Bye Bye Big George LaraqueBye Bye Big George Laraque, according to Rds.ca this morning the canadiens de montreal released the big enforcer after having a dismil year and half:
"Le directeur général Bob Gainey a contacté Laraque ce matin pour lui indiquer qu’il ne faisait plus partie des plans du club, car l’entraîneur-chef Jacques Martin ne croit plus en lui qui pense que l’équipe peut gagner sans son homme fort.
« Un manque de classe », a dit spontanément Laraque à notre collègue Darren Dreger de notre station sœur TSN.
Le Montréalais, qui avait paraphé une entente de trois ans d’une valeur de 4,5 millions $ US le 3 juillet 2008, sera payé jusqu’à la fin de la saison et la dernière année de son contrat sera rachetée cet été."
Laraque était à couteaux tirés avec son entraîneur après avoir récemment déclaré qu’il n’était pas en mesure d’aider ses coéquipiers en passant seulement trois minutes par match sur la patinoire.(rds.ca)
now this comes only 1 week after the Big guy scored his first goal as a memeber of the glorieux.
on a personal note i am really happy about this turn of event, i would like to point out what he said to darren dreger from rds's sister company tsn: "un Manque de class", now why in gods name will bob gainey call george in his office to let him go, it's not like he's done anyhting but bench warm and and keep the media happy. all he never earned his ice time and he never once admitted it, all he did was use the media to his advantage and blast his coaches including Carbo last season, if he wants ice time he has to earn it.
i think it's what he after sundays game in NY that hit the nail on the coffin, when he stated that he would of like to be on the ice to help, all he had to do was grab Boyes on his next shift. to go ahead and say the canadiens were classless in the way they let him go is unjustified on his part and he should be ashamed of being called the toughest man the league, he's a hasbeen and and will never be the same with a back like his. for all i care he can go back to Edmonton and spread his veagan loins there.
don't forget people we have a tough guy that has a winning percentage 85% in the minours and he's fighting men without fear,
Eric Neilson is 6'1 and 210 pounds, he has 85 penalty mins with 1G and 2A, he has heart grit and isn't affraid to get dirty, he doesn't ask to dance and he just dances. the best part is he costs a fraction of the price.
team toughness is what Martin wants, funny because Carbo and Julien Preached the same thing. Gainey started the year off with a change of character trading and signing like crazy and he continues to play like Brian Burk during the season, he's hungry for some talent and a trade is on the horizon, with the buy out this liberates 1.5 million on the cap which gives roughly 4.5m of free space on the cap. i don't know who it's going to be but i like what i see.
i will end with this statement i dont remember which analyst stated it but i will quote who ever it was "In Bob We Trust!!!". he's still the head huncho and im pretty sure one guy will be happy about the news, right mister Ron Fornier (great show by the way).
Go! Habs! Go!
Writen By Eric Danis