he explained. With the guys on my team, it was our first contact with Guy. »

“Then, I had the chance to see him play when he arrived at the Nordiques, with Joe Sakic. He was a big star. My father even went to show me his house in the Lebourgneuf district! »

“I especially met him after my retirement, and it allowed me to discover him from a different angle compared to when I saw him play, younger, or when I was still in the NHL. He’s probably one of the most impressive people I’ve met in my life. A down to earth guy, a gentleman. It gave me a completely different perspective than when I was playing. »

“I played a few games with the former Canadiens, and I saw guys running away to avoid signing autographs. Guy made time for everyone, without exception. »

Luc Robitaille

54 years old, from Montreal

1,431 NHL games (1986-2006)

“When I was little, we didn’t have enough money to go see the Canadiens at the Forum, but we never missed a game on TV. On Saturday evening, I had to go to bed, but I got up quietly and watched the game from afar. The player I wanted to see was Guy Lafleur. »

“He is a legend for me. He was bigger than hockey, bigger than the Canadiens. No one had as much impact as him at the time. Everything contributed to it: his charisma, his personality and the way he played. »

“I was lucky, because I met him often. For example, I was with the New York Rangers when the Molson Center opened in 1996. But the game I remember the most was when he scored the last hat trick of his career. [le 27 février 1989, Robitaille jouait alors avec les Kings de Los Angeles]. »

“Guy was with Rangers and he had scored two goals. I found myself against him at the face-off, and I said to him: “Congratulations, Mr. Lafleur!” I wanted him to score a third goal so badly, I thought he was incredible. And he counted. It’s the first time in my life that I didn’t mind the other team scoring! My teammates didn’t know it, but I was a big fan. In fact, all the players respected Guy Lafleur. »