Guy Lafleur to be honoured in national funeral May 3

Quebec Premier François Legault has confirmed a national funeral will be held for Guy Lafleur, the Montreal Canadiens superstar and hockey Hall of Famer who died at the age 70 Friday.

Legault tweeted the decision Sunday morning, saying Lafleur's family had agreed to the Quebec government's proposal. 

The service will be held at 11 a.m. May 3 at the Marie-Reine-du-Monde Cathedral in downtown Montreal. 

Visitations will be held at the Bell Centre May 1 from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. and May 2 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., when the Montreal Canadiens legend will be laid in a chapel of rest. 

Lafleur, who led the Canadiens to four straight Stanley Cup titles in the 1970s and is still the all-time points leader for the Habs, passed away at the age of 70. He had struggled with health conditions, including a recurrence of lung cancer in October of 2020.

The announcement of a national funeral for Lafleur follows similar honours for fellow Canadiens icons, Maurice Richard and Jean Béliveau, in 2000 and 2014 respectively.

Number 10 'in our collective memory'

Legault held a news conference after Lafleur's death Friday, announcing the government was in discussions with the family about a national funeral. 

"I think it's a whole people who are in mourning and it's normal that they can bid their farewells to Guy Lafleur," Legault said.

"Number 10 will be in our collective memory, always."

Legault said the government has also opened an online book of condolences on the Quebec.ca website, so all Quebecers who wish to share a message in honour of Lafleur can do so. The registry will then be passed on to his family. 

Sunday, the Montreal Canadiens said it would be honouring Lafleur at its game this evening. All of the team's players will be wearing a Number 10 patch on their jerseys and participate in a ceremony celebrating Lafleur and his accomplishments.

The Canadiens also created an online book of condolences, inviting people to share their memories of the hockey icon.