Brendan Shanahan joined by Leafs legends in Montreal to pay respects to Guy Lafleur on behalf of the organization
As we all know, the hockey world lost one of its most revered legends last week. Guy Lafleur passed away after a lengthy bout with cancer at the age of 70. Known as «The Flower», he was the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals and amass 100 points in six consecutive seasons. His career spanned 17 seasons and he won 5 cups - all with the Habs.
The Leafs and Habs have had a bitter on ice and for that matter fan rivalry for decades, but as Leafs President Brendan Shanahan said on Sunday, "there's a deep, deep respect for each organization." Shanahan was joined by Leafs legends Wendel Clark, Rick Vaive and Doug Gilmour in Montreal to pay their respects to Lafleur in a trip arranged by the Leafs' President.
Known for his time in a Leaf uniform, many forget that Gilmour also spent 2 seasons with the Habs and recalls those times fondly saying, "I spent two seasons here. Where I stretched before a game, Jean (Béliveau) and his wife would always walk by there. The respect the fans have for the players and the logo, it's overwhelming. And you see it out there right now with Guy."
Lafleur is currently laying in a state of rest at the Bell Centre as thousands of fans have lined up to pay their respects to the Montreal great. Lafleur's funeral will take place Tuesday.
