The pressure of playing in Montreal as a Quebecois is the subject of this 2022 article from The Hockey News Archive written by Georges Laraque.
Making the NHL is the culmination of a dream for young boys in Quebec and their families. Finding oneself wearing the sweater of the most storied NHL franchise in history is an honor and should be considered extra special.
Georges Laraque played 695 games in the NHL, accumulating 1,126 minutes in penalties. Since retiring from hockey, Laraque has become a media personality known for his bold, and often controversial views.
In an article from 2022, Laraque discusses the pressure of playing in a market like Montreal, so much so, that he dreaded being drafted by the Canadiens. Laraque did end up playing in Montreal parts of two seasons at the end of his career fulfilling the wish of his mother. By that time, his views had softened and he could better deal with the pressure of playing in the cradle of hockey.
You can read the full story dated January 14, 2022 in the THN Archive.
What It Means To Be A Canadien by Georges Laraque.
THN Archive is an exclusive vault of 2,640 issues and more than 156,000 for subscribers, chronicling the complete history of The Hockey News from 1947 until today. Visit THN.com/archive and subscribe today at subscribe today at subscribe.thehockeynews.com