For the second time this month, the National Hockey League lost a legend. Exactly one week after Hockey Hall of Famer Mike Bossy of the New York Islanders died of cancer at the age of 65, cancer was the reason why Guy Lafleur of the Montreal Canadiens died on Friday at the age of 70.
Lafleur, a native of Thurso, Quebec, had been suffering from cancer since September of 2019. It was found in his lung while he was undergoing quadruple bypass heart surgery according to Rogers Sportsnet. He had cancer surgery in the fall of 2019, but the cancer returned in October of 2020.
Career Statistics
In 1126 NHL regular season games with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Quebec Nordiques from 1971 to 1985, and again from 1988 to 1991, Lafleur, a right winger, had 560 goals and 793 assists for 1353 points. He was a +446, with 399 penalty minutes, 420 power-play points, five shorthanded points, and 3516 shots on goal.
Lafleur led the NHL with 60 goals in 1977-78. He also led the NHL with 80 assists in 1976-77, 125 points in 1975-76, 136 points in 1976-77, 132 points in 1977-78, a +73 in 1977-78, 36 even strength goals in 1974-75, 45 even strength goals in 1977-78, 11 game-winning goals in 1974-75, 12 game-winning goals in 1977-78, and 13 game-winning goals in 1978-79.
Playoff Success
Lafleur won five Stanley Cups with the Canadiens. The first came in 1973, and then four straight from 1976 to 1979. He had 57 goals and 76 assists for 133 points with the Canadiens in 124 postseason games.
Awards/Accolades
Lafleur played in six NHL All-Star Games (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1991). The first five representing the Canadiens and the final one with the Nordiques in 1991. He also won the Art Ross Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award (now called the Ted Lindsay Award) three times each, the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1977, and the Hart Trophy in 1977 and 1978. Lafleur was also a first-team NHL All-Star for six straight seasons from 1975 to 1980.
Lafleur was also the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals for six straight seasons (1975 to 1980), and is the Canadiens’ all-time leader in assists (728), points (1246), and points in a season (132). He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988.
Related: Hockey Legend Mike Bossy Dies of Cancer at Age 65
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