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A special tribute to hockey legend Guy Lafleur was on display in Saskatoon on the day Lafleur was laid to rest.
On Tuesday, Lafleur’s funeral in Montreal was televised around the world as fans mourned the loss of the former Montreal Canadiens star. Lafleur died April 22 at the age of 70.
Jim Taman is still overwhelmed with the loss of Lafleur.
“Today is Guy’s day. It’s hard to come to grips with the fact that he’s gone,” said Taman, the president of the Western Canada Montreal Canadiens Fan Club.
He said the loss is made more difficult because of the “opportunity and honour” he had to meet Lafleur several times. The first time they met, Lafleur slung Taman’s three-year-old son, Jeremy, onto his hip. A photo Taman has shows him shaking Lafleur’s hand while the athlete holds Jeremy.
“I grew up a Guy Lafleur fan. I wore No. 10 all my life — I still do,” Taman said.
Jim Taman, president of the Western Canada Montreal Canadiens Fan Club, shows photos of his son, Jeremy, with Guy Lafleur. (Libby Giesbrecht/650 CKOM)
To honour Lafleur, Taman gathered much of his memorabilia and dressed up the fan club hockey team’s dressing room at the Harold Latrace Arena.
With the funeral service for Lafleur playing on the televisions fastened to the ceiling, Taman welcomed other fans to swap stories, laughs and tears as they shared a farewell to their hockey hero.
A guestbook for those who stopped by was available to sign with well wishes. Taman said he plans to send the book to the Lafleur family on behalf of Saskatchewan fans.
Donations of $10 were also being accepted — in honour of Lafleur’s number — in support of charities supported by the fan club, including the Inner City Kids Hockey Program in Saskatoon.
The Harold Latrace Arena dressing room decorated in honour of Guy Lafleur by Jim Taman, president of the Western Canada Montreal Canadiens Fan Club. (Libby Giesbrecht/650 CKOM)
Taman said true Habs fans are born. But even more impactful was the kindness and humility Taman experienced from Lafleur consistently over various encounters.
“He had a profound impact on my life just because of the true gentleman that he was and the authenticity that he had with children,” Taman said.
Dale Piprell is also part of the fan club and plays for its hockey team. He said Lafleur’s time was before his, but Piprell called him “one of the greats” and said he has reviewed Lafleur highlights.
Being a “real Habs fan,” Piprell also owns a No. 10 Lafleur Canadiens jersey.
His appreciation of the player, though, pales in comparison to that of Taman.
“It’s not just about the hockey for Jim, a lot of it’s the charity and the community and the brotherhood … It’s a special thing to be a part of, it really is,” Piprell said.
Paired with the work Lafleur did for the Canadiens, his communities and children, Taman said the loss is monumental.
During one meeting, Taman recalled watching Lafleur spend hours signing autographs, just to make sure each child who had come to see him would receive one.
One of his favourite memories of the legend was when, while riding an elevator together after an event, Lafleur pulled out extra hockey cards and offered to sign them for Taman’s friends and family.
“Mr. Lafleur called Jim Taman his friend,” he said with a chuckle. “That’s been with me forever, and it will be forever.”