Guy Lafleur, the legendary Montreal Canadiens player who won five Stanley Cups and was a hockey star in Quebec well before his NHL career, died in April 2022 at 70.
Guy Damien Lafleur, a former Canadian professional ice hockey player, was the first player in the National Hockey League (NHL) to score 50 goals and 100 points in six consecutive seasons. He was born on September 20, 1951.
For decades, Lafleur, nicknamed “The Flower,” scored with apparent ease at all stages of hockey, establishing himself as one of the sport’s most flashy superstars.
Likewise, Guy Lafleur had struggled with health concerns in his later years.
Was Guy Lafleur A Smoker?
Guy Lafleur had a bad habit of smoking heavily throughout his life span.
Despite his recognized habit of smoking cigarettes, Lafleur transcended the sport. Scotty Bowman, a former coach, admitted to smoking in between periods.
On September 23, 2020, he lit his final cigarette, putting an end to his habit for as long as he can remember.
Know about Guy Lafleur’s Illness Lung Cancer, And Health Problems
Guy Lafleur, a five-time Stanley Cup champion for the Montreal Canadiens and a hockey hero in Quebec, had struggled with health concerns in his later years.
Guy had quadruple bypass heart surgery in September 2019, followed by lung surgery two months later.
When Lafleur was undergoing quadruple bypass heart surgery in September 2019, a malignant white spot on his right lung was detected by coincidence.
Two months later, the Hockey Hall of Fame winger underwent another surgery to remove the upper lobe of his lung and lymph nodes.
In October 2020, Lafleur received the devastating news that his cancer had returned, and he began a new round of cancer treatments, including chemotherapy.
Despite his surgeries, cancer diagnosis, and treatment, Lafleur teamed up with Merck Canada to promote its early lung cancer screening program.
During a regular medical exam to renew his helicopter pilot’s license, Lafleur’s quadruple bypass surgery was revealed when it was discovered that four of his coronary arteries were entirely blocked, and a fifth was blocked close to 90 percent.
Likewise, He had one-third of his right lung removed by physicians two months after the malignancy was diagnosed.
Not only that, Lafleur had been participating with Merck Canada as part of its “Be The MVP” program to promote awareness about early lung cancer detection up to those health scares.
Guy Lafleur was a Canadian ice hockey player, Wikipedia Bio
As per Wikipedia, Lafleur was born in Thurso, Quebec, on September 20, 1951. When he was five years old, Guy began playing hockey when he received his first hockey stick as a Christmas present.
From 1962 to 1964, he competed in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Competition three times, setting a tournament record of 64 points.
Lafleur rose to prominence as a member of the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in his teens, where he led his team to the Memorial Cup in 1971 and scored 130 regular-season goals.
On June 23, 1980, he received the O.C. (Officer of the Order of Canada) for his contributions to Canadian athletics.
Furthermore, He also owns and operates a helicopter rental business in Montreal.