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Laraque would play in Sweden – for free
posted by Dave Stubbs at 11h17 EST on Jan 26
Att hockeyallsvenska AIK är ute efter Georges Laraque är ingen hemlighet.
Redan dagen efter att forwarden sparkades från Montreal bekräftade AIK:s sportchef Anders Gozzi att man tagit kontakt. Och förhoppningen är att Laraque, som spelade i AIK under NHL-lockouten 2004-05, ska återvända.
Klubbens ekonomiska situation har dock framställts som ett problem – något som Laraque, sent i går kväll, avfärdade:
– Jag skulle spela där gratis. Jag bryr mig inte om pengar just nu, säger han.
– Jag skulle komma över om de bara betalade resor, mat och andra omkostnader. Ingen lön.
”Mitt bidrag”
Anledningen till 33-åringens generositet: Enligt honom själv en önskan att AIK ska nå högsta serien.
– Det är där de hör hemma. Det skulle bli mitt bidrag, säger Laraque.
– AIK kanske har ekonomiska problem nu, men går de bara upp kommer allt att lösa sig.
Du har tidigare nämnt att också Leksand har visat intresse. Hur pass sugen är du på spel där?
– Ska jag vara ärlig är AIK det enda laget jag bryr mig om i Sverige. Min kusin (Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre
i Leksand) vill så klart att jag ska komma till honom, men mitt hjärta är hos AIK och Black Army, säger Laraque och utesluter även spel i andra ligor i Europa:
– Jag ska till Sverige.
Upp till Montreal
Företrädare för AIK gick i går kväll inte att nås för en kommentar. Vad som återstår att se är om Montreal, som fortfarande äger rättigheterna till spelaren, är villiga att släppa kanadensaren.
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Laraque better study up on the "koden".
Do they have fax machines in Sweden?
...seems Good Ol' Georges wants His cake ...AND eat it too
...1 million + per ...AND all the blondes you can 'eat'
...by the way Georges ...thought you said you wanted to go to Haiti to help
...talk about short attention spans
Habitant means PASSIONATE HOCKEY http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=423049
Sweden ????... He forgot about Hiati already ?? ... Loser !
BGL better work on his East / West game...not even sure he knows there is an East / West...
The "System" does not have a "Code" that Bob Gainey is aware of...The system is productive and not a distraction!
Laraque reminds me of what I heard about Pete Mahovolich. Pete was considered too much of a free spirit back in the '70s. Laraque is kind of the same thing. First he was writing a blog for sportsnet, and was informed it was team policy that no player can do that. Then there was the commerical with the women that got him in trouble. Plus all the injuries didn't help anything
Then this year he wanted to change his number to 27 but Gainey wouldn't let him.
Seems like there was always one issue after another with him, then he critized Martin a couple of times in the paper about his playing time. just one thing after another, I guess they finally had enough.
You're trying to compare Laraque to a hockey player. Mentioning BGL in the same paragraph as Pete Mahovlich is just wrong.
BGL on a " big " ice surface ... that I'd love to see ... not !!
I think Laraque would waiver his NMC for a chance to play, well, anywhere. He likes AIK a lot and is in discussions to try and get a deal done over the next week or so.
Go to Habs To The Top for updates as they come in:
http://www.habsaddict.com/2010/01/georges-laraque-to-play-for-aik.html
Is George Laraque a terrorist?
Umm... did you notice the color of the hand holding the pie? (can I say "color"? It's not racist, is it?)
Colour*
If PETA is considered a terrorist organization, wouldn't all its members be terrorists too? That was kinda more of what I was going for...seeing that the tofu-pie assassin was a 37 year old woman (Laraque is only 33)...
Oh he's Swedish! (hits self in head!) That explains everything! Seriously, have they found a role for him that he's willing to perform?
I don't understand it!
How is Laraque going to survive in the Swedish league?
There's very little hitting, no fighting (of note)....
...oh.
---Hope Springs Eternal---
and like my fragile Ikea end table, BGL will fold and crumble after a month
If he dyes his hair blond again, he should fit right in.
Radically yet unassumingly your
L.B. Potter, esq. Vice-Chairman of the Horde of Butterers at Flannelcom's Accountability Office and Senior Exponent of Relative Theory at Habsbros Investigative Services: http://habsbros.blogspot.com/
Here's the google translation of the Swedish story:
That hockey Allsvenskan AIK're after Georges Laraque is no secret.
The day after the forward was fired from Montreal confirmed AIK's sports manager Anders Gozzi to be contacted. And it is hoped that Laraque, who played for AIK during the NHL lockout 2004-05, will return.
The Club's financial situation has been produced as a problem - something that Laraque, late last night, dismissed:
- I would play there for free. I do not care about money right now, "he says.
- I would come over if they just paid trips, meals and other expenses. No salary.
The reason for the 33-year old's generosity: According to him a desire to AIK to reach maximum range.
- It's where they belong. It would be my contribution, "said Laraque.
- AIK may have financial problems now, but they only go up, everything will resolve itself.
You have previously mentioned that Leksand has also shown interest. Just how hungry are you playing there?
- Should I be honest AIK is the only team I care about in Sweden. My cousin (Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre
in Leksand) would of course want me to come to him, but my heart is with AIK and the Black Army, "said Laraque, and also excludes games in other leagues in Europe:
- I'm going to Sweden.
Up to Montreal
Representatives of AIK went last night not be reached for comment. What remains to be seen is whether Montreal, which still owns the rights to the player, is willing to let Canadian go.
I don't want to be the devil's advocate here, but I must blow the whistle on some sham reporting. This news source has clearly received some false information as they refer to Laraque as "an NHL star".
We can all hope this oversight is remedied quickly.
wow does he know the ice is bigger there?
We expected a fighter, we got this. Sweden would be better.
http://i46.tinypic.com/1zf3gco.jpg
Habs!!!!
That's hilarious.
As far as the C.B.A. is concerned, if he signs in Sweden do the Habs regain his roster spot?
My hour is up here at the Library on the computer. See ya on here tomorrow.
Why don't you get your own computer at home?
i would love it to see laraque playing in the swiss league. come on georgie, its a nice country, has some nice cheese and vegan-stuff, all the cows are healthy and alive on top of the mountains and the hockey-league is also competitive enough for ya..
Try reindeer jerky, fermented herring, pork sausage and swedish meetballs. Not ideal for Mr. Vegan, but they do have great lingonberries. SO...
There may be other teams, but only ONE Club De Hockey...
Did he really just confuse Sweden with Switzerland? I thought he was simply recommending the Swiss league!!
"love cannot drown truth, Nefertiti"
My only comment is that Montreal should not have to pay him for his contract if he is playing for another team. They should have the option of taking him off of their Roster. If not, the Swedish club should be paying Montreal. If they can do neither, then too bad so sad BGL. I guess you should have tried to earn your money while you were here
Laraque says: "To be honest AIK is the one and only team I care about in Sweden" He seems to really love them, wonder what he did there during the lockout-season...
(By the way: umlaut ü is used in german-language and turkish maybe a few others too, but not in swedish...)
"If it doesn´t kill you, it only hurts like hell and makes you a lot weaker"
http://media.turku.fi/kamera1.html
Thanks for the correction on the umlaut. I've deleted that reference. But IKEA stays.
Dave Stubbs
Habs Inside/Out
Sports Columnist/Feature Writer, Montreal Gazette
• On Twitter: twitter.com/habsinsideout1
Heh... I wouldn´t mind, but my wife´s native language is swedish... :)
"If it doesn´t kill you, it only hurts like hell and makes you a lot weaker"
http://media.turku.fi/kamera1.html
A Finn and a Swede? Sounds like an interesting match.
Love conquers all, right? :)
"If it doesn´t kill you, it only hurts like hell and makes you a lot weaker" http://media.turku.fi/kamera1.html
is the SEL ice international size? if so, i cant wait to see him chasing guys around
I think this would be a bad move if the Habs allowed Laraque to do this. Nothing to do with BGL's talent, or lack thereof, but we are trying to keep players here in North America while Europpean leagues seem to be continually raiding our supply of players. This might send the wrong message to some, and might even begin a precedent that could come back to bite us down the road. Let BGL and his agent work out a deal that would release him entirely from the Habs, and then he is free to go wherever he pleases, be it the NHL or over the pond. As long as Georges is still on the payroll, this cannot be good for the organization. Can you imagine your boss paying you to go work for someone else? Okay, maybe some of you for sure, LOL, but in general?
Well, there's already a precedent for this kind of thing, with teams like Columbus and Phoenix "loaning" players like Filatov and Tikhonov to the KHL. NHL teams are already using this as a way for them to get rid of problem players. If the KHL cases are anything to go by, it should effectively remove Laraque from the books in terms of salary and roster spot as far as the Habs are concerned. Just the same as if he's bounced to the minors, he would be paid by the Habs, but not affecting cap or roster.
I don't think this will be an issue down the road, because the best North American players want to play in the NHL. What we're seeing go to the European leagues are fringe guys from Canada and the US and Europeans who want to play closer to home. Good players aren't going to abandon the NHL for the SEL anytime soon. And, in this case, paying Laraque to play for someone else is the best of a bad situation. Look at it this way: They're paying him to contribute to the team's success by going away.
http://habsloyalist.blogspot.com
They can have players like Laraque....washed up has been. If it was a good player I would be worried
You missed the point completely. Carry on.
I don't think so. I agree that he should not be allowed to play while under contract by the habs unless they are paid off or can release him.
But as far as a Euro leagues taking NHL players.....if you have been benched for the entire year then you are obviously not good enough to play over hear and they can have him.
Funny image.
Except that Laraque doesn't even eat bork.
We will be at the game tomorrow night in Tampa. Right after our tailgate party ontside the rink. Montreal smoked meat on the menue at the back of my truck.
So far 23 of us from HIO. See you all there.
Wow, Ian! That's awesome. Have a cold one for me. :)
Inglourious Basterds! I am so jealous of you all. That aside, hope you all have a great time and I wish I could join you.
Tommy, you will be with us in spirits, I will have one for ya.!!
have a great time Ian enjoy the game.
Not sure if I can get Fred to streak to the red line on TSN for all of you.
13 of us not 23, sorry
All I can think is "The SEL can't be that desperate for players can they?"
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. http://habsandhockey.blogspot.com/
All i can do is LMAO.
Finally, Laraque's services have been properly priced!
I would say no to that deal for only 1 reason. Some team may call the Habs to get Georges for the stretch to the playoffs. Not that he'd be a factor but a GM/Coach might think they are able to get Georges playing at the level he was for Pittsburh and Edmonton. You never know what GM's are thinking
If a team thinks Georges can help them we need to be able to trade him. If he plays in Sweden, gets injured (which is a high probability), what is he worth to the Habs, even if we are buying him out.
That's my 2 cents...
No team wants his salary next year, one thing for the stretch drive but you would also take on his 1.5 on your cap next year.
Some teams can afford to waste 1.5$M next year on their cap, I am sure. If it is a risk they are willing to take for the stretch, they would need to accept the cap hit next year.
Comes with the bad back...
The real problem is that the only thing he could do was fight yet he refused to do so. Without looking ill bet josh georges had more fights than Larque...
BGL had 4 fights this season according to http://www.hockeyfights.com/teams/16/season_leaders/reg2010
But take a look at Chipchura: http://www.hockeyfights.com/teams/1/season_leaders/reg2010
He has 6 fights since traded to Anaheim and does not waer a visor now. The other George on the Ducks' team, Parros, has 13 fights so far!!
He would not fight and he could not score. As a matter of fact he could not even make a hit on a player, he just took out the boards by the time he got there. What makes you think he would do any better for another team.?? I think he has been done for some time.
I know we have the feeling that he is done, and its probably true. However, what was Bob Gainey trying to do when he picked up Gomez' contract? Trying to give Gomez a bounce back year.
I know we can't compare Gomez to Laraques, of course, but the principle is the same.
Gomez was the bait to get Gionta and Camalleri.
I think he was trying to get the impact player he couldnt get at the draft, in order to try and sign some top flight free agents on July 1. There is not much use any more for a goon that doesnt't fight and still has a year left on his contract at 1.5 mil.
He should have played for free for us! that is about all he was worth anyway!
Slowly but surely we are getting rid of all our dead wood and replacing them with our developed players from the farm. We will be ready for the play offs this year and surprise a lot of teams that no one is going to want to play.
Any chance we can transfer the contract over to them?
_______________________________
The Habs are making me Bi-Polar.
Except he's not playing for free, he's paid by the habs and has his travel and meals paid for. What a crock of sh....