Emotions ran high in Montreal on Sunday as thousands of Guy Lafleur鈥檚 fans gathered to pay tribute to the Montreal Canadiens legend.
The almost three-hour-long lineup to enter the Bell Centre, the team鈥檚 current home, created a sense of camaraderie among fans of all ages 鈥� most of them were proudly wearing Lafleur鈥檚 jersey.
Greggory Laberge, 55, flew in from Denver, Col., and exchanged laughs with the stranger waiting in front of him as he prepared to pay his respects to his hockey idol.
鈥淗e was our hero 鈥� We all wanted to be Guy Lafleur on the rink,鈥� said Laberge, who is originally from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
Laberge tearfully said Lafleur鈥檚 on-ice example sent a powerful message to boys like him 鈥� go out and conquer the world.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the end of an era,鈥� he added.
Montrealer Alain Silverstone stood next to Laberge, nodding in agreement.
鈥淗e was a superstar, on ice and off the ice,鈥� Silverstone said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 going to be missed, but his legacy will always live on.鈥�
Lafleur鈥檚 body lay in state on Sunday, the first of two days on which people were invited to pay their respects to the Hockey Hall of Famer.
Lafleur, who helped the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup in 1973, and then again four more times from 1976 to 1979, died on April 22 at the age of 70 following a battle with lung cancer.
READ MORE: Canadiens pay tribute to legendary Lafleur before game with Boston Bruins
Canadiens General Manager Kent Hughes said even in difficult times, Lafleur would think of the team.
鈥淚 sent him a text message around the trade deadline to tell him I hoped his health would improve, that we鈥檇 hopefully have a chance to meet and talk to the team,鈥� Hughes said on Saturday, calling Lafleur the Montreal Canadiens hockey player of his childhood.
鈥淗e answered that he was continuing to fight and that he hoped to one day meet in person.鈥�
Lafleur finished with a total of 560 goals and 793 assists for 1,353 points in 1,126 games over his 17-season career. He was later named one of the NHL鈥檚 top-100 players of all-time.
Quebec Premier Fran莽ois Legault, who previously called Lafleur the 鈥済reatest player in the history of the NHL,鈥� spoke to the media after visiting Lafleur鈥檚 casket with his wife.
鈥淗e was spectacular, like an artist,鈥� Legault said.
鈥淕uy Lafleur was unique, he was a great player and to be united is something important right now. With guys like Guy Lafleur, we are all together, waiting to pay tribute. He has to inspire us for the future.鈥�
Legault, 64, said it was scary to see Lafleur die so young.
鈥淚鈥檝e got all kinds of souvenirs 鈥� I lost my father young, he was 59-years-old. I remember moments I had with my father watching Guy Lafleur and hearing the crowds saying Guy! Guy! Guy! That was something.鈥�
Montreal Mayor Val茅rie Plante also spoke to reporters, acknowledging people from all over the world who came to the city for this occasion.
鈥淚t shows that Guy Lafleur was loved,鈥� Plante said. 鈥淚 spoke with a lot of residents who told me Guy Lafleur made them proud. He touched a lot of people with his generosity, authenticity, passion, and talent.鈥�
She reiterated her desire to find a place to create a lasting tribute to honor Lafleur.
鈥淲e need to make sure that Montreal forever remembers this legend,鈥� Plante said.
Among the fans who made the trip to commemorate Lafleur was Alex Landreville. He was standing away from the main crowd, reflecting on Lafleur鈥檚 accomplishments at the base of the player鈥檚 statue located outside the Montreal Canadiens鈥� arena, where flowers and handwritten notes had been laid out.
Landreville, who lives in Ottawa, is part of the younger generation who never got the chance to see Lafleur play.
He, however, woke up at 6 a.m. on Sunday to drive his dad and uncle to Montreal for the visitation 鈥� both men from whom he鈥檚 heard stories about Lafleur鈥檚 exploits.
鈥淣ot missing this was important,鈥� Landreville said. 鈥淚 knew how big he was, you can hear people going crazy right now.鈥�
Lafleur will be lying in state until 8 p.m. Sunday and on Monday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
A national funeral for Lafleur is also scheduled for Tuesday and will be held at Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral in downtown Montreal.
Virginie Ann, The Canadian Press
