A promising hockey career has ended far too soon for Gannon Laroque, the 22-year-old defenseman who announced his retirement because of health concerns.
Laroque said concussion issues, along with other injuries he dealt with during his career, led to the decision. He explained that the move came after consulting several doctors over the past few days, and he chose to put his long-term health first.
In his social media message, Laroque wrote: "To my family, friends, teammates, coaches, trainers, agent, and everyone who helped me along the way, there are no words that can express my gratitude. Thank you for all the support and memories along the way!"
His path to Montreal came through a notable trade. In September 2025, Kent Hughes acquired Laroque in the deal that sent Carey Price to the San Jose Sharks. Montreal was trying to open up salary cap space and create more financial flexibility by moving Price’s contract, and Laroque was viewed as a useful addition to the return.
A native of Edmonton, Laroque was drafted by the Sharks in the fourth round, 103rd overall, in the 2021 NHL Draft. The talent was there. In 2021-22, his last full season, he put up 52 points in 63 WHL games.
But injuries took a heavy toll on his development. He appeared in only four games in 2022-23, then played 18 games the following season split between the AHL and ECHL.
The Canadiens did not give him a qualifying offer, and now Laroque’s career has come to a close. He said he hopes to stay involved in hockey, the game that has given him so much.
In Other News...
Canadiens Delay On Bolduc And Xhekaj Signals Something Bigger Ahead
Montreals offseason to-do list still has some important names on it, and the wait on Zach Bolduc and Arber Xhekaj fits the way Kent Hughes has handled the roster so far. The Canadiens have been careful with their cap space, keeping flexibility while also trying to shape the lineup around bigger moves, and that means even with more than $14 million available, nothing is moving in a straight line.
Kirby Dach is still unsigned too, but Bolduc and Xhekaj are in a different spot because there is no hard signing clock pushing either side into a quick deal. They are not the kind of restricted free agents who scream offer-sheet risk, which helps explain the patience, but the bigger question is whether Montreals pursuit of a top-six forward on the trade market changes the math and forces the club to settle its remaining business sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Fans Just Got Another Reason To Love Lane Hutson's Deal
Pavel Mintyukovs new deal in Anaheim is another reminder of how quickly the market for young defensemen has climbed, and it also gives Canadiens fans a fresh way to look at Lane Hutsons contract. Montreal was among the teams linked to Mintyukov before he decided to stay put, so the comparison is more than just theoretical for a club that has been hunting for blue-line help and watching the price tag on that kind of player keep rising.
Hutsons value only looks better against that backdrop. His production has already separated him from Mintyukovs, and the contract gap feels even wider when the market is pushing upward around them. For the Canadiens, it is the kind of development that makes an already favorable deal look even sharper, even if the broader defenseman market is still leaving plenty of room for more expensive decisions elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]