Canadiens honour legend Guy Lafleur with pre-game ceremony

Thirty-seven years after Guy Lafleur last played for the Montreal Canadiens, his name was once again chanted by fans before the team took to the ice tonight.

A video of Lafleur's goals and of him lifting the Stanley Cup, which he won five times with the Habs, played at the Bell Centre before fans gave him a standing ovation that lasted more than 10 minutes.

On the boards, the usual ads were replaced by a simple tribute to Lafleur: his name, his number, his signature and the years of life — 1951 to 2022.

WATCH l Canadiens honour Lafleur's legacy in ceremony:

Before the game, Yvan Cournoyer, who played with Lafleur between 1971 and 1979, told reporters Lafleur was easy to play with and that while anyone could see how many goals Lafleur scored, it was his friend he would remember.

Chris Nilan, who played with Montreal between 1980 and 1988, says Lafleur helped him feel like he belonged on the team when he first joined.