Does Laraque Have a Future in Pittsburgh?
Mike Adams | Pittsburgh Penguins
Mar 28, 12:24 PM | Hype this story!
Last night’s game against the Islanders was rough-and-tumble, like most against this Ted Nolan team are. It was a game for the tough guys to shine. There was Jarkko Ruutu, smiling and jabbering his way to a three-point night. And there was Georges Laraque, putting up a goal and an assist. But something else was oddly missing from the scoresheet. And no, it wasn’t Sidney Crosby’s name.
In a game that featured lots of borderline dirty play by the outmanned Islander, a game that saw nine roughing penalties and four fighting majors, Georges Laraque’s name was nowhere to be found on the penalty sheet. Oh, I take that back. He did pick up two minutes for hooking late in the game. Is this really what we want from our “enforcer?”
Ruutu picked up a roughing call. Evgeni Malkin and Marian Hossa even got whistled for the same thing, Malkin twice. The Pens had two fighting majors, by noted pugilists Petr Sykora and Daryl Sydor. But Georges Laraque never got involved in so much as a scrum. I ask again, is this what we want from our “enforcer?”
Laraque suffers from two problems. First, he is painfully slow, meaning he has a tough time positioning himself for that big hit that can lead to fisticuffs. Second, and more importantly, nobody wants to drop with him, other than acknowledged heavyweights like Donald Brashear and Colton Orr. He is the ultimate nuclear deterrent, except he’s not deterring dirty play against the Pens’ skill players. So they simply avoid him, make him play hockey. And as enforcers go, he actually does a pretty nice job at times, showing some decent skills.
The question is, would the Pens best served letting Laraque go in the offseason and signing a different enforcer? My answer is yes, for several reasons.
First, with the Pens likely to be bumping up against the cap, every penny counts. Laraque currently makes $1.3 million. That is an awful lot of money to pay for a guy who gets five minutes of ice time a game.
Second, Laraque is not a guy who goes out and initiates. As I said, he only fights the “heavyweights.” What good is that? Who cares if he fights Donald Brashear or Colton Orr? An enforcer needs to be willing to go after a guy like Rob Davison, who seemed intent on adding a Penguin to his trophy case last night. So he takes the occasional instigator penalty. Who cares? That type of play needs to be addressed, and if Laraque is not willing to do it, what value does he have?
Third, it is preferable to have someone who is a bit more of a “loose cannon,” a guy who the opponents are not quite sure what he will do next. Laraque is sometimes just too nice and honorable for his own good. He knows he would mop the ice with these guys, so he won’t fight them. Again, is that really what you want from an enforcer?
Finally, scanning the free agent lists, there will be numerous tough guys on the market this summer. For instance, I see the following: Jody Shelley, Eric Boulton, David Koci, Darcy Hordichuk, Arron Asham, Wade Bleak, Aaron Downey, Eric Goddard, and Scott Parker. They aren’t the acknowledged heavyweights like Laraque, but they are all guys who will drop the gloves when necessary. Any of them could probably fill the role, and at a much lower cost.
In short, I like Georges Laraque. He is a great guy. He does lots of charitable work. He even chips in some offense every now and then. But I don’t know that he is the best fit for this team moving forward. I say one of the other guys might be a better fit. Jettison Laraque and go get one of them, one who is more likely to try to calm things down when a game like last night takes place.
Comments
DaBich
Mar 28, 01:25 PM
Good points, and I agree on a lot of things. But I’m wondering, was BGL “told” to chill for a few games, because of his last suspension?
Phil
Mar 28, 03:21 PM
While I agree he’s not worth the money, he also doesn’t take stupid “roughing” penalties every 2-3 games like all of those listed guys do. If Laraque would be willing to take less money or even do his “job” a little better for his price, I could see him in a PGH jersey next season.
It is a puzzling issue though why he doesn’t fight to protect our players more. Malone does that now and he’s even nearing 30 goals. I think I’d rather save Laraque’s money and put it in Bugsy’s pocket. Just my opinion though. We have plenty of scrappers from the minors who’ll take league minimum to do what we want BGL to do.
Matt Bodenschatz
Mar 28, 03:56 PM
When it comes down to it, the top two lines are most important. Whatever it takes to keep them intact should be done. That means guys like Laraque who make big bucks to play minimal minutes have to be cut loose — no matter how much they are liked by teammates and/or fans.
Not to change the subject, but this also is why I think Whitney could find his way out of town on draft day — as moronic as that might sound. Sure, Shero made a major commitment to him with his contract, but he has the opportunity to re-sign Hossa and retain what has the potential to be the best offensive team in the league.
Decisions will have to be made and, as was the case with Armstrong, they may not be the most popular, but they are needed.
If I’m Shero, I do everything possible to get the team as follows:
Dupuis – Crosby – Hossa
Malone – Malkin – Sykora
Ruutu – Staal – Talbot
?? – Taffe – Kennedy
Gonchar – Orpik
Sydor – Scuderi
Letang – Gill
Fleury
Sabourin
That fourth line spot could be filled by a guy like Minard or James, with a bench spot going to a cheap outside enforcer such as Koci. Then sign a borderline defender to be the 7th, and the team is set.
I realize this is easier said than done, but the cap should not be an issue, and I really have faith in Shero doing the right thing.
Bob
Mar 28, 06:21 PM
Matt – I agree 100%. Whitney makes as much money as Malone is asking for. Bye Ryan. Why they scratched a hot player like Taffe just to let Whitney keep playing is beyond me.
As for Laraque, I have been complaining about him for a month. I think that was his last fight. I see all these cheap shots on priceless players like Sid and Hossa and where has he been? On the side boards trying to be a skill player. He is a 2nd rate hockey player paid to protect the 1st rate players. By trying to skate with his elite teamates instead he is not helping us on the scoreboard or the protection. Let him go. Ruutu and Bugsy are doing “Big Georges” job for him. Take his 1.3 million and Whitneys 4 million and put it toward Bugs, Fleury, or Hossa. Hal Gill is twice the defensman as Whitney and he makes 2.1 million!
Phil
Mar 28, 07:13 PM
Here’s the thing nobody mentioned:
Gonchar (who only has 2 more years on his deal) and Sydor (who only has one more year on his deal) are getting up there and Whitney is going to be better than Letang or Goligoski. In the new NHL you usually pay for what a person CAN do nowadays, not what they HAVE done. Case in point, Ryan Whitney, Ryan Getzlaf, Thomas Vanek (Edmonton thought so anyway), Dustin Penner, etc. Some will flame out, other won’t.
I don’t think Whitney is going to fail to deliver. At best he’s a number two option on this team, and that’s being generous. Gonch is out there at the end of the game, defensive prowess or not. Whitney isn’t there yet. He’s only 25, remember that. How many other defenseman can you count as a top 3 d-man 25 or under? Phaneuf, Whitney, and ???.
Whitney’s contract will be good, and comparably it is. Look at what Dan Boyle got and he’s over 31. Whitney’s getting 2/3 of his salary and will outperform him over the duration of both contracts. Everyone jumped on Staal when he was down, and now he’s plying better and nobody says a word. Leave Whitney alone and let him grow. Therrien knows how to get players to do what he thinks they can do so I trust him.
And I still would find it hard to believe BGL will start, just to stay on this post’s topic.
DaBich
Mar 29, 07:42 AM
Phil, I have one bone to pick with you. Whitney will NOT outperform LeTang…no way. That kid can skate circles around him, hits more opponents, and in general, s a better all around defenseman. Hands down. You have a point about Whitney’s potential, but…
if he’s not performing, and he had a warning from MT, what…a month ago? This is the SECOND time MT is letting Whitney know he is dissatisfied with his performance. If the third time isn’t the charm, then what?
Matt Bodenschatz
Mar 29, 11:55 AM
Phil, don’t get me wrong, it wouldn’t be an easy decision to trade Whitney. Like others have said, management was confident enough in him to give him a big contract, showing their commitment. The problem is, he really hasn’t progressed at all defensively, and his offense isn’t nearly what it was. I can handle the lack of offense, as it can be categorized as a slump (as he’s not too far off last year’s pace) — but at age 24 or 25, he should be improving yearly defensively and with his size, he shouldn’t be afraid to take a hit or make one on occasion.
I don’t expect him to ever be a Norris candidate who is a stud in his own zone and plays a nasty, physical game, but I do expect him to do what it takes to help the team — and that includes playing (somewhat) physical on occasion and taking the initiative to improve his defense.
As for Gonchar as Sydor, the problem with them is that both have no trade clauses likely preventing them from movement. With Letang (who as Dabich said, has much, much more upside than Whitney) playing well and Goligoski in the pipeline as an offensive defenseman, losing Whitney wouldn’t be nearly as bad as some would think.
Sometimes to improve one area of the team (offense), you have to sacrifice another area (offense from the blueline). Whitney is the most logical, as he’s showing great weakness right now, and he’s playing a role that the franchise seemingly has some depth at.
If the option is keep Whitney & lose one of Hossa/Malone OR trade Whitney and keep both Hossa and Malone, I take Hossa and Malone every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
DaBich
Mar 30, 06:48 PM
Amen Matt!
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