Montreal Canadiens’ Georges Laraque: Life After Hockey

Dec 16, 2014; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens celebrate the goal scored by forward Alex Galchenyuk (27) during the second period against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

Former Montreal Canadiens‘ enforcer Georges Laraque has always been a dynamic person to watch. While wearing the CH, off-ice and on camera, after his hockey career ended, and on into the present, Big Georges, as he’s known, is always engaging.

In this, the first of a “Where Are They Now?” series, let’s follow Georges Laraque from his hockey career, and beyond.

Laraque’s career began in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, in 1993, at the age of 17. He played with a variety of teams, including the Granby Prédateurs (coached by none other than Michel Therrien), and winning the Memorial Cup in 1996.

In 1995, he was drafted 31st overall by the Edmonton Oilers. He played at the AHL level, with the Hamilton Bulldogs, for 2 full seasons, with the Oilers for 8. He was signed as a free agent, by the Phoenix Coyotes, in 2006, where he played for half a season before being acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline in 2007.

Playing with Pittsburgh for 71 games, he scored 4 goals and recorded 13 points. When he became a free agent that summer, Montreal signed him to a 3-year contract.

Though he was known as an enforcer, and recorded 1126 penalty minutes as an NHLer, Laraque never enjoyed the position he was put in, namely that of a fighter. He, like many other enforcers, did so as it was expected of them and it was beneficial to maintaining an NHL career.

But he is a gentle soul, as is evidenced by his post-hockey life.

In January, 2010, after struggling with injuries, the Canadiens released Laraque from the team. Laraque took the news hard, and the timing could not have been worse. It was shortly after the devastating earthquake which decimated much of Haiti – the country of his parents’ birth – and the Canadiens collected donations from game-going fans over two game nights.

The announcement of almost $160,000 in relief funds ($59,000 just from fan donations, and $100,000 added by Habs management) came during a pre-game ceremony, in which Laraque was shown to be visibly moved. Just a few days after that, Laraque was released.

He did not hold back his emotional reaction, stating how hurt he was by the news – which he received via telephone from then-GM Bob Gainey. Later on, he offered a reaction that was as emotional but less bitter:

"“It’s obviously extremely disappointing for it to finish like this, but what’s going on in Haiti right now has given me some perspective,” Laraque said. “I want to look at the positives. It was an honour for me to wear the Canadiens uniform, and I’m happy I was able to play in front of my family.”"

His heart, no doubt, lay on the ice, and his time with the Canadiens was cherished despite the injuries and struggles he sustained, and the way in which it ended.

But his post-hockey life would lead him down other pathways.

(Continued next page)