Guy Lafleur expected to make full recovery after heart surgery

Montreal Canadiens legend Guy Lafleur underwent successful quadruple bypass heart surgery on Thursday and is expected to make a full recovery, the team announced.

The club released the following statement at the request of Lafleur's family.

"Guy Lafleur underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery earlier this morning at the Centre hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal (CHUM). This procedure was necessary after a routine examination detected a cardiac issue. The operation was successful, and doctors predict a full recovery after several months of convalescence. The family wishes to thank the entire medical team, as well as the personnel at the CHUM, and will not issue any further comment."

Lafleur spent 14 NHL seasons with the Canadiens, one with the New York Rangers, and two with the Quebec Nordiques before retiring after the 1990-91 campaign.

The Quebec native is the Canadiens' all-time franchise scoring leader with 1,246 points and sits second in goals with 518. He captured five Stanley Cups with the club throughout the 1970s.

Lafleur ranks 27th all time in NHL scoring with 1,353 career points and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1988.