As a kid growing up in Montreal, playing hockey in the mid 70's, Lafleur was my original sports idol. It was a different era of hockey, and there was room for players to play a game of higher skill and grace. He defined that style, and to the extent that this was the style I grew up with, I find it frustrating that the evolution of the game, in my view, has left much less space for this style of play. I don't watch nearly as much hockey as I used to. I can appreciate the skill level and speed of the current stars, but the game somehow isn't as exciting to me.
In some ways, I think this has been mirrored over time in basketball as well. I lost interest in the NBA in the 90's and early 00's, when it felt like there was no room on the court, and the style of play became too physical. Over the last 10-15 years, as the game has moved outside and opened up, I find it exciting to watch again. I wish the NHL would go to international ice, or at least a good chunk larger, to open up more space for players to play like Lafleur