Happy 74th Heavenly Birthday To Guy Lafleur

During his rookie season, he put up 29 goals and 64 points in 73 games, which would be an amazing season for any other first-year player, but when he had to live up to the big shoes of Beliveau, fans felt somewhat disappointed. Although his rookie year was better than Beliveau’s on a point per game level, as well as the 4th best rookie season in Habs history. However, it likely wasn’t his rookie season that made him fail to live up to expectations early on.

In his 2nd season, Lafleur only put up 28 goals and 55 points in 69 games, which was a step back from his rookie year. That season, he also got to win his first career Stanley Cup, where he put up 3 goals and 8 points in 17 games.

The next season, Lafleur took another step back in the goals department as he only scored 21 times and had 56 points in 73 games. These numbers were good for most players, but it was clear Lafleur was failing to meet the expectations of replacing Beliveau at this point. However, that changed when Lafleur made a big change by deciding to remove his helmet for the 1974-75 season.

During that season, Lafleur would have a major breakout year, scoring 53 goals, 66 assists and 119 points in 70 games to smash his previous career-highs by a wide margin. That season would start a pattern of 6-straight 50-goal and 100-point seasons. The legend of Guy Lafleur was officially born.

In the 1975-76 season, Lafleur won his first of 3 straight Art Ross Trophies as the league’s top points getter, where he put 56 goals and 125 points in 80 games. He also put up 7 goals and 17 points in 13 playoff games to help the Habs capture their first of 4 consecutive Stanley Cups.

For the 1976-77 season, Lafleur was the offensive leader on arguably the best NHL team ever assembled when the Habs put a 60-8-12 record, which the 8 losses still stand as the least over a 60+ game NHL season today. Not to mention, they went 12-2 in the playoffs to capture the Stanley Cup after only losing 10 times in 94 total games. That year, Lafleur scored 56 goals, a career-high 80 assists and a career-high 136 points in 80 games, capturing his first of 2 Hart Trophies. Then in the playoffs, he scored 9 goals and 26 points in 14 games, earning him his only Conn Smythe Trophy as the Playoff MVP.

During the 1977-78 season, he scored a career-high 60 goals and 132 points in 78 games, which secured him the Art Ross and Hart Trophies for the final time. He then also helped lead the Habs to win the Stanley Cup with 10 goals and 21 points in 15 games.

The 1978-79 season was the year Lafleur won his 5th and final Stanley Cup, after winning the previous year with 52 goals and 129 points in 80 games. The very next season, Lafleur scored 50 goals and 125 points, hitting the 50+ goals and 100+ points milestones for the final time.

Lafleur would play 4 more full seasons with the Canadiens before retiring during the 1984-85 season after a clash with former linemate and current Head Coach Jacques Lemaire on styles of play led to him losing most of his ice time. Feeling disrespected, he shockingly hung up his skates. As well as being the Habs all-time assists and points leader, Lafleur finished his Canadiens career 2nd in goals with 518. 

After being retired for 4 seasons, Lafleur came out of retirement to play for the New York Rangers in the 1988-89 season. He was no longer the superstar he once was, but played well for another 3 years with the Rangers and the Quebec Nordiques before retiring for good at the end of the 1990-91 season. 

Lafleur went on to own a variety of restaurants around the province of Quebec, including his famous Bleu, Blanc, Rouge restaurant in Rosemere, Quebec, which he sold in December 2012. In 2020, Guy Lafleur was diagnosed with lung cancer, which he succumbed to on April 22nd, 2022, at age 70. His legendary hockey career will allow him to live on forever in the memories of hockey fans. 

Earlier this past week, the bridge that connects Ile-Bizard to the Island of Montreal was named after Guy Lafleur, who lived in the borough for 30+ years.

Happy 74th birthday once again to the legendary Guy Lafleur.