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Georges Laraque

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Georges Laraque
Georges Laraque in 2016 playing for the Oilers
Laraque in 2016
Born (1976-12-07) December 7, 1976 (age 47)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 273[1] lb (124 kg; 19 st 7 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right
Played for Edmonton Oilers
Phoenix Coyotes
Pittsburgh Penguins
Montreal Canadiens
NHL draft 31st overall, 1995
Edmonton Oilers
Playing career 1996–2010, 2015
Website https://georgeslaraque.com
Georges Laraque
Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada
In office
July 31, 2010 – October 17, 2013
Serving with Adrianne Carr
Succeeded byDaniel Green

Georges Laraque (French pronunciation: [ʒɔʁʒ laʁak]; born December 7, 1976)[2] is a Canadian former ice hockey player noted for being one the most successful hockey enforcers of his time. Laraque retired from hockey in 2010 after the Montreal Canadiens bought out his contract. After being drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 1995, Georges still finds the team closest to his heart.

He currently hosts a radio show on BPM Sports 91.9 in Montreal. Laraque spends his time off the radio as a public speaker and member of the NHL diversity coalition. Since starting his hockey career, Laraque has been active in charity work spending time with those in hospital as well as playing in charity hockey games. After retirement he also aided in the development and building of a hospital in Haiti. As a speaker he is passionate in the fight against racism in addition to being an outspoken vegan.

In 2012 he was the executive director of the fledgling Canadian Hockey League Players' Association.[3] During his 14-year National Hockey League (NHL) career, he played for the Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Montreal Canadiens. From 2010 to 2013, he was one of two deputy leaders of the Green Party of Canada.

Playing career

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Laraque entered the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where he played for a variety of teams. In 173 games at the junior level, Laraque stockpiled 107 points and 661 penalty minutes. Laraque was a member of the 1996 Granby Prédateurs team which won the Memorial Cup.

After finishing junior, Laraque spent parts of two seasons with the American Hockey League's (AHL) Hamilton Bulldogs. On October 25, 1996, Laraque was involved in his first professional fight taking on Chris LiPuma of the Kentucky Thoroughblades.

On September 15, 1997 in a pre-season game, Laraque fought established heavyweight fighter Donald Brashear of the Vancouver Canucks in an attempt to impress the coaching staff. On November 15, 1997, Laraque was called up to the NHL and took part in his first career fight against Todd Simpson of the Calgary Flames. Laraque won the fight and would be victorious in four others before being reassigned to the AHL.

A year later, with much hard work to improve his game, Laraque showed enough at the AHL-level for Edmonton to bring him to the NHL on a regular basis. Although he was something of a power forward in junior hockey, Laraque is considered primarily as an enforcer at the NHL level. His 273-pound body and his habit of fighting made him one of the most feared forwards in the league. He was unanimously awarded the 'Best Fighter' award from The Hockey News in 2003. He was named the number one enforcer by Sports Illustrated in 2008. Despite his reputation as a fighting-only player, Laraque has had offensive bursts during his career and on February 21, 2000, Laraque scored a hat trick against the Los Angeles Kings and was also named the game's first star.

Laraque with the Penguins in April 2008

During the 2004–2005 NHL lockout, he played in Sweden, signing on with AIK. The following season with the Oilers, on November 23, 2005 in a game against the Minnesota Wild, Laraque defeated the 6'7" 260 pound Derek Boogaard. In the 2006 off-season, Laraque was up for free agency and wanted to stay in Edmonton and play. He even said he was willing to take a salary cut if the Oilers accepted on giving him a long-term, no-trade clause deal. The Oilers did not agree with Laraque's demand for a no-trade clause thus the contract was never signed. On July 5, 2006, Laraque signed with the Phoenix Coyotes. He scored his first goal as a Coyote against Edmonton on October 26, 2006. Laraque was then traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 2007–08 season for agitating prospect Daniel Carcillo. Laraque's former junior coach and Penguins coach at the time Michel Therrien was heavily involved in this decision and believed that he was needed to protect the young stars in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

Laraque pictured during his time as a member of the Montreal Canadiens

On July 3, 2008, Laraque signed a contract as a free agent with the Montreal Canadiens. He elected to wear number 17 with the Canadiens rather than his usual 27, which was Alex Kovalev's number at the time. One of the main reasons why Montreal sought Laraque was to add toughness; in the previous year's playoffs, they had been outplayed physically by the Philadelphia Flyers, and in the first round, they had difficulty countering Boston Bruin Milan Lucic.[4] On November 21, 2009 Laraque was suspended 5 games after hitting Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall with a knee to knee hit. On December 12, 2009, Laraque would enter his final fight taking on Eric Boulton of the Atlanta Thrashers. On January 21, 2010 the Montreal Canadiens released Laraque and announced they were planning to buy out the remainder of his contract.[5] His contract was officially bought out on June 15, 2010.[6] Because Laraque had been suffering from two herniated discs in his back during the last season and a half that he had been playing, he subsequently announced his retirement from professional hockey.[7] Laraque took advantage of being released by the Canadiens to offer his help to Haiti, his country of ancestry, and began raising money to rebuild the Grace Children's Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in association with World Vision and the NHLPA.[8]

While playing with the Oilers, Laraque was famous for his "Laraque Leap", in which he would smash his body against the glass at Northlands Coliseum after the Oilers scored a goal.[9]

Laraque came out of retirement on January 16, 2015, joining Norway's Lokomotiv Fana, where he played two games before retiring again.[10]

Additionally, he was the assistant coach of the Haiti street and ball hockey national team during the 2015 Streethockey World Championship in Zug, Switzerland.[11]

Political career

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Wikinews has related news:

On February 13, 2010, Laraque joined the Green Party of Canada.[12][13] On July 31, 2010, Laraque was officially named one of the party's Deputy Leaders.[14] On July 9, 2013 he announced he would run for the federal Green Party in the by-election in Bourassa.[15] On October 17, 2013 Laraque resigned as deputy leader of the Green Party of Canada and as candidate in Bourassa riding.[16]

Personal life

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Laraque's parents were both born in Haiti and immigrated to Canada; he was born in Montreal, Quebec.[17] During his NHL career, he was nicknamed "Big Georges", sometimes shortened to "BGL". His brother Jules-Edy Laraque played ice hockey in minor leagues, while his cousin Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre played in the NHL and various European leagues.

In the off-season, Laraque resides in Edmonton, which he considers his home away from home. On Fridays during the off-season, Laraque can often be heard hosting The Team 1260, an afternoon radio sports program in Edmonton. Laraque commits considerable time to local charity work to help the people of Edmonton, Pittsburgh, and Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.

On April 30, 2020, Laraque, who is asthmatic, was hospitalized for COVID-19 at the Hôpital Charles-LeMoyne in Longueuil, Quebec.[18][19]

Business and sports events

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Laraque became a vegan in 2009 to protest animal abuse by the meat industry. He is an investor in two raw vegan restaurants called Crudessence.[20][21] and part-owner of the Delicieux Cafe Veg Fusion restaurant.

On May 21, 2010, Laraque squared off with world welterweight mixed martial arts (MMA) champion Georges St-Pierre for three rounds of grappling for takedowns on TSN TV show Off The Record. Laraque did not score any takedowns. The same year, Laraque appeared in Season 2 of CBC's Battle of the Blades with partner Anabelle Langlois.

In 2011, Laraque took part in the CBC's Canada Reads literary competition. He was the celebrity defender for author Angie Abdou's The Bone Cage.[22]

Laraque appeared in the 2011 film Goon as an enforcer for the fictional Albany Patriots.[23]

On November 8, 2011, Laraque published an autobiography entitled Georges Laraque: The Story of the NHL's Unlikeliest Tough Guy.

On July 9, 2012, Perry Boskus, president of a Florida-based company that produced synthetic ice sheets that Laraque sold in Canada, issued a press release accusing the player of fraud. One day later, Boskus retracted these allegations.[24]

The Canadian Hockey League Players' Association named Laraque its first executive director on August 21, 2012.[25]

On November 17, 2014, Laraque challenged Quebec women's cycling champion Lex Albrecht to a bike race up Mount Royal. Laraque required medical attention following the race, which he lost to Albrecht.[26]

On October 15, 2016, Laraque co-founded Mentorum (www.mentorum.co), a health and fitness company, with Jason Frohlich.[27]

On November 10, 2020, Laraque stated that a deal to fight Mike Tyson for charity was 75% done. Tyson first had a fight scheduled for November 28th 2020, against Roy Jones Jr. [28]

Laraque now owns a series of health and fitness related businesses, including Rise Kombucha and his own vegan restaurant in Montreal.[29]

Laraque receives Community Service Award during a pregame ceremony, April 2008.

Transactions

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  • Drafted by the Oilers on July 8, 1995 (second round, #31 pick overall).
  • Signed with Phoenix as a free agent on July 5, 2006.
  • Traded to Pittsburgh on February 27, 2007 for Daniel Carcillo and 2008 third-round pick (#90 overall, used on Tomáš Kundrátek).
  • Signed with Montreal as a free agent on July 3, 2008.
  • Retired on August 2, 2010

Achievements

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Awards

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Career statistics

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1992–93 Montreal-Bourassa Canadien QMAAA 37 8 20 28 50 3 1 2 3 2
1992–93 Saint-Jean Lynx QMJHL — — — — — 1 0 0 0 0
1993–94 Saint-Jean Lynx QMJHL 70 11 11 22 142 4 0 0 0 7
1994–95 Saint-Jean Lynx QMJHL 62 19 22 41 259 7 1 1 2 42
1995–96 Laval Titan Collège Français QMJHL 11 8 13 21 76 — — — — —
1995–96 Saint-Hyacinthe Lasers QMJHL 8 3 4 7 59 — — — — —
1995–96 Granby Prédateurs QMJHL 22 9 7 16 125 18 7 6 13 104
1996–97 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 73 14 20 34 179 15 1 3 4 12
1997–98 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 46 10 20 30 154 3 0 0 0 11
1997–98 Edmonton Oilers NHL 11 0 0 0 59 — — — — —
1998–99 Edmonton Oilers NHL 39 3 2 5 57 4 0 0 0 2
1998–99 Hamilton Bulldogs AHL 25 6 8 14 93 — — — — —
1999–2000 Edmonton Oilers NHL 76 8 8 16 123 5 0 1 1 6
2000–01 Edmonton Oilers NHL 82 13 16 29 148 6 1 1 2 8
2001–02 Edmonton Oilers NHL 80 5 14 19 157 — — — — —
2002–03 Edmonton Oilers NHL 64 6 7 13 110 6 1 3 4 4
2003–04 Edmonton Oilers NHL 66 6 11 17 99 — — — — —
2005–06 Edmonton Oilers NHL 72 2 10 12 73 15 1 1 2 44
2006–07 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 56 5 17 22 52 — — — — —
2006–07 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 17 0 2 2 18 2 0 0 0 0
2007–08 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 71 4 9 13 141 15 1 2 3 4
2008–09 Montreal Canadiens NHL 33 0 2 2 61 4 0 0 0 4
2009–10 Montreal Canadiens NHL 28 1 2 3 28 — — — — —
2014–15 Fana IHK NOR.3 2 4 3 7 10 — — — — —
NHL totals 695 53 100 153 1126 57 4 8 12 72

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Georges Laraque Stats and News". Archived from the original on December 8, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  2. ^ @georges_laraque (December 7, 2022). Merci pour vos vœux de bonne fête! Déjà 46 ans! Le temps passe si vite, profitez de la vie au maximum! Thanks for all the birthday wishes! Already 46 years old! How time flies, live your life to the fullest!. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023 – via Instagram.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ Macleod, Robert (August 21, 2012). "Georges Laraque named executive director of junior hockey players union". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
  4. ^ Hickey, Pat (October 27, 2008). "Laraque brings missing fear factor". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved April 18, 2009.
  5. ^ "NHL Canadiens to part ways with winger Laraque". TSN.ca. January 21, 2010. Archived from the original on January 25, 2010. Retrieved January 21, 2010.
  6. ^ "Canadiens buy out Georges Laraque". National Hockey League. June 15, 2010. Archived from the original on June 16, 2010. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  7. ^ "Workout". Georges Blog. Archived from the original on June 6, 2017. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
  8. ^ Georges Laraque (January 25, 2010). "Georges Blog January 25, 2010". Georges Blog. Archived from the original on November 22, 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2011.
  9. ^ Weekes, Don Hardcore Hockey Trivia, Greystone Books, Vancouver, 2004
  10. ^ Ellingsen, Roy (January 16, 2015). "NHL-legende til norsk 2. divisjon". Bergens Tidende. Archived from the original on April 3, 2015. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
  11. ^ "HAI – Haiti - Group 4 - B-Pool - Teams - zug2015.com". Archived from the original on June 24, 2015. Retrieved June 24, 2015.
  12. ^ "NHL star player Georges Laraque joins the Green Party of Canada | Green Party of Canada". Greenparty.ca. February 13, 2010. Archived from the original on August 5, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  13. ^ Murphy, Jessica (February 13, 2010). "Ex-Hab Georges Laraque joins forces with Green Party". Globe and Mail. Montreal, Quebec: CTVglobemedia. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  14. ^ "Green Party names ex-NHLer Laraque deputy leader". CBC News. July 31, 2010. Archived from the original on August 3, 2010.
  15. ^ "Ex-NHL player Georges Laraque taking a shot at politics". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. July 8, 2013. Archived from the original on August 28, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  16. ^ "Ex-NHL enforcer Georges Laraque hangs up political skates to fight fraud charges". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. October 17, 2013. Archived from the original on April 28, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2017.
  17. ^ "Georges Laraque concerned about family in Haiti". Kelowna.com. January 14, 2010. Retrieved January 14, 2010.[permanent dead link]
  18. ^ "Georges Laraque concerned about family in Haiti". Reuters. May 1, 2020. Archived from the original on September 13, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  19. ^ "'It really hurts': Georges Laraque battling COVID-19 in Longueuil hospital". Montreal Gazette. May 3, 2020. Archived from the original on May 3, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  20. ^ "Georges Laraque profile". GeorgesLaraque.com. October 13, 2009. Archived from the original on May 15, 2010. Retrieved October 13, 2009.
  21. ^ Nicoud, Anabelle (August 15, 2010). "Fierté gaie: un défilé de toutes les couleurs". La Presse. Montreal, Quebec: Gesca. Archived from the original on August 18, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2010.
  22. ^ "Canada Reads with Jian Ghomeshi | CBC Radio". Cbc.ca. November 18, 2010. Archived from the original on January 1, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2012.
  23. ^ "Goon: Full Cast & Crew". IMDB.com. Archived from the original on January 30, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  24. ^ "CANOE – SLAM! Sports – Hockey – News: Laraque incensed by accusations". Slam.canoe.ca. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved November 17, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  25. ^ "Ex-NHLer Georges Laraque named CHLPA's 1st executive director". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. August 21, 2012. Archived from the original on September 23, 2012. Retrieved August 22, 2012.
  26. ^ "George Laraque loses bike race". Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  27. ^ "George Laraque co-founds Mentorum". Archived from the original on January 22, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  28. ^ "Georges Laraque Wants to Fight Mike Tyson for Charity". November 10, 2020. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  29. ^ "Georges Laraque on veganism, entrepreneurship and politics". Grandstand Central. April 2, 2019. Archived from the original on July 3, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2019.
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