Guy Lafleur

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
CanadaCanada  Guy Lafleur Ice hockey player
Hockey Hall of Fame , 1988
Guy Lafleur
Date of birth 20th September 1951
place of birth Thurso , Quebec , Canada
Nickname Le Démon Blond
size 183 cm
Weight 84 kg
position Right wing
Shot hand Right
Draft
NHL Amateur Draft 1971 , 1st lap, 1st position
Montréal Canadiens
Career stations
1966-1969 Québec Junior Aces
1969-1971 Québec Remparts
1971-1985 Montréal Canadiens
1988-1989 New York Rangers
1989-1991 Québec Nordiques

Guy Damien Lafleur , OC , CQ (born September 20, 1951 in Thurso , Québec ) is a retired Canadian ice hockey player . Lafleur, known as Le Démon Blond (the blonde demon) for his flowing blond hair, was one of the best right wingers in the history of the sport. He was the first player in the history of the National Hockey League to score at least 50 goals and 100 points per season for six consecutive years.

Career

As a child, Guy Lafleur was enthusiastic about ice hockey. On Sunday morning he snuck into the ice rink to train. Sometimes he also slept in his ice hockey kit. He was an avid fan of the Montreal Canadiens and emulated his role model Jean Béliveau .

As a junior, Lafleur drew attention to himself with strong performances at the Quebec Remparts in the Ligue de hockey junior majeur du Québec . In 1971 he led his team to the Memorial Cup . For Sam Pollock , the general manager of the Montreal Canadiens, it was clear that he wanted to sign Lafleur for his team. It took a number of barter deals before the Canadiens could acquire the first draft right in the 1971 NHL Amateur Draft from the California Golden Seals . Lafleur had indicated in advance that he wanted to stay in his home province of Québec and, if necessary, switch to another league.

Jean Béliveau, who had ended his career the previous spring, offered the Canadiens top draft pick to wear his number 4 shirt, which he also wore in the juniors. But Lafleur feared the associated pressure and chose number 10.

For the 1971/72 season he made his breakthrough in the NHL. In his first three seasons he achieved well over 50 scorer points. His statistics received a significant boost in the 1974/75 season . With 119 points he had almost doubled his previous record and in the following five seasons he exceeded this value every time. In the 1976/77 season he set up personal bests with 80 assists and 136 points, the following year he achieved a record with 60 goals. No other player had scored over 50 goals and 100 points in six consecutive seasons before him. In his 720th game in the NHL, he reached the 1,000 point mark . No player before him had succeeded in doing this faster. In his fourteen years with Montreal, he won the Stanley Cup five times . In 1978 he borrowed the trophy without being asked and took it back to his hometown Thurso . There he put them in the garden in front of his house so that his neighbors could see them.

In addition to his impressive game, he also stood out for his long blond hair, which earned him the nickname "Le Demon Blond". He took advantage of its popularity and took on a variety of advertising contracts. In addition to ice hockey equipment, he advertised cars, groceries and much more. A serious car accident in 1981 marked a turning point in Lafleur's life. He then decided to take it easy on his life. Known as a chain smoker, he was previously often seen in Montreal nightlife. After the accident, he put more emphasis on his family. After a poor start to the 1984/85 season , in which he only managed two goals and three assists in 19 games, he ended his career. He didn't just want to be second best.

During his time with the Canadiens, he represented the Canadian national ice hockey team at the Canada Cup in 1976 and 1981 and at the ice hockey world championship in 1981 . At the 1979 Challenge Cup , a series of three games against the Soviet national ice hockey team , he played for the NHL All-Stars.

When the Canadiens hung his number 10 jersey under the stadium roof, he was the sixth player in team history to receive this honor. He took over a position on the staff of the Canadiens, but soon there was a dispute over his salary and thus the separation.

In 1988 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and was the second player after Gordie Howe to return to the NHL as a player after this honor. The New York Rangers had made him an offer and he played for the team in the 1988/89 season 67 games in which he scored 18 goals and 27 assists. At the end of the season he received a well-paid offer from the Los Angeles Kings , but after a year abroad he decided to return to Quebec. He followed his friend and trainer Michel Bergeron from the Rangers to the Québec Nordiques . The Rangers received from Quebec a draft right in the fifth round as compensation. They made good use of this and brought in Sergei Subow . After two seasons, he finally ended his career in Quebec, where it had started.

The Minnesota North Stars secured the rights to Lafleur in the 1991 NHL Expansion Draft , but Quebec took them back a day later.

Career statistics

Regular season Play-offs
season team league Sp T V Pt SM Sp T V Pt SM
1966/67 Québec Junior Aces QJHL 8th 1 1 2 0 - - - - -
1967/68 Québec Junior Aces QJHL 43 30th 19th 49 0 - - - - -
1968/69 Québec Junior Aces QJHL 49 50 60 110 83 - - - - -
1969/70 Remparts de Quebec LHJMQ 56 103 67 170 105 - - - - -
1970 Remparts de Quebec Memorial Cup 12 18th 18th 36 23
1970/71 Remparts de Quebec LHJMQ 62 130 79 209 135 14th 22nd 21st 43 49
1971 Remparts de Quebec Memorial Cup 7th 9 5 14th 18th
1971/72 Montréal Canadiens NHL 73 29 35 64 48 6th 1 4th 5 2
1972/73 Montréal Canadiens NHL 70 28 27 55 51 17th 3 5 8th 9
1973/74 Montréal Canadiens NHL 73 21st 35 56 29 6th 0 1 1 4th
1974/75 Montréal Canadiens NHL 70 53 66 119 37 11 12 7th 19th 15th
1975/76 Montréal Canadiens NHL 80 56 69 125 36 13 7th 10 17th 2
1976/77 Montréal Canadiens NHL 80 56 80 136 20th 14th 9 17th 26th 6th
1977/78 Montréal Canadiens NHL 78 60 72 132 26th 15th 10 11 21st 16
1978/79 Montréal Canadiens NHL 80 52 77 129 28 16 10 13 23 0
1979/80 Montréal Canadiens NHL 74 50 75 125 12 3 3 1 4th 0
1980/81 Montréal Canadiens NHL 51 27 43 70 29 3 0 1 1 2
1981/82 Montréal Canadiens NHL 66 27 57 84 24 5 2 1 3 4th
1982/83 Montréal Canadiens NHL 68 27 49 76 12 3 0 2 2 2
1983/84 Montréal Canadiens NHL 80 30th 40 70 19th 12 0 3 3 5
1984/85 Montréal Canadiens NHL 19th 2 3 5 10 - - - - -
1985/86 without a contract not played because of resignation
1986/87 without a contract not played because of resignation
1987/88 without a contract not played because of resignation
1988/89 New York Rangers NHL 67 18th 27 45 12 4th 1 0 1 0
1989/90 Québec Nordiques NHL 39 12 22nd 34 4th - - - - -
1990/91 Québec Nordiques NHL 59 12 16 28 2 - - - - -
QJHL total 100 81 80 161 83 - - - - -
LHJMQ total 118 233 146 379 240 14th 22nd 21st 43 49
NHL overall 1127 560 793 1353 399 128 58 76 134 67

International

Represented Canada to:

Represented the National Hockey League at:

year team event Sp T V Pt SM
1976 Canada Canada Cup 7th 1 5 6th 12
1979 NHL All-Stars Challenge Cup 3 1 2 3 0
1981 Canada WM 7th 1 0 1 2
1981 Canada Canada Cup 7th 2 9 11 0
Men overall 21st 4th 14th 18th 14th

( Legend for player statistics: Sp or GP = games played; T or G = goals scored; V or A = assists scored ; Pkt or Pts = scorer points scored ; SM or PIM = penalty minutes received ; +/− = plus / minus balance; PP = overpaid goals scored ; SH = underpaid goals scored ; GW = winning goals scored; 1  play-downs / relegation )

Achievements and Awards

International

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Lafleur, Guy
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Le Démon Blond
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Canadian ice hockey player
DATE OF BIRTH 20th September 1951
PLACE OF BIRTH Thurso , Quebec