Don Cherry shares emotional tribute to friend Guy Lafleur

On Friday, Montreal Canadiens icon and Hockey Hall of Famer Guy Lafleur passed away at the age of 70. 

Lafleur had received treatment for cancer since September of 2019, when a cancerous white spot was found on his lung by chance as he was undergoing quadruple bypass heart surgery. Two months later, he underwent another surgery to remove both the upper lobe of his lung and lymph nodes. The cancer returned in October 2020, spurring Lafleur to resume his treatment again.

Many tributes are flooded social media for the icon nicknamed ‘The Flower’ and ‘Le Demon Blond.' One of his former coaches, the very vocal Don Cherry shared a moving tribute to Lafleur, whom he calls his good friend on his personnal Twitter account. 

"Tough hearing the sad news about Guy's passing. He was a good friend. I got to coach him in the '76 Canada Cup in the '82 World Championships. Godspeed Guy."

Many others are sharing moving tributes to Lafleur, an icon across the NHL, Canada and especially Quebec. Lafleur is trending with many fans, friends, former and current players paying him tribute today. 

Lafleur began his NHL career with the Canadiens in 1971 and appeared in 1,126 games over 17 seasons with the Habs, New York Rangers and Quebec Nordiques. He scored 560 goals and added 793 assists. A five-time Stanley Cup champion with Montreal, Lafleur’s 1,353 points – 1,246 of them coming with the Habs to make him the franchise’s all-time leading scorer – are 29^th in NHL history.

He was just as talented and impressive in junior hockey.  In 1970-71, he tallied 130 goals for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Quebec Remparts en route to a Memorial Cup triumph that spring.

Lafleur won the Art Ross Trophy three times as the NHL’s leading scorer (1976-1978) and shares the Canadiens’ franchise record for goals in a season (with linemate Steve Shutt) with 60. The winner of the Hart Trophy in 1977 and 1978, he became the first player in NHL history to record six straight seasons of at least 50 goals and 100 points from 1975 to 1980.

Following his induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, Lafleur made a comeback in the NHL with the Rangers at 37 years old. He became just the second player to continue his active career following his induction into the Hall of Fame after Gordie Howe (followed later by Mario Lemieux). He took part in 67 games for the Rangers, scoring 18 goals and adding 27 assists. He went on to join the rival Nordiques in the summer of 1989, finishing his career with 24 goals in 98 games over two seasons.

Lafleur represented Canada internationally on three occasions, most notably at the 1976 Canada Cup. He had a goal and five assists in seven games in the tournament, as Canada defeated Czechoslovakia in the final to win gold.

Named one of the NHL's top 100 players of all time in 2017 by the league, Lafleur was the sixth Canadiens player to have his number (No. 10) retired.

Rest in peace, Mr. Lafleur.