Canadiens’ great Guy Lafleur facing lung cancer again, strives to raise awareness

Man Lafleur is rarely certain what’s across the subsequent nook.

When his most cancers therapies aren’t fairly as draining, the Montreal Canadiens nice has power.

After which there are different instances when all he needs to do is relaxation.

“I get the immunotherapy the primary three weeks, after which the fourth week I’ve the large chemo,” Lafleur stated of his routine in a latest interview with The Canadian Press. “It’s the chemotherapy that basically hurts you badly. There’s not every week that’s the identical. The final two weeks, I used to be feeling very, very dangerous and sleeping loads.

“However the final three days I really feel loads higher — lots of ups and downs.”

A cancerous white spot was found on Lafleur’s proper lung by likelihood in September 2019 when he was present process quadruple bypass coronary heart surgical procedure. Two months later, the Hockey Corridor of Fame winger went underneath the knife once more to take away each the higher lobe of his lung and lymph nodes.

“I had no concept,” Lafleur stated of his most cancers, grateful it was caught early. “I perhaps would have ended up with Stage 4 and perhaps it could have been too late.”

However he acquired dangerous information in October 2020 that the most cancers was again, which is when Lafleur started his present therapy.

“There’s not too many individuals which have an opportunity to seize it from the start,” stated the 70-year-old Lafleur, who has partnered with Merck Canada for its new “Be The MVP” marketing campaign to boost consciousness about early lung most cancers detection.

The Canadian Most cancers Society estimates 21,000 individuals will die of lung most cancers on this nation in 2021 — some 25 per cent of all most cancers deaths.

“Most individuals after they discover out, it’s Stage 4,” added Lafleur, a series smoker till quitting chilly turkey resulting from his well being issues in 2019. “It’s not too late, as a result of there’s miracles on the market, and there’s individuals which are surviving.

“But it surely’s higher to seek out out your self.”

Lafleur, who received 5 Stanley Cups as a part of the Canadiens’ dynasty of the Seventies throughout a glowing profession, continues to observe his outdated crew with a eager eye.

The person nicknamed “The Flower” doesn’t attend many video games — though Lafleur did get a thunderous ovation on the Bell Centre throughout final season’s unbelievable run to the ultimate — however has been disillusioned by a begin that’s seen Montreal win simply 5 instances in 20 outings to sit down twenty ninth within the NHL standings.

“They went for the Stanley Cup and now are virtually final place,” stated Lafleur, who registered 560 objectives and 1,353 factors in 1,126 video games with the Canadiens, New York Rangers and Quebec Nordiques.

“In case you’re not prepared and in the event you don’t have the precise gamers, you’re not going to win.”

Montreal has, after all, been minus two large items in 2021-22. Canadiens captain Shea Weber is coping with accidents that might drive his retirement, whereas goaltender Carey Value entered a residential therapy facility for “substance use” previous to the season and continues to work his means again.

“That’s two large guys lacking,” Lafleur stated. “But it surely’s not regular to have shedding streaks like that. Even in the event you’re lacking two guys it is best to have the ability to compensate.”

Whereas important of the crew’s on-ice efficiency, Lafleur has loads of admiration for Value and winger Jonathan Drouin, who left the crew final spring to cope with insomnia and anxiousness, for addressing their psychological well being wants — after which sharing particulars publicly.

“They had been hiding it for some time, their issues, nevertheless it got here out and it’s going to assist,” Lafleur stated. “Initially, themselves. And likewise individuals will perceive what they undergo. It’s an excellent factor.

“They’re not the one two within the league, I’ll let you know that.”

Lafleur believes the Canadiens want to call a captain, with Weber on the shelf indefinitely. Gritty ahead Brendan Gallagher is his selection.

“Proper now,” he stated emphatically. “Sorry for Shea, however he’s not taking part in. You want any person that gamers look as much as.”

“And Brendan … he’s the man that reveals up for each recreation, he pays the worth each recreation.”

In the meantime, the sport’s declining curiosity amongst Quebec’s youth has pushed the provincial authorities to unveil a method geared toward rising the variety of Quebecers within the NHL.

Lafleur isn’t a part of the committee introduced final week, however he has just a few concepts.

“Instances change,” he stated. “Minor hockey, it’s so costly. For fogeys to carry their children as much as the junior (degree), it’s unbelievable. In our day, we didn’t have that.

“It was not that a lot cash as a result of we didn’t journey a lot. Minor hockey, it’s organized just like the NHL now.”

Lafleur additionally pointed the finger at some mother and father.

“They put a lot strain on the children,” he stated. “They consider profitable the lottery in the event that they make (the NHL).

“That’s why lots of children are quitting … there’s an excessive amount of strain. They should carry out on a regular basis.”

Stress to carry out, nevertheless, comes with the territory for a storied franchise with 24 Cup banners.

“You need to go to struggle collectively,” Lafleur stated of the present Canadiens. “Not one man one night time, two guys the subsequent night time. It’s 20 guys on the crew, and also you go on the market and also you do every little thing in your energy to win.

“Montreal is one of the best metropolis on the earth to play in, in the event you win. In case you don’t win, it’s hell.”

Lafleur has lived in his personal type of that the final 26 months together with his surgical procedures, the COVID-19 pandemic, the most cancers’s return, and coverings that may take a heavy toll.

However the help of household, associates and followers — the Quebec Main Junior Hockey League retired his quantity final month _ has been immeasurable.

“I’ve been principally caught in the home since 2019,” he stated. “Mentally, it’s powerful. Hopefully I get via this and get out of it with a victory.

“It’s the hope for everyone that has most cancers.”