Guy Lafleur, Lanny McDonald and Kim St-Pierre named to Order of Hockey in Canada

Guy Lafleur, Lanny McDonald and Kim St-Pierre named to Order of Hockey in Canada

The Hockey Hall of Fame members Guy Lafleur, Lanny McDonald and Kim St-Pierre on Wednesday were named to the Order of Hockey in Canada as Distinguished Honorees for 2022.

FYI, the Order of Hockey in Canada is an initiative to celebrate individuals for their outstanding contributions or service to the growth and development of the sport in the nation. And a total of 36 men and women legends have now been inducted into the Order of Hockey in Canada since it was introduced in 2012.

Lafleur, a legend with the Montreal Canadiens for 14 seasons, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1988. He later made a brilliant comeback to play three more seasons with the New York Rangers and Quebec Nordiques. The all-time leading scorer in Canadiens history with 1,246 points (518 goals, 728 assists), Lafleur is also a five-time Stanley Cup champion apart from finishing as the leading scorer in the NHL three times (1976-78).

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“It certainly is a great honor bestowed upon me,” Lafleur said. “I’m humbled and grateful for this recognition.

“I would also like to congratulate my fellow honorees for this well-deserved honor. I’m delighted to be among an amazing group of individuals who have in their way contributed to the success and growth of our game.”

“This game has meant so much to me” – McDonald

Talking about Lanny McDonald, who co-captained the Calgary Flames to the Stanley Cup in 1989, scored 1,006 points (500 goals, 506 assists) in 1,111 games. During his 16-season NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Flames, he was voted as the player who best exemplifies leadership on and off the ice, in 1988.

“This game has meant so much to me, from my time as a little boy, watching my dad play senior hockey, to being able to extend this throughout my life, for our entire family,” McDonald said. “The love affair I’ve had with Hockey Canada has been so much fun. I’ve met so many great people along the way. I owe so much to this great game and I can’t thank Hockey Canada and the selection committee enough for this honor.”

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