Former NHL player Georges Laraque, who has recovered from COVID-19, does not want to see the season resume amid the pandemic.
“To be asking guys to be tested and quarantined for two to three months away from their families during this crisis is unfair and inhuman,” Laraque told TSN 1050 Radio in Toronto. “Am I going to be forced to be away from my family and be scared of what’s going to happen when I’m not there? And what if something happens when I’m playing and my wife gets sick and I want to go back home?”
“There are so many problems to consider for next year that to try to salvage this season makes to me absolutely no sense,” Laraque added. “There are many current players who have talked about it and have said publicly the same thing.”
Photo: AFP
Regarding the league’s motivation, Laraque said: “The only reason why they try to save the season, we all know, is because of the TV revenue they are trying to save. The players already know that. Even if they finish the season, it’s not going to be a true Stanley Cup, because of the conditions that they are going to be put under to do this.”
“It’s not going to be like winning the hardest trophy in professional sports,” he said. “On top of that, to be playing with no fans [in the stands] ... it’s going to be like playing hockey in a training camp.”
Laraque, who also has asthma, said that he was nearly placed on a ventilator, but was grateful that he did not need one.
Laraque said that he most likely contracted the illness during volunteer work that he does, getting groceries for senior citizens.
He said that his attitude before getting the coronavirus was: “I’m eternal. I’m never going to die. I don’t think about that. I always think positive, always smile, things are good. I have so many more things to accomplish — many more marathons to run, many more lives to touch, many more charities to help out — so this was the last thing on my mind. I haven’t even done a will.”
Laraque, a 43-year-old Montreal native, played for the Edmonton Oilers, the Phoenix Coyotes, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens.
In 490 career games, the right winger registered 43 goals, 68 assists and 826 penalty minutes.
VULGAR COMMENTS
The Washington Capitals on Friday decided to part ways with forward Brendan Leipsic after he made vulgar and disparaging comments on a chat group.
The 25-year old Canadian was placed on waivers by the NHL club after his Instagram group chat messages were leaked earlier this week.
The chat included inappropriate remarks about Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid’s girlfriend and the wife of Vancouver Canucks player Tanner Pearson.
The Capitals said in a statement that putting Leipsic on unconditional waivers is the first step in terminating his contract.
The NHL condemned the misogynist comments and said that action would be taken.
“There is no place in our league for such statements, attitudes and behavior, no matter the forum,” the NHL said. “We will address this inexcusable conduct with the clubs and players involved.”
Leipsic, who has since deleted his Instagram account, earlier issued an apology, saying that he “fully recognized how inappropriate and offensive these comments are.”
Leipsic signed a one-year, US$700,000 contract with Washington in July last year and had 11 points in 61 games with them during the 2019-2020 season.
He has collected 16 goals, 43 assists in 187 career games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Vegas Golden Knights, the Los Angeles Kings, the Capitals and the Canucks.
Additional reporting by AFP
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