Canadiens Acquire Defender gannon Laroque in Carey Price trade Aftermath
MONTREAL – As a final piece stemming from the July 2017 trade that brought Carey Price to the Montreal Canadiens, the team has acquired 22-year-old defenseman Gannon Laroque from the san Jose Sharks. The transaction marks the conclusion of a notable chapter for Montreal, while presenting a high-risk, potentially high-reward addition to their defensive pipeline.
Laroque, originally selected in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Entry draft by San Jose (119th overall) from the Victoria Royals of the Western hockey League, showed considerable promise as a junior player. He served as captain of the Royals in the 2021-2022 season, recording 10 goals and 42 assists for 52 points in 63 games, earning him a professional contract wiht the Sharks. His performance also garnered an invitation to Team Canada’s summer Camp for the World Junior Hockey Championship.
however, Laroque’s development has been repeatedly hampered by health issues. He underwent two surgical interventions in the summer of 2022, causing him to miss the Sharks’ training camp and the majority of the season. In 2023-2024, he appeared in only 18 games between the Sharks’ american Hockey League and ECHL affiliates.
Despite expressing optimism about his health during the NHL’s 2024 Rookie Faceoff – stating,”I feel good. It’s fun to have a smile on your face again,” according to SJhockyow – Laroque did not play a single game during the subsequent campaign. The Sharks have not publicly updated his health status, though speculation points to ongoing hip problems.
The Canadiens will await an update on Laroque’s condition as training camp approaches on September 17, with his future professional career potentially hanging in the balance.
