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In Hainsight: Book Review - Guy Lafleur et nous |
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Follow me @KarineHains for all updates about the Montreal Canadiens and women's hockey
On April 22, 2022, at 70 years old, the great Guy Lafleur lost his battle to cancer and left a whole nation in mourning. When I say a whole nation, I don’t just mean Quebec. Yes, Lafleur was probably the last French-Canadian hockey legend, but when he died, the whole world of hockey felt his loss something that comes across quite clearly in this book.
To be fair, I didn’t expect to be impressed as I was by this book, I thought it would end up being the same thing said over and over by different people and while there are some recurring themes, there are also very personal stories that make this a great read. Former teammates, business partners, coaches, general managers, journalists, doctors and friends, this book contains 50 short interviews with people who knew Guy Lafleur and it makes for a compelling read. Canadians, American, Russians, Czechs, legends of all walks of life talk fondly about “Ti-Guy” and the impact he had on both his sport and everyone he knew.
Anybody who met Guy Lafleur and asked him for an autograph will tell you that he didn’t just sign their item, he took the time to look at it, to comment if it was a one-of-a-kind piece and to speak with them as well. Many players today stop to sign for the fans, but there’s no eye contact, no interaction, no acknowledgment when you thank them. Lafleur would never have done that, probably because he learnt from the best, his idol, Jean Béliveau. While he took a page out le Gros Bill’s book when it came to fan interaction, he was his complete opposite when it came to speaking to the media, something both the fans and the press loved which really stands out in this book.
Throughout the book, sections from journalists and former players are the most interesting. For instance, I learnt that Claude Quenneville had a real friendship with Guy Lafleur and as such, with him, unlike other members of the press, sometimes, Flower was off the record. On the night Lafleur played his last game as a Hab, Quenneville knew it was the last one, but stopped himself from saying that the public had just seen Lafleur’s last game since he didn’t want to spill the beans but he also reports that when Lafleur told him it was in fact his last game, Chris Nilan overheard their conversation and told Red Fisher about it moments later, which explains how he got the scoop.
While I knew that “Ti-Guy” was massively underpaid in his days, I had no idea that he only found out when Pierre Bouchard saw his pay slip and asked him if that was only for a bonus or something like that since he couldn’t believe the Canadiens’ best player could be earning less than him. As for Chris Nilan, he speaks of his former teammate as someone who wanted every player on the team to feel as important as himself, he recalls how he signed his first autographs because he was with Lafleur and he made him do it. Former Habs defenseman Chris Chelios tells of how, two weeks prior to his passing, Lafleur facetimed with him and the great one, Wayne Gretzky, a conversation none of them wanted to end.
I was surprised to read what Tony Granato had to say, the retired player who skated with Lafleur when he played for the Rangers is now a coach in the NCAA and as such, a few seasons ago, he coached Cole Caufield and he had this to say: “ The passion – the Lafleur star power – I recognized it in one of the players I got to coach with the Wisconsin University Badgers: Cole Caufield. I can’t say what kind of career he’ll have with the Canadiens or in the NHL, but I’m convinced of one thing: he’s got some Flower in him. He’s a born sniper who’s got the same passion, the same fun playing – you can see it in his smile. He’s also got the same respect from his teammates and for them.” That’s a huge compliment if I ever read one.
I also loved how Joe Sakic recalled how big of an impact Flower had on him. Lafleur gave his all not only with the powerhouse Canadiens but also with the bottom dwellers Nordiques and never let up, even if the losses kept piling up. When a young Sakic looked down in the dumps his teammate and mentor told him words he never forgot: “You know Joe, you’ve got to concentrate on the things you can control. Your effort, your game and the way you prepare for the games. Just about all the guys here [abord the team bus] will be out of the league soon. But you, you’ll be in it for a long time. It will be your team. You must have fun and enjoy playing for the fans.” Sakic credits Lafleur with teaching him how hard you must work to win, adding that his influence in every one of his Cup wins, the ones he claimed as a player and 20 years later as an executive.
I don’t want to tell you every little story that can be found in this book, but I’ll say this; even for me who didn’t see Lafleur play in his glory years, this was a compelling read. There’s something almost mythical about Guy Lafleur, his aura, the influence he had on his sport and the candid way he spoke to everyone, but reading first-hand how he had an impact on so many lives helped me understand how he reached that status and how deserved it was. I’d dare say this is a must read for any hockey fan who was saddened at the passing of the “Démon blond”, it will be a few hours well invested and you won’t regret it.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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