Guy Lafleur: dynamite against the Bruins

The New York Islanders visited the Canadiens last Friday. It was the very day of the announcement of the death of the illustrious number 22 Mike Bossy. For the first game in Montreal after the death of Guy Lafleur, luck has it that the Boston Bruins will be the rivals.

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“I like to believe that it is not a matter of chance, launched Harry Sinden during an interview at the Montreal Journal. It’s more like fate to see the Bruins play a game in Montreal in the wake of the loss of Guy Lafleur.

“We just lost two great players with the deaths of Mike Bossy and Guy. »

At 89, Sinden still speaks with poise and confidence. The memory is still alive.

Trying to slow down Flower

General manager of the Boston Bruins from October 1972 until November 2000, Sinden often crossed paths with the Canadiens and Lafleur.

There are times when he’d probably rather not remember 1970s CH, but he does so with a bliss that oozed over the phone.

“He was always in our game plan. We were looking for ways to slow him down, but Guy never listened to our plan! He was fooling us. He always ended up scoring goals against us. He hurt the Bruins a lot of times.

« Flower was turning into a kind of dynamite against the Bruins, » he continued. He jostled everything in his path. He was quick, he was smart, he was brave and he had a terrific shot. He also had an impressive character. He was playing the right way, he wasn’t afraid of anything. »

The famous goal of 1979

Winners of the Stanley Cup in 1970 and 1972, the Bruins suffered elimination against the Habs in 1977, 1978 and 1979. All three times, Lafleur and his teammates ended up drinking champagne in the Stanley Cup.

« I have seen Lafleur’s equalizer so often in 1979 in Game 7 against us, » replied the Ontarian. We had just received a penalty for too many players on the ice. It’s impossible for me not to remember. My heart hurt when CH beat us, but I had so much respect for Guy and the great players of that time. »

An impossible union

Off the ice, Sinden didn’t get to know Thurso’s native hero personally.

“I often met him in arenas and in events, I greeted him and he always answered me, he explained. I know he was a man of class and a man close to his people. From the 70s dynasty of the Canadian, I had the chance to know Serge Savard well, I developed a great friendship with him. »

Guy Lafleur | 1951-2022

March 30, 1991 – Ovation for Guy Lafleur during his last game at the Forum in a Nordiques uniform. Archives / Le Journal de Montreal

Guy Lafleur during his years with Le Canadien Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images

Guy Lafleur André Toto Gingras THE MONTREAL JOURNAL/QMI AGENCY

The Canadian Hockey Club presents the recipients of the Guy-Lafleur Excellence and Merit Awards for 2017-2018 CHANTAL POIRIER / LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL

Guy Lafleur during the last game of his farewell tour at the Bell Center on Sunday December 5, 2010. Sébastien St-Jean / 24Heures / QMI Agency

September 11, 1971 – On the eve of his first training camp with the Montreal Canadiens, for the first time Guy Lafleur took the opportunity to skate on the Forum ice rink. In the photo he is with Jean Béliveau. Archives / Le Journal de Montreal

Autographed photo of Guy Lafleur in his Quebec Remparts uniform Courtesy

Guy Lafleur as part of the evening for the retirement of Guy Lafleur’s number 4 at the Slush Puppie Center in Gatineau on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 MARTIN CHEVALIER / LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL

Guy Lafleur and his banner as part of the evening for the retirement of Guy Lafleur’s number 4 at the Slush Puppie Center in Gatineau on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 MARTIN CHEVALIER / LE JOURNAL DE MONTREAL

Guy Lafleur’s last game with the Quebec Nordiques, in Montreal on March 30, 1991 Archives / Le Journal de Montreal

Sculpture by Guy Lafleur in bronze Archives / Le Journal de Montreal

Guy Lafleur, Pee-Wee Quebec Pee-Wee Tournament Collection, Modern Photo Fund

Guy Lafleur, Pee-Wee Quebec Pee-Wee Tournament Collection, Modern Photo Fund

Guy Lafleur and the Art Ross, Conn Smythe and Lester B. Pearson trophies, Montreal Forum, 1976 Denis Brodeur/NHLI via Getty Images

Guy Lafleur, then a member of Team Canada, signs autographs during practice for the Canada Cup, Montreal 1976 Denis Brodeur/NHLI via Getty Images

Guy Lafleur and goaltender Murray Bannerman #30 of the Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Forum 1980 Denis Brodeur/NHLI via Getty Images

Guy Lafleur and goaltender Mike Palmateer of the Toronto Maple Leafs Dick Darrell/Toronto Star via Getty Images

March 7, 1975 – Guy Lafleur becomes the first player in Canadiens history to reach 100 points in a single season in an 8-4 win over the Washington Capitals Archives / Le Journal de Montreal

Guy Lafleur on the bench during Game 3 against the Boston Bruins, Boston Gardens, 1977 Dick Raphael/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images

Announcement of Guy Lafleur’s first retirement The Archives / The Journal of Montreal

The QMJHL retires Guy Lafleur’s number 4 at the Videotron Center in Quebec, Thursday October 28, 2021 STEVENS LEBLANC / JOURNAL DE QUEBEC / QMI AGENCY

Lafleur retired for the first time on November 26, 1984. The Blond Demon returned to play four years later with the New York Rangers during the 1988-1989 season.

Sinden would he have thought of attracting him with the Bruins in Boston?

« I thought about it and asked questions, but there was never a discussion, » he said. It was an impossible union between the Bruins and Guy. He would never have agreed to wear our logo. Guy Lapointe had done it in his very last season in the NHL and he found it strange. So I can’t imagine how Flower would have felt. »