St-Louis on Lafleur: 'He was a superhero'

BROSSARD -- Guy Lafleur's passing was particularly personal for interim head coach Martin St-Louis.

During a media availability at the Bell Sports Complex on Friday, St-Louis recounted a significant gesture by the legendary Hall of Famer that will always hold a special place in his heart.
When St-Louis' mother, France, died suddenly in May 2014, Lafleur and fellow Canadiens alum, Réjean Houle, attended the funeral service in Laval on the eve of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Rangers.
Then a member of the Blueshirts, St-Louis and his father, Normand, were touched by Lafleur's presence during such a difficult time in their lives.
"His presence at my mom's funeral, you come to really understand the human, how nice of a guy he is," shared St-louis. "There are people that have an impact on you without doing much, just by watching how they behave and how they go about their business. I learned a lot from Guy that day. He's just a great example."

St-Louis was a longtime fan of the five-time Stanley Cup champion, whom he affectionately called his "first favorite player" and described as "electrifying" in every sense of the word.
The 46-year-old fondly recalled watching Lafleur play on TV alongside his family, which ultimately helped spark his passion for the sport.
"My memory of Guy is when he carried the puck at full speed. It's his hair in the wind. When he carried the puck, it was as if he was saying, 'I'm going to score a goal.' He had authority and confidence, and the whole building stood up," remembered St-Louis. "Even when we were watching games in the living room, when Guy started going, we stood up because something exciting was definitely going to happen. That's the memory I have of Guy, him skating without his helmet. He was a superhero."
A "superhero" with unparalleled work ethic and class who the Habs' bench boss held in the highest regard - both as an athlete and a person.
When asked about the legacy that Lafleur leaves behind, St-Louis delivered a meaningful reply.
"Guy didn't just make an impact with his statistics. Guy was the face of the Canadiens. He wasn't just the face of the Canadiens because of his play. I heard he was here four hours before a game. He was a pro. He played with a lot of passion. If he didn't score one night, he'd ask Michel Larocque to show up early the next morning so he could shoot 200 pucks before practice," mentioned St-Louis. "It's not just talent that made Guy Lafleur's career. The more I hear the alumni talk and listen to their stories about him, you realize that. When you talk about his impact, he helped all the young players coming up after him who saw him do that."

Lafleur's death at age 70 was unquestionably difficult for the Hall of Famer to process.
He joined people worldwide in expressing his sadness after learning the devastating news.
"It's hard to imagine that a legend like that is gone so young. He had a huge impact in the NHL, in the hockey world, and most importantly for the Montreal Canadiens and the province of Quebec. It's very hard," said St-Louis. "It's a huge loss. It's heavy. Guy wasn't just an excellent hockey player, one of the best of all-time, he was an excellent human off the ice as well."