Montreal Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur has Quebec highway renamed after him | Globalnews.ca

Chants of “Guy! Guy! Guy!” could be heard from locals gathered Thursday in the western Quebec town of Thurso as Premier François Legault announced the renaming of a provincial highway for late Montreal Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur.

“The most beautiful memories I have with my father is sitting down to watch a game, to watch Guy Lafleur play,” Legault said of the Habs legend who died in April 2022 at the age of 70 after a battle with lung cancer.

“On the ice, he was like an artist, he was elegant, in addition to being good at hockey,” the premier added, referring to Lafleur’s long, flowing hair as the legend skated down the ice.

Highway 50 — an east-west route that runs from Gatineau, Que., near Ottawa, to the Mirabel, Que., area, north of Montreal — will now be known as Autoroute Guy-Lafleur. The highway passes through the hockey great’s hometown of Thurso, in western Quebec, where Legault joined Lafleur’s family members for the announcement.

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Click to play video: 'Hockey legend Guy Lafleur honoured at national funeral'


Hockey legend Guy Lafleur honoured at national funeral


Legault praised Lafleur’s poise and character and pointed to the affinity he had for his hometown.

“He wasn’t just good on the ice, he was an exceptional human being too: an accessible man, a generous man, a humble man, close to the world, direct — sometimes too much,” Legault said. “And close to his roots, he was proud to say he was from Thurso.”

Nicknamed “The Flower” and “le Démon Blond,” Lafleur won five Stanley Cups in his Hall of Fame career. Drafted first overall by the Canadiens in 1971, he scored 560 goals and 793 assists for 1,353 points in the regular season over 17 years with Montreal, the New York Rangers and Quebec Nordiques.

He still holds a number of Canadiens franchise offensive records and entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988.

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Legault noted that Lafleur’s accomplishments stoked nationalist fervour in the province. “The most important thing for Quebecers is pride,” Legault said. “We had, in Quebec, the best player in the National League.”

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Martin Lafleur, son of hockey legend Guy Lafleur, speaks during a ceremony naming a provincial highway after his father, Thursday, May 4, 2023 in Thurso, Que.


Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

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Quebec Premier François Legault speaks with local residents as he leaves a ceremony, Thursday, May 4, 2023 in Thurso, Que. Legault announced a provincial highway would be named after the hockey legend Guy Lafleur.


Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

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Quebec Premier François Legault announces Highway 50 will be named after hockey legend Guy Lafleur in front of family members during an official ceremony outside city hall, Thursday, May 4, 2023 in Thurso, Que.


Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press

According to the province’s toponymy commission, only names of people who have been deceased for at least one year can be used for memorial purposes.

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Several members of the legendary winger’s family were on hand, with his son Martin Lafleur taking to the podium to thank officials for the gesture.

“On behalf of the entire Lafleur family, I would like to thank the Quebec government for having officially incorporated my father’s name into the rich heritage of our province,” he said.

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