Habs legend and two-time Cup winner Chuck Lefley passes away at 76
The Montreal Canadiens family lost a piece of its golden era with the passing of two-time Stanley Cup winner Chuck Lefley at 76.
He passed away on January 26 in Grosse Isle, Manitoba. He was a homegrown talent from Winnipeg who didn't even start playing organized hockey until he was 15.
The Habs didn't care about the late start. They liked his game and grabbed him 6th overall in the 1970 draft.
Lefley didn't waste a second. He jumped from the Voyageurs right into the pressure of the 1971 playoffs.
He didn't just make it. He won.
He got his name on the Stanley Cup as a rookie. Then he did it again in 1973 after playing a full season for the most dominant dynasty in sports history.
Lefley put up 105 points in 174 games wearing the CH. He was a reliable, hard-working piece of those legendary 70s teams.
A high-scoring chapter in St. Louis
The Canadiens traded him to the Blues during the 1974-75 season. That's where he really found his scoring touch.
He exploded in St. Louis. He buried 43 goals and 85 points in the 1975-76 season.
He finished his time in the league with 292 points and 128 goals. Not bad for a kid who picked up the game a decade later than everyone else.
But he didn't stick around the bright lights after he hung up the skates. He went back to the farm in Grosse Isle.
He worked the land with his brother Glen. He stayed a mentor and a leader for the young hockey players in his community.
Even in retirement, he kept his skates sharp for the Canadiens Alumni tours. He never lost that connection to the team or the fans in the West.
He was a class act. A winner. A man who earned every bit of respect he received.
The Forum might be long gone, but the memories of guys like Lefley are forever.
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