Since its establishment in 1909, the Montreal Canadiens have become one of the most storied franchises in the world of professional sports.
They have amassed 24 Stanley Cup championships, countless NHL individual and team records, and players who have become hockey legends and many of them members of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
There’s Howie Morenz, Georges Vezina, Maurice Richard, Toe Blake, Jacques Plante, Boom Boom Geoffrion, Doug Harvey, Jean Beliveau, Ken Dryden, Larry Robinson, Serge Savard, Saku Koivu and Carey Price, to name a few.
And then there’s “The Flower”… Guy Lafleur.
Four Consecutive Stanley Cups with Canadiens
From 1971 to 1984, Lafleur dazzled Habs fans with his speed and fiery on ice abilities (not to mention his long hair blowing in the breeze as he skated from one end of the ice to the other), which helped create the Canadiens dynasty of the mid and late 1970s that captured four consecutive Stanley Cup championships. He was also known for his steadfast love and dedication not only for the game, but also his team mates and opponents, and especially the fans who worshipped him up until his death from cancer in 2022 at the age of 70.
Co-author Played with Lafleur with the Nords
Former NHL player Steven Finn not only faced off against Lafleur during his career, but also had the enviable position of playing alongside him when he joined the Quebec Nordiques (and served as co-captains together). That also gave him the opportunity to co-author an oral biography about the Flower’s life, career and legacy called Lafleur: The Legend.
“(Co-author) Pierre Gince did books that gave the oral biography treatment to such figures as Robert Bourassa and Rene Levesque. When Lafleur died, he wanted to do the same format for a sports legend. When he approached me about writing a book about Guy Lafleur with him, I was happy to do it,” said Finn during a recent phone interview.
Q&A with Those Who Knew Lafleur
The format of the book is that of a Q&A with 40 chosen individuals who knew Lafleur throughout his life, such as family members, teammates, opponents, trainers, executives and coaches, such as Yvan Cournoyer, Larry Robinson, Steve Shutt, Daryl Sittler, Marcel Dionne, Michel Bergeron and Scotty Bowman. The questions ranged from their first memories of Lafleur, on and off ice stories, his contributions and legacy to hockey, and the last time they saw or spoke to him before his passing.
Viggo Mortenson, a Huge Habs Fan Talks up Lafleur
“Using this format led to an amazing experience putting the book together. Pierre and me wanted to make sure there was a well-rounded group of people to talk to us; people who were tight with Guy. In the end, the people whom we spoke with were very generous with their responses and shared a lot of good stories that gave a positive portrait of Guy Lafleur the hockey legend and the human being. Even actor Viggo Mortenson — who is a huge Habs fan — agreed to participate,” he said.
Incredible Memories of The Flower
Finn thoroughly enjoyed the experience interviewing the 40 individuals who shared their memories about Lafleur for the book, especially how everyone brought a unique perspective about their respective memories and what special moments that occurred during each session. That includes Pierrette Chartrand-Lafleur, Guy’s mother, who didn’t want Finn and Gince to leave (she also gave them freshly-grown tomatoes from her garden to take home); former teammate Yvan Cournouyer, whose wife fixed them breakfast during his interview session, and gave a very tearful remembrance of his former Canadiens teammate; and there was his former Habs coach Scotty Bowman.
“We spent an hour with Scotty, and he remembered everything about coaching Guy during his years with the Habs; he trusted us,” said Finn. “Scotty may have been tough on his players, but he recognized Guy’s impact on the success of the Canadiens during the 70s.”
As well, Finn fondly remembers having Lafleur as a teammate when he joined the Nordiques before his second—and final—retirement as a player.
“It was an unbelievable experience sharing a dressing room with Guy during the final two years of his playing career; it was something that I never dreamt would actually happen,” he said. “When he arrived at the Nordiques’ dressing room for the first time, myself and the rest of the players were like groupies. Everyone asked for his autograph. He was such a charismatic person, and was so generous with his teammates and especially the fans. He was a good influence on everybody.”
Strengthening Fans’ Perceptions of Guy Guy Guy
With the book now finally published and available in bookstores, Finn believes that it will strengthen past, current and future fans’ perceptions of Guy Lafleur’s legacy to the game of hockey. “Guy was the model for what all superstars should be like,” he said. “It’s possible to be the best in what you do, yet treat people with respect at the same time. Guy gave so much of himself and his time not only as a player, but as an inspirational role model to the general public.”
A Well-roudned Portrait
Lafleur: The Legend is a book that gives a well-rounded portrait of the man from Thurso who truly had hockey in his blood, and had the talent that brought him to incredible heights in professional hockey, yet he kept on working hard so that he could continue to be a better player. It’s only appropriate that this portrait is painted by the people who knew him best, and give an honest, loving — and at times unfettered — picture of a very human sports legend and an enduring hero to generations of fans and players.
by Stuart Nulman
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