A hero of a whole generation of ice hockey fans in Canada and around the world has passed away. Guy Lafleur, the legendary forward of the "Montreal Canadiens" team, died today at the age of 70 after a long battle with cancer.

Lise Lafleur, the sister of the hockey legend, wrote on "Facebook": "Guy, I love you, you have ended the suffering, we will miss you so much," as said by the president and owner of the "Montreal Canadiens" team, Geoff Molson. "With great sorrow, we learned of Guy Lafleur’s death, all members of our association are very affected by his passing,"

For his part, Gary Bettman, commissioner of the National Hockey League (NHL), pointed to the enormous popularity of the late "Montreal Canadiens" forward.

"After his career, he remained very popular in Quebec where he dedicated hours to signing (for hockey fans) as an ambassador for the association.

Montreal is the city Lafleur, born on September 20, 1951, in Thurso, a small town in southwestern Quebec, chose.

At the age of 33, Lafleur was the first player to score 50 goals in a single National Hockey League season. The owner of the number 10 jersey, nicknamed "The Flower," repeated this achievement five times between 1975 and 1980. He played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1971 and 1991, 14 of them with the "Montreal Canadiens."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a tweet on "Twitter".

"Guy Lafleur, 'The Flower,' was one of a kind on the ice. His speed and skills were amazing,"

"On behalf of the Quebec nation, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to the family of Guy Lafleur and his loved ones. With his passing, all of Quebec is in mourning. Guy Lafleur shaped several generations with his sports achievements and also with his kindness and generosity," said Quebec Premier François Legault. "He left too early, too young." Legault said his government is currently in talks with the Lafleur family regarding a national funeral for him.