Montreal Canadiens: This Day in Habs History: Guy Lafleur Scores Final Goal

Montreal Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur scored the final goal of his illustrious Habs career on this day in 1984.

The Montreal Canadiens have had many great players over the years. None have ever been able to match the impressive seasons that Guy Lafleur put together in the late 1970’s. Those teams were the greatest NHL teams ever assembled and Lafleur was the kingpin of the offence.

Lafleur was the first overall pick in the 1971 NHL Draft after scoring 130 goals and 209 points in 62 games with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL. Canadiens general manager Sam Pollock did some wheeling and dealing to acquire the pick from the California Golden Seals. He sent the Habs first round pick (10th overall) in 1970 and Ernie Hicke to the Seals for their first round pick the following year.

Pollock was pretty sure the Seals were going to be terrible, and that Guy Lafleur was not going to be terrible. He was proven correct.

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The Thurso, Quebec native’s NHL career didn’t get off to the explosive start that was expected. After three seasons with the Canadiens, he had a career high of 29 goals and 64 points, both of those marks being set in his rookie season. Worse, he had just four goals in 29 postseason games and the Habs had won just one Stanley Cup in three years! That was a drought in the 1970’s.

That all changed in 1974-75. Lafleur exploded for 53 goals and 119 points, kicking off a six year stretch where he scored at least 50 goals and 119 points each season. He would win three consecutive Art Ross Trophies in that time, as well as three Lester B. Pearson Awards, a pair of Hart Trophy’s and a Conn Smythe.

Of course, the Canadiens also won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1976-79 and would lose only eight games in the 1976-77 season. Lafleur led the Habs in scoring in eight of ten seasons after his breakout campaign and would have done it in the other two as well if he didn’t miss time with injury.

His career with the Canadiens came to a close early in the 1984-85 season. After 19 games, Lafleur had scored just two goals and five points. The last of those goals came on this day, October 25.

At least it was a classic Lafleur snipe. Flying down the right wing, no helmet of course, and just rips a slap shot off the rush past the goaltender on the far side.

It was Lafleur’s 518th and final goal with the Montreal Canadiens. The only player to score more with a Canadiens sweater on was Maurice Richard. Jean Beliveau is the only other member to score 500, and he finished with 508.

The Habs legend would retire about a month later but would return to suit up for the New York Rangers and Quebec Nordiques after sitting out for three years. He played three more seasons and retired for good following the 1990-91 season.