When Did Guy Lafleur Retire?

Guy Lafleur retired twice in the history of his career- in 1985 and 1991.

He initially retired from the NHL in 1985, at age 33, after the Canadiens denied his request for a trade, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1998.

His departure from the Canadiens was considered acrimonious.

After being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Lafleur came out of retirement to return to the NHL for three more seasons, from 1988 through 1991, with the New York Rangers and the Quebec Nordiques.

Lafleur remained one of the few players who did not wear protective helmets due to a grandfather clause.

The Minnesota North Stars selected Lafleur with the 20th and last pick in the 1991 Expansion Draft.

Lafleur had decided to retire for a second and last time as a player, and he had already verbally agreed to an off-ice job with the Nordiques.

Because his retirement papers had yet to be officially filed, the league’s bylaws prevented him from accepting a job with a team that did not own his playing rights.

The North Stars solved Lafleur’s quandary by trading him back to Quebec in exchange for the rights to a former Nordique who had been playing in Switzerland for two years, Alan Haworth.

Haworth played just one more year of professional hockey, and never returned to the NHL.

Lafleur ranks fifth all-time among Quebec-born players, with 1,353 points in 1,126 games.