Lafleur, Guy D.
Hockey
b. Sept. 20, 1951, Thurso, Quebec
After he scored an incredible 209 points in 62 games with the Quebec Ramparts junior team in the 1970-71 season, Lafleur was chosen in the first round of the NHL draft by the Montreal Canadiens.
The 6-foot, 185-pound Lafleur was a fast, tricky skater, a great puck-handler, and an accurate passer. He was also strong, able to ward off defenders with one arm while he shot with the other when necessary.
Lafleur had more than 50 points in each of his first three seasons with Montreal, but he exploded in 1974-75, collecting 119 points on 53 goals and 66 assists during the regular season and adding 12 goals and 7 assists in 11 playoff games.
In 1975-76, Lafleur won the Art Ross Trophy as the league's leading scorer with 56 goals and 69 assists for 125 points. He had 2 game-winning goals when Montreal swept the Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup finals.
Lafleur was even better in 1976-77, winning the Ross Trophy again with 136 points on 56 goals and 80 assists. He also won the Hart Trophy as the league's outstanding player and the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs, with 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points in 15 games.
The Ross and Hart Trophies went to Lafleur again in 1977-78, when he had 132 points on 60 goals and 72 assists, with 10 goals and 11 assists for a 21 total points in the playoffs.
After he scored 129 points in 1978-79 and 125 in 1979-80, Lafleur's numbers began to decline with his declining speed. He announced his retirement after injuries limited him to only 19 games in 1984-85.
After being elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988, Lafleur decided to come out of retirement, signing with the New York Rangers. Though not nearly the threat he had been, he still put up above average numbers with 45 points on 18 goals and 27 assists in 67 games. He then spent two seasons with the Quebec Nordiques before retiring for good.
