Georges Laraque
posted by smyles at 14h09 EST on Sep 29
Big Georges Laracque doesn't know much, but he knows that when the bell rings to open the Canadiens's regular season, he'll be there.
Here's his money quote from today, as he ambled out of the Bell Centre shortly before noon.
"The trainer knows more than me. I’ll know tomorrow (when I see the doctor).
"I don’t know what kind of specialist he is. I don’t know why I’m seeing him. I just know he’s a doctor.
"Of course, at the beginning of the season, I’ll be there. Beyond that, I don’t know."
That is good, good stuff.
posted by Kevin Mio at 12h34 EST on Sep 21
Georges Laraque was the first casualty of camp, suffering a slights groin injury that the team says is not serious. We will update the situation as we find out more.
Also, captain Saku Koivu was kept out of the afternoon scrimmage as a precaution as he continues to mend a foot injury.
posted by Mike Boone at 12h44 EST on Sep 19
The new sheriff in town was the first player to face the media hordes this morning.
Georges Laraque put his 6-foot-3 body on a 10-inch riser and looked down at seven TV cameras and twice as many microphones.
It's Sept. 19.
Hockey has begun.
Dave Stubbs will upload some Laraque audio later.
Here's a taste:
"I'm there to make sure the team gets respect. I'm not a guy who goes out there and looks for trouble."
I'm not a trash talker. I don't chirp."
"I fight because it's my job, not because I like it. It's what got me into the NHL."
On the possibility of more ice time, given Guy Carbonneau's preference for rolling four lines, Laraque said: "I honestly don't know. You show what you deserve. (Carbo) played hockey. Hew knows how to reward guys for working hard."
Laraque weighs 255. He said he ballooned to 275 in Phoenix, during the 2006-'07 season, because "we were out of the playoffs by Christmas and nobody cared." Then he got traded to Pittsburgh and had to get in shape.
Worst haircut on the team so far: Andrei Kostitsyn, sporting a Belarussian mullet.
Continue reading "Welcome to Montreal, Big Georges" »
posted by Mike Boone at 19h02 EST on Sep 4
We love this guy already:
Georges Laraque (quoted in the Journal de Montréal) on why he wasn't at the Canadiens tournament on Monday:
"I don't like golf."
Good on ya, Georges.
And if his rep is to be believed, that might be the last charity function the big guy misses all season.
• Good pre-season analysis of the Canadiens at nhl.com
• It's official: Michel Bergeron and François Gagnon have joined the RDS broadcast team. And Joeël Bouchard replaces Benoir Brunet as Jacques Demers' in-studio partner. Oddman out: Alain Crête.
• Market watch: Jarret Stoll, four years, $14 million in L.A.
• Ticket prices going up.
• The crew at Entourage love hockey.
posted by Mike Boone at 9h28 EST on Aug 25
It's a cool, sunny morning in Montreal, after a stinking hot, humid Sunday.
Crispness in the air portends a change of seasons – and we all know what that means:
Hockey. Soon.
A fearless prediction: Mats Sundin is going to make his decision this week.
The basis for this? An impromptu channeling of Tony in West Side Story:
Could be!
Who knows?
There's something due any day;
I will know right away,
Soon as it shows.
It may come cannonballing down through the sky,
Gleam in its eye,
Bright as a rose!
Who knows?
It's only just out of reach,
Down the block, on a beach,
Under a tree.
I got a feeling there's a miracle due,
Gonna come true,
Coming to me!
The question: Is Sundin coming to the Bell Centre or an arena closer to NYC's west side?
Continue reading "Something in the air" »
posted by Mike Boone at 8h08 EST on Aug 20
In an interview with the Edmonton Sun, Georges Laraque talks about coming home to Montreal:
"When I was a kid, I remember they were winning all the Stanley Cups and every kid on the street had a Habs jersey," Laraque said.
"And what I remember the most was the Rocket Richard book that we used to read at school. "
Possibly The Hockey Sweater, en français?
Non, says poster Ben D.:
"The book that Laraque is talking about is Un bon exemple de ténacité – Maurice Richard You can find that book in any French primary school library..."
Thanks, Ben
• • •
In the Edmonton Journal. Jim Matheson shoots down the rumour that had Ales Hemsky traded from the Oilers to the Canadiens:
The message boards say the Canadiens might be dangling forward Chris Higgins, defenceman P.K. Subban, a member of Canada's world junior team last year, and another roster player. And, defenceman Denis Grebeshkov's name has been talked about going to Montreal, too.
Kevin Lowe told Matheson it's all BS.
Continue reading "Laraque remembers the Rocket" »
posted by Mike Boone at 8h02 EST on Jul 28
Boston Globe beat man Fluto Shinzawa looks at the summer's unfinished business, including the chain of events that will be triggered by Mats Sundin's decision:
First, the free-spending general managers of the league - some NHL personnel consider Boston boss Peter Chiarelli among this bunch for throwing $12 million at Michael Ryder - have put some clubs over or near the $56.7 million cap ceiling, which guarantees shifting of salaries prior to the 2008-09 season.
Anaheim will most assuredly move defenseman Mathieu Schneider, his puck-moving abilities, and his $5.625 million contract to a club that can absorb such a cap hit. Chicago will undoubtedly move goalie Nikolai Khabibulin's $6.75 million salary, especially with newbie Cristobal Huet ($22.5 million over four years) expected to grab the No. 1 job. Ex-Bruin Mike Knuble, entering the final year of his contract (a mere $2.8 million per season), might be up for grabs for a club seeking a power forward.
Second, Mats Sundin has pledged to make a decision on his future by Friday, which should let loose a torrent of activity for the clubs that lose out on the pivot's services - if, in fact, the big Swede decides to return to the NHL.
• • •
Frequent poster Sidhu sends a YouTube link to a lovely feature on Georges Laraque, produced when he was in Edmonton.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbSOd5P8g2A
Interesting to hear Laraque talk about the influence of Jackie Robinson on his life. (1955 photo by Ralph Morse)
• • •
What are you doing at 7:30 p.m. on Boxing Day?
Canada vs. the Czech Republic at the World Juniors in Ottawa.
Complete tournament sked.
posted by Mike Boone at 11h01 EST on Jul 15
The Canadiens web site reports Georges Laraque will wear number 17 this season.
Laraque was number 27 in Phoenix and Pittsburgh, but that's taken in Montreal.
Laraque will become the Canadiens' 45th 17 and the first since Jason Ward in 2003-04.
Jean-Guy Talbot wore 17 the longest, 1954 to 1967. Rod Langway wore it from 1978 to 1982.
Other notables to have worn No. 17 include Ken Reardon, Phil Roberto, Larry Pleau, Murray Wilson, Craig Ludwig, John LeClair and Benoit Brunet. Guy Lapointe wore it from 1968 to 1970 before becoming number 5.
Greatest 17 ever? Has to be Jean Beliveau, who wore it for the two games he played with the Habs in 1950-51.
posted by Mike Boone at 21h56 EST on Jul 3
posted by Dave Stubbs at 19h19 EST on Jul 3
Freshly minted Canadien Georges Laraque spoke to a dozen or so Montreal hockey media this evening on a teleconference arranged by the hockey club, saying it will be his job to let the team's skill players do their job and not be run out of the arena.
Here, in its entirety, is the audio of the 23-minute bilingual session.
A couple of highlights in English:
• About 3:45 in, Laraque speaks at length about his 2003 comments about not wanting to play for the Canadiens;
• At about 19 minutes, he speaks candidly about having been able to take advantage of a Canadiens team last season that didn't have a heavyweight on its roster.
(Apologies for the sound quality; teleconferences are what they are...)
posted by Dave Stubbs at 17h38 EST on Jul 3
It was in March 2003 that Georges Laraque wrote a column for the RDS website headlined: "Why I don't want to play in Montreal."
It appeared shortly after the trading deadline, and it dealt with the pressure players face in Montreal, the way he believed they're turned on by the media and fans alike, and how so many players enjoy fruitful careers once they're traded from the Canadiens.
We talked about the controversial column when Laraque came to Montreal in August 2003 to play in the Canadian ball-hockey championship, and he was sticking to his guns. The resulting story appears below.
Continue reading "Welcome home, Georges – and never say never" »
posted by Dave Stubbs at 17h25 EST on Jul 3
Not quite the sweater of the Canadiens, but Georges Laraque, then 26, did cut a dashing figure in the Montreal All Blacks ball-hockey shirt in August 2003.
Marie-France Coallier, Gazette
Not true whatsoever that Georges Laraque will this coming season make his debut with Montreal. He did that five summers ago – with the Montreal All Blacks in the Canadian Ball Hockey Championship held in this city.
Laraque was the almost secret weapon of the All Blacks, who the early Sunday morning we met at the Montreal airport baggage carousel had jetted in from Edmonton and was waiting for his sticks to be delivered.
He then was a five-year member of the All Blacks, albeit a player whose attendance record was somewhat spotty – in fact, he hadn't played a single game for the team that summer before he was drafted to help in the championship tournament.
The story follows on Laraque's arrival to run around and chase a hard orange ball. (Sadly, we never did report his final statistics at the end of the tournament...)
Continue reading "Laraque's second tour of duty with Montreal" »
posted by Dave Stubbs at 17h24 EST on Jul 3
Not quite the sweater of the Canadiens, but Georges Laraque, then 26, did cut a dashing figure in the Montreal All Blacks ball-hockey shirt in August 2003.
Marie-France Coallier, Gazette
Not true that Georges Laraque will this fall make his debut with Montreal. He did that five summers ago – with the Montreal All Blacks in the Canadian Ball Hockey Championship held in Montreal.
Laraque was the almost secret weapon of the All Blacks, who the summer we met at the Montreal airport baggage carousel had jetted in from Edmonton.
He then was a five-year member of the All Blacks, albeit a player whose attendance record was somewhat spotty – in fact, he hadn't played a single game for the team that summer before he was drafted to help in the championship tournament.
The story follows on Laraque's arrival in his hometown that morning to run around and chase a hard orange ball.
Continue reading "Laraque's second tour of duty with Montreal" »
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