'Once in a generation': Quebecers mourn Montreal Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur

Wisps of long blond hair whizzing by. 

That's what Montrealer Sébastien Ayotte remembers most about watching Canadiens superstar Guy Lafleur on the ice as a young teen: Number 10 racing his way toward the blue line, sans helmet, his signature flow blowing behind him.

"It was pretty sad this morning," he said. 

The Habs icon, a Thurso, Que., native who captured five Stanley Cup titles, has died at the age of 70.

The cause of death was not immediately known. However, Lafleur suffered health issues in the latter stages of his life.

In September 2019, he underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery, where doctors discovered a lesion on his right lung. He underwent surgery to remove part of the lung a couple of months later. But by October 2020, the cancer was back and he had chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatments.

He went public with his experience to warn others about the dangers of lung cancer and the need for early screening. It was another example of Lafleur trying to use his fame to help others.

WATCH | Looking back on the career of late hockey legend Guy Lafleur:

Standing outside the Bell Centre area — where stands a statue of Le Démon Blond or the Flower, as Lafleur was affectionately known —  Roger Daoud was also reminiscing about the mark the hockey giant left on a generation of Quebecers and the hockey world at large. 

"He was, you know, a monumental person in Montreal," said Daoud, remembering how active Lafleur was in the community — raising money for charity and contributing to several minor hockey leagues.

"His name was synonymous with Quebec and Montreal. And whether you're an anglophone or a francophone, everyone loved Guy Lafleur."

The Montreal Canadiens said the entire organization is in mourning. 

At a news conference Friday afternoon, team owner Geoff Molson said the Hall of Famer "thrilled generations of Canadiens fans all over the world" and called him "a symbol in the history of sports in Quebec."

Molson said he admired Lafleur growing up but got to know him better in 2009 when he hired the Habs legend to be an ambassador for the team.