Georges Laraque
A feared NHL enforcer who traded his hockey gloves for a political microphone, championing animal rights and social justice with the same intensity.
Born 1976 (age 50)·Canadian politician and ice hockey player·Birthday: December 7·Generation X
Biography
Georges Laraque's NHL career was built on a simple, brutal premise: he was the strongest man on the ice, hired to protect his teammates. For over a decade, the Montreal-born winger was the league's most dominant enforcer, a role he performed with a surprising code of honor and respect. But the man behind the fists was a thoughtful vegan and environmentalist, passions that fully defined his life after hockey. He stepped into the political arena as Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada, advocating for animal welfare and climate action with the same conviction he once used to police a game. Laraque's journey refutes the stereotype of the one-dimensional tough guy, revealing a complex figure who fought his toughest battles off the rink for the causes he believed in.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Georges was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Georges Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Georges's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 12 seasons in the NHL, primarily for the Edmonton Oilers, appearing in 695 regular season games.
- Served as the Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada from 2006 to 2010.
- Was a finalist for the Bill Masterton Trophy in 2009 for perseverance and dedication to hockey.
- Published an autobiography, 'Georges Laraque: The Story of the NHL's Unlikeliest Tough Guy', detailing his life and beliefs.
Did You Know?
He has been a vegan since 2009 and is a prominent advocate for animal rights.
Laraque appeared on the French-Canadian version of 'Celebrity Survivor' ('Koh-Lanta') in 2019.
He owns a vegan restaurant in Montreal called 'L'Gros Luxe'.
Despite his role as an enforcer, he was known for his gentlemanly conduct and often helped opponents up after fights.
“I fought because it was my job, but my true fight has always been for those who have no voice.”
