When Man Lafleur was chosen by Montreal with the No. 1 choose within the 1971 NHL draft, he was billed because the Canadiens’ subsequent nice Quebec-born participant.
A dynamic ahead with blonde locks that rippled within the wind as he glided up the ice earlier than unleashing one among his bullet pictures, Lafleur was anticipated to change into hockey’s new French Canadian icon.
It simply took him some time to get there.
“There was plenty of stress,” former Montreal coach Scotty Bowman stated Friday. “However he labored by means of the stress and he grew to become a participant of his personal.”
Inspiring a era alongside the way in which.
Lafleur, a Corridor of Fame ahead who helped Montreal win 5 Stanley Cup titles within the Seventies, has died at age 70 following a battle with lung most cancers.
“A particular particular person,” Canadiens alternate captain Brendan Gallagher informed reporters in Brossard, Canada. “We’re actually proud to put on this Montreal Canadiens emblem largely due to people like Man Lafleur.”
Lafleur registered 518 targets and 728 assists in 14 seasons with Montreal. With the flashy ahead main the way in which, the Canadiens gained all of it in 1973, after which 4 extra occasions from 1976 to 1979.
Canadiens President Geoff Molson stated the group was devastated.
“Man Lafleur had an distinctive profession and at all times remained easy, accessible, and near the Habs and hockey followers in Quebec, Canada and all over the world,” Molson stated in a press release. “All through his profession, he allowed us to expertise nice moments of collective satisfaction. He was one of many best gamers in our group whereas turning into a unprecedented ambassador for our sport.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a famous Canadiens fan, additionally glowingly remembered Lafleur.
“A hero to so many people,” Trudeau stated in Winnipeg. “I keep in mind assembly him as a child and being overwhelmed in a approach that assembly presidents and queens didn’t essentially overwhelm me.”
Lafleur’s demise got here because the hockey world continues to mourn Mike Bossy after the previous New York Islanders ahead and fellow Quebecer died final week at age 65 following his personal battle with most cancers.
“An honor to play with each,” Wayne Gretzky posted on his social media channels. “My ideas and prayers are with their households.”
Nicknamed “The Flower,” LaFleur was identified with lung most cancers in 2019 when tumors had been found by medical doctors performing emergency quadruple bypass coronary heart surgical procedure.
Lafleur went below the knife once more to take away each the higher lobe of his lung and lymph nodes a couple of months later, however realized in October 2020 the most cancers was again.
“It’s the chemotherapy that actually hurts you badly,” Lafleur stated in an interview with the Canadian Press in November.
Yvan Cournoyer, who performed alongside Lafleur, had problem containing his feelings.
“Man, he was a fighter,” Cournoyer stated with a tremble in his voice. “He wouldn’t let go.
“He by no means gave up in his struggle.”
Lafleur, who retired from the NHL in 1985 after Montreal denied his request for a commerce, was inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Fame in 1988. However he made a comeback later that 12 months with the New York Rangers after which performed two extra seasons with the Quebec Nordiques earlier than hanging up his skates for good in 1991.
“You didn’t must see Man Lafleur’s identify and quantity on his sweater when ‘The Flower’ had the puck on his stick,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman stated in a press release. “As distinctively fashionable as he was remarkably gifted, Lafleur lower a dashing and unmistakable determine every time he blazed down the ice of the Montreal Discussion board.”
Named one of many NHL’s 100 best gamers of all-time in 2017, Lafleur completed with 560 targets and 793 assists in 1,126 video games in his 17 seasons.
He holds the Canadiens’ all-time report for assists and factors. He scored no less than 50 occasions in six straight campaigns from 1974-75 to 1979-80.
Lafleur gained the Artwork Ross Trophy because the NHL’s main scorer three straight years from 1976 to 1978, the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 1977 and 1978, and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1977.
“As a boy in Montreal, Man was bigger than life to me,” fellow Corridor of Fame ahead Mario Lemieux stated in a assertion. “I idolized him as a participant, I revered him as an individual, and at all times cherished him as a pal. He will probably be missed.”
Lafleur underwent his quadruple bypass surgical procedure in September 2019 after it was found 4 of his coronary arteries had been absolutely blocked, and a fifth was clogged near 90%, throughout a routine medical examination to have his helicopter pilot’s license renewed.
As soon as the most cancers was found, he had one-third of his proper lung eliminated by medical doctors two months later.
A sequence smoker up till these well being scares, Lafleur had been partnering with Merck Canada as a part of its “Be The MVP” marketing campaign to lift consciousness about early lung most cancers detection.
“There’s miracles,” Lafleur stated in his November interview with CP. “There’s individuals which might be surviving.”
Lafleur, who had his No. 10 sweater retired by the Canadiens in 1985, hadn’t been out in public a lot lately following his most cancers prognosis and the COVID-19 pandemic, however did get a thunderous ovation on the Bell Centre throughout Montreal’s unbelievable run to final season’s Cup closing.
He additionally had his quantity retired by the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League in October.
“I’ve been principally caught in the home since 2019,” Lafleur stated in November. “Mentally, it’s robust. Hopefully I get by means of this and get out of it with a victory.
“It’s the hope for everyone that has most cancers.”
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