STU COWAN
MONTREAL GAZETTE
If things hadn’t worked out for Guy Lafleur as a hockey player, who knows what would have happened to the kid who grew up in the tiny town of Thurso, Que.
“I was not the best student,” Lafleur said. “Thank God I had a lot of hockey talent.”
Lafleur was at the Bell Centre Tuesday for the annual Guy Lafleur Awards of Excellence and Merit, which honour amateur players in Quebec at the university, junior and CEGEP levels who best combine hockey performances with academic excellence. The program was introduced in 1985 and this year’s winners were Charles-David Beaudoin of the UQTR Patriotes, Alexis D’Aoust of the Shawinigan Cataractes and Philippe Boisvert of the Champlain Regional College Cougars.
“They’re better off today because they have Sports-Études (programs) and they have all kinds of opportunities that we didn’t have,” the 64-year-old Lafleur said.
The Hall of Famer noted how important it is today for young hockey players to have an education to fall back on since making it to the NHL isn’t easy in today’s world of hockey.
“There’s 30 teams in the league,” Lafleur said. “It opens up a lot of opportunities for kids, but they have to realize that they’re drafting players from across the world. They’re going to be drafting a guy from Europe instead of North America or in Canada and they have more pressure.
“The kids can’t take any chances,” Lafleur added. “If you have the talent to succeed at school, like (the award winners) do, why not do both? If they’re succeeding in school and hockey, they’ll be set for life. With the money they’re making today an agent is nice, but if you could take care of your own things it’s a lot better.”
Lafleur said he first realized how much talent he had as a hockey player when he participated in Quebec City’s annual international pee-wee tournament as an underage player in 1962 and was named the outstanding player after scoring 30 of his team’s 48 goals.
“After my last year in Quebec City at the pee-wee tournament they asked me to go and play my minor hockey there,” Lafleur recalled. “But I was too young … my dad didn’t want to. So I got to Quebec City at 14 (with the Junior Aces in the QJAHL). But I knew I was with a good organization and the competition was there to improve my skill and my game. … I was hoping like all those kids today (to make the NHL) because you never know what’s going to happen. You might get injured or things like that.”
Lafleur played eight games with the Junior Aces in 1966-67, scoring one goal and adding one assist. The next season he posted 30-19-49 totals in 43 games and then had 50-60-110 totals in 1968-69 before making the jump to the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts the next season. In two seasons with the Remparts, Lafleur scored 233 goals and recorded 379 points in 118 games before being selected by the Canadiens with the No. 1 overall pick at the 1971 NHL draft.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Here’s the news release information about this year’s winners of the Guy Lafleur Awards of Excellence and Merit:
QUEBEC INTERUNIVERSITY SPORTS
Charles-David Beaudoin (Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes)
A student at the UQTR’s Administration program, specializing in Finances, Charles-David Beaudoin is dedicated in all his undertakings. At 22, he has already a long list of accomplishments having represented Canada at the U17 World Championship and played four seasons, 288 games, with the Drummondville Voltigeurs, including the last two as captain. An important piece of the Patriots’ success in 2015-16, Charles-David is a courageous player with tremendous leadership skills. A stay-at-home defenceman, he managed to record 7 goals and 18 assists in 26 games this past season and was voted to the OUA all-rookie team after leading his team to the regular season championship, and was also awarded the Lait’s Go Sport scholarship. His academic results were equally impressive achieving a Grade Point Average of 3.64 and earned him the 2015 Alliance Sports-Études scholarship. A recipient of the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence bursary program last November, Charles-David was involved with several charities in his QMJHL days and continued to support various causes as a Patriote. In 2015-16 he volunteered to work at the school’s annual Salon des Vins, the Guignolée des médias and was a regular visitor at the local Breakfast Club.
QUEBEC MAJOR JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
Alexis D’Aoust (Shawinigan Cataractes)
The Shawinigan Cataractes leading scorer with 44 goals and 98 points in 68 games in 2015-16, Alexis D’Aoust finished fourth in the QMJHL scoring race. An efficient two-way player, he was a +32 last season, with a team-leading 290 shots on goal and a 2nd QMJHL All-Star team selection. His performances in class were equally impressive with an 85% average and a 29.887 rating as a student in the Natural Science at Collège de Shawinigan. His academic results earned him the Marcel Robert Award as the QMJHL scholastic player of the year. Alexis is also involved in the community contributing to various programmes aimed at supporting young hockey players from the Mauricie region experiencing different types of difficulties. As part of his involvement, he meets with the kids and provides needed encouragement and support. For his efforts in the community, Alexis was voted the Shawinigan Cataractes Humanitarian of the Year.
COLLEGIATE MEN’S HOCKEY LEAGUE
Philippe Boisvert (Champlain Regional College Cougars)
Philippe Boisvert is synonymous with versatility and talent. The 18 year old forward successfully completed his first season with the Cougars earning 34 points in 36 games. Selected to play in the U17 All-Star game as well as the RSEQ All-Star classic, the 6’1’’ centreman made a name for himself with his skating ability and intensity. After being voted Male Athlete of the Year at the Heritage Regional High School last year, he earned yet another significant award in 2015-16 as recipient of the Rookie of the Year award. Studying Health Sciences at Lennoxville’s Champlain College, Philippe achieved a stellar performance with a sessional average grade of 95.3% in his first semester and continued to improve in the winter session posting an outstanding 95.9% average. His academic results earned him further recognition as recipient of the Governor General Academic Medal. The young athlete who hails from Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu represented Champlain College at Sherbrooke University’s “Génie civilisé” contest. A part-time musician who enjoys playing guitar, Philippe contributed to his community by putting his musical talent to work in support of the Candiac Scouts as part of a fundraising effort.
(Photo: John Kenney/Montreal Gazette)