New exhibition traces Guy Lafleur's path to hockey superstardom

The late, great Guy Lafleur is the subject of a pop-up exhibition in Gatineau, Que., that focuses on his links with the Outaouais and his rise to superstardom when fans and sports pundits called him "the Flower," "le Démon Blond" and "le Turbo de Thurso."

Born and raised in Thurso, Que., the beloved hockey hero went on to smash records and win five Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens. He died at 70 on April 22, 2022, and was laid to rest in his hometown where his mother Pierrette, 92, still lives.

Historian Alex Hubert is the project manager behind the exhibition, Guy Lafleur: From Dream to Legend. He met with Lafleur's mother and sisters and spent "four or five hours straight" talking to them about the hockey great's humble beginnings. 

Visitors to the pop-up exhibition can listen to audio recordings of Pierrette Lafleur sharing stories about her son, including how he used to pry open a loose board and slip into the local arena in the early mornings to practise shooting pucks.

Hubert's favourite story is about a 10-year-old Lafleur crossing the frozen Ottawa River on skis, dragging his hockey gear behind him on a sled, to play peewee hockey in Rockland, Ont. 

Hubert relayed another story about Lafleur's homesickness when he was a teenager playing for the Remparts in Quebec City. To support him, Lafleur's parents borrowed a car, drove to the provincial capital and watched their son play.

"They didn't have the means to book a hotel room either, so they slept in the car," said Hubert.

Hubert has no personal memories of Lafleur's playing days, "but my father taught me about him. I knew he was fast. His style was electrifying."

But le Démon Blond wasn't always a strong skater. Hubert discovered that Lafleur's school principal, a priest, feared the young player had weak ankles and suggested exercises to strengthen them.

"It worked," said Hubert. 

Hubert, on behalf of the Musée régional de l'Outaouais, issued a call for more Lafleur stories and memorabilia. He spoke with men in their 70s who played with Lafleur when they were "eight, 10 or 12 years old."

The mayor's office in Thurso loaned five framed jerseys that Lafleur had donated to the city. The Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF) in Toronto dug up an old hockey bag from Lafleur's days with the Quebec Remparts.

"[HHOF curator Phil Pritchard] sent me a photo of the bag," said Hubert. "It was, like I totally wanted it. I must have it."

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There is a "period-appropriate" Habs jersey that a young Lafleur would have received for Christmas, emblazoned with a No. 4 just like his childhood hero Jean Beliveau. Another display shows a metal table-top hockey game of the same vintage a 10-year-old Lafleur would have played. 

Hubert wanted visitors to be able to try their hand at shooting a puck into a net, but "my manager told me that might not be such a good idea," he said. (They settled for a Lafleur-themed bean bag toss.)

Lafleur was named one of the NHL's 100 greatest players of all time, with 560 goals and 793 assists in 1,126 games in his 17 seasons — including a record-breaking six straight 50-goal, 100-point seasons (1974-75 through 1979-80).

One interactive feature of the exhibition encourages visitors to write down their own aspirations for the future. A 10-year-old wearing a Team Canada jersey left a note that read in French: "I want to play for the Canadiens and win the Stanley Cup!!" 

"Even big legends like Guy Lafleur [began] with a thought, a 'maybe,' a dream," said Hubert. "Maybe if you're lucky enough, you'll be great at something like he was at hockey."

Guy Lafleur: From Dream to Legend runs until Aug. 31 at Zibi's Panorama Space, 40 rue Jos-Montferrand in Gatineau.