Georges Laraque is one of the toughest enforcers in NHL history. But before every fight, the same thoughts would pass through his mind. What he thought really explains what it means to be an enforcer.
Few players who have skated in the NHL have earned as much respect as Georges Laraque. Standing 6’3” and weighing a hefty 280 pounds, Laraque intimidated most opponents.
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Georges Laraque penalty minutes
During his 12-year NHL career, Laraque played 695 games with the Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Montreal Canadiens. He recorded 53 goals and 100 assists, along with a staggering 1,126 penalty minutes. Even though Laraque never backed down from anyone willing to drop the gloves, he would still go through the same thoughts before every fight. Many people assume fighting is easy as long as you can handle the pain, but in reality, there is a great deal of detail and preparation involved.
Everything he thought about
Appearing as a guest on the Dropping the Gloves podcast, hosted by fellow NHL enforcer John Scott in 2024, Laraque shared what he used to think about as he stepped onto the ice:
“The grip, taking the helmet off, how to take a stance, how to throw a punch, what area you want to hit, what to avoid, how to protect your head with your shoulders. It’s all those little things you look at. And there’s always anxiety getting into a fight. Your confidence is so important,” Laraque said on the podcast.
”So many factors”
He continued:
“If you get too agitated or rush in too fast, there are so many factors that come into play. Once a fight starts, you don’t know what’s going to happen. Is the guy going to jump you? Is he going to wait? What do I do if he jumps me at the end of a shift? What do I do if he jumps me from behind? If it’s a smaller player, do I have to drop my gloves? Because I’m bigger, should I go? All these things come into play before you even fight. It’s all in your head: ‘Okay, when is this going to happen?’ You just want to get it over with so you can go back to playing and relax,” Laraque said on the podcast.
You can watch the interview below.
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