Guy Lapointe
A slick-skating defenseman whose offensive flair and charisma powered the Montreal Canadiens' dynasty of the 1970s.
Born 1948 (age 78)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: March 18·Baby Boomers
Biography
Guy Lapointe didn't just play for the Montreal Canadiens during their reign; he was part of its vibrant, attacking soul. Arriving as a rookie in 1970, 'Pointu' completed the famed 'Big Three' defense with Serge Savard and Larry Robinson, but brought a distinct, joyous energy. Where his partners were imposing and steady, Lapointe was a river of movement, joining the rush with a defenseman's rare offensive instinct. His slap shot was a weapon, and his grin after a goal was as familiar as the CH on his sweater. He played a central role in six Stanley Cup championships, contributing crucial points from the blue line and anchoring a power play that demoralized opponents. After his playing days, his hockey mind remained sharp, spending decades as a scout, quietly identifying the next generation of talent far from the Montreal spotlight he once owned.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Guy was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Guy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Guy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 78 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won six Stanley Cup championships with the Montreal Canadiens between 1971 and 1979.
- Scored 171 goals and 622 points in 884 NHL games, exceptional totals for a defenseman of his era.
- Was named to the NHL First All-Star Team in 1973 and played in six NHL All-Star Games.
- Recorded a career-high 28 goals in the 1974-75 season, one of the highest single-season totals for a defenseman at the time.
Did You Know?
He was famously part of the 'Big Three' Canadiens defensemen alongside Larry Robinson and Serge Savard.
He scored a goal in his first NHL shift, just 44 seconds into his debut game.
After retiring as a player, he served as the Minnesota Wild's chief amateur scout for two decades.
His son, Guy Lapointe Jr., was a draft pick of the Quebec Nordiques.
“We didn't just defend; we started the rush from our own end.”
