Maple Leafs do something incredible for Guy Lafleur's funeral.

The Montreal Canadiens suffered a tremendous loss in the month of April when it was announced that legendary Canadiens forward Guy Lafleur had lost his long battle with lung cancer, passing away at the age of 70.

Although he will be remembered as a great hockey player, for generations of French Canadiens in Quebec, Canada, Lafleur was much more than that. The man who would come to be known as "Le Demon Blond" or simply "The Flower" was an icon in that province and that can be seen in the response from the people of Quebec to his passing.

Currently Guy Lafleur is lying in state at the Bell Center for a week. Fans from around the province of Quebec and from around the world have traveled to Montreal in something of a pilgrimage to come pay their final respects to a man who gave them so many reasons to cheer and so many things to celebrate. It is a tremendous show of respect to a man who no doubt earned it with his incredible level of play on the ice, but perhaps no one displayed that respect better than the Toronto Maple Leafs organization.

Lafleur never played for the Maple Leafs and they were under absolutely no obligation to give him any kind of special send off after his passing, but they went above and beyond to ensure that they did just that. Toronto Maple Leafs president of hockey operations Brendan Shanahan organized a contingent of former Toronto Maple Leafs that included the likes of Wendel Clark, Rick Vaive, and Doug Gilmour, to fly to Montreal and pay their respects to the Canadiens legend at the Bell Center before his final rest.

For Brendan Shanahan, it was simply a matter of respect.

"The Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens have been fierce competitors since the NHL began, but there’s a deep, deep respect for each organization…so it was important for me and some of our alumni to pay our respects for Guy’s family and for Guy," said Shanahan.

Gilmour, who spent 2 seasons with the Canadiens, also said it was all about respect.

"I spent two seasons here. Where I stretched before a game, Jean (Béliveau) and his wife would always walk by there. The respect the fans have for the players and the logo, it's overwhelming. And you see it out there right now with Guy," added Gilmour.

An incredible show of class by the Leafs organization, and one that certainly deserves to be recognized.