The Montreal Canadiens and Georges Laraque part ways (Updated)
Submitted by Fred Poulin on Thu, 01/21/2010 - 10:58

NOTE FROM PRAX: Updated with Gainey comments
UPDATE 2: Poll added
Eight days ago I wrote a blog on George Laraque’s demise as an NHL enforcer, well looks like the Montreal Canadiens took my advice this morning when they decided to officially part ways with BGL. Bob Gainey called Laraque to tell him personally that head coach Jacques Martin didn’t have any confidence in him and that the organization believes that it can win without an enforcer in the line-up.
According to RDS, The Canadiens will pay Laraque’s salary for the remainder of the current season and then buy out the last year of the three-year $4.5 million contract Laraque signed on July 3rd, 2008.
Laraque was a daggers dawn with the Habs’ head coach Jacques Martin this season. “Jacques Martin doesn’t like me and doesn’t believe in toughness,” Laraque told TSN.
Laraque added that Martin never shared any concerns directly with him and is furious with the Canadiens’ approach based on the emotional issues he’s dealing with following the devastating earthquake in Haiti and the impact this disaster has had on both him and his family.
“Classless,” Laraque said angrily. “To do this in the midst of all I’m dealing with in Haiti, the timing is awful. I’m not going to sugar coat anything.”
Laraque scored his only goal as a Canadiens last Thursday against the Dallas Stars. Laraque had become useless this season, fighting only four times in 28 games and recording one goal and two assists. He was also a -6 this year.
While Laraque has not been efficient this season, the Canadiens are one of the softest teams in the NHL and Bell Centre has been a walk in the park for many opponents this season as evidenced by this Cam Janssen hit on Carey Price yesterday evening. Nobody came to Price’s defense as he had to drop the gloves himself.
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Gainey comments on Laraque
From Habs Inside/Out
Canadiens GM Bob Gainey spoke to the media in Brossard, at Habs practice, on today's decision to release forward Georges Laraque. In a nutshell: he said Laraque was a distraction and was unproductive, and that the team could better pursue its goals without him.
The decision was made to let him go about a week ago, but with the catastrophe in Haiti, where Laraque has relatives, it was postponed. Laraque remains on the payroll this season and probably will be bought out at season's end, though that's unclear. He was not put on waivers because he had a no-movement clause in his contract.
Audio of Gainey's comments coming here soon.
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Thu, 01/21/2010 - 11:14
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 11:28
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 11:48
And where did he blast the Habs in the media before today? I would love to see that (other than maybe being upset at not being played much, but I wouldn't call that blasting).
I'll be the first to tell you Laraque is useless, and his career was all but over the moment he signed here and started having back problems, but Gainey clearly has a problem dealing with his players. The way he gets rid of them is classless, from Laraque today to all the players he let go in the off-season without so much as a word to them.
I honestly hope that the Habs miss the playoffs, it's the only way to get rid of this joker GM.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:00
George, I don't think we could place him on waivers, I'm pretty sure his contract was had a no movement clause, he couldn't be traded, sent down, placed on waivers, and had to give a list of 6 teams he would accept a movement to.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:03
My point has nothing to do with the hockey aspect, I accept that he was useless and needed to be taken care of, all I'm saying is that there are better ways to deal with these situations. Gainey has no class when it comes to player relations.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:07
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:09
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:12
Just like how he treated Kovalev, Koivu, Dandenault, Bouillon, even Komisarek to a degree in the off-season, this situation screams lack of class.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:13
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:19
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:21
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:22
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:22
He speaks french, he lives in Montreal, he's well connected to players, scouts, GMs and the media all around the league, and other than a few people who find him annoying he's well liked. Also a plus, he has almost no ties with the organization, other than, conveniently, the Molsons.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:24
Like I said, he was useless as a player, but that doesn't warrant Gainey treating him like shit, IMO.
And I too hope they bring up Neilson now, would love to see what he can do.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:28
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:32
bob gainey just said it he was a distraction to the team, after a while it's got to stop. so it's more of an interior thing than i thought. theres always a reason.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:38
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:40
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:42
Like I said, fine, get rid of Laraque, I agree that he was useless, but Gainey just doesn't know what he's doing at this point.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:43
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:49
Or not.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 12:51
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 13:01
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 13:04
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 13:19
Wouldn't turn out well.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 13:20
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 13:34
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 13:35
And, as I said, he has balls to do do things properly.
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 13:41
With more than half of the season done, we wouldn't be paying him more than 600K, and he's a UFA at the end of the year. He's had some injury trouble but that's it.
Considering his last two seasons he scored 25 and 28 goals, respectively, how is he a shadow of his former self, exactly?
Thu, 01/21/2010 - 13:43