The following is an excerpt from “Black Aces: Essential Stories from Hockey’s Black Trailblazers” by The Athletic’s Julian McKenzie, copyright @2026 and reprinted with permission from Triumph Books. All rights reserved. The book is available for purchase here.

Georges Laraque is defined by many as one of the premier NHL enforcers of the 2000s. Hockeyfights.com, a website that tracks fights and allows fans to rate how good they were, says he’s participated in 159 career fights — including preseason games.

“When I think of heavyweights, I think of a few guys, and you’re at the top of the list,” former NHL enforcer John Scott told Laraque on an episode of his “Pound for Pound with John Scott” podcast.

“I see you around on the circuits, and you’re always this likable, loveable, big teddy bear. But when I played against you, I was terrified.”

But sometimes, Laraque would rather push against that persona whenever asked by fans.

“I didn’t like fighting,” Laraque said. “But (even) if I didn’t like it, I have to be the best at it, so I don’t have to do it as much. Because people will fear me. That was my attitude.

“Am I proud that I beat people up? No. There’s nothing to be proud of. The goal of hockey is to put the puck in the net. But that’s the job. This is what I had to do to make the NHL.”

Fighting an opponent clearly paled in comparison to the joy and jubilation he felt on the night of Feb. 21, 2000. One specific moment saw his physicality overshadowed by his finesse — a spin move — that led to him flying up the ice at Skyreach Centre after scoring his third goal of the night.

Read that again: His third goal of the night.

“Nobody’s asking about it because nobody thinks that I’ve ever done one,” Laraque said. “When somebody asks me what is my proudest moment in the NHL and I say I scored a hat trick, they’re like, ‘What? You scored an NHL hat trick?’”

Laraque beat Los Angeles Kings defenseman Aki Berg with that move before scoring past goaltender Stéphane Fiset, sending the big enforcer and the Edmonton Oilers’ fan base into pandemonium. The Skyreach Centre goal siren in Edmonton blared as the Oiler skated in celebration, arms pointed to the sky. Not long after, the catchphrase of wrestling legend Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson echoed throughout the arena:

If you smell what the Rock is cooking?

“I skated faster than (Connor) McDavid ever did,” Laraque said. “I was screaming. I was going nuts. I was yelling so much. I couldn’t believe it.”

A February 2000 night for Georges Laraque (27) resulted in his first hat trick against the Los Angeles Kings. (Harry How / Getty Images)

The Oilers were coming off back-to-back losses against the rival Calgary Flames when the Kings came to town that February night. Laraque spent the game on the fourth line with center Jim Dowd and fellow forward Boyd Devereaux.

The enforcer’s fists were needed in the opening period, but not to fight. Dowd unleashed a shot from near the blue line after taking a pass from Devereaux. Fiset made the initial save, but Laraque, parked in front of the net, whacked at the puck with his backhand and scored his fourth goal of the season.

After Kings forward Luc Robitaille tied the game in the second period, Laraque sprang into action again. Oilers defenseman Roman Hamrlík found the puck from the slot after it was lost in a pair of skates unbeknownst to a Kings defenseman. Hamrlík spun around and fired the puck on net, hitting Laraque before beating Fiset.

“Then I started to think about the impossible, something I would never thought I could achieve in the NHL: a hat trick,” Laraque wrote in his autobiography. “I wanted that third goal, and so did my teammates. The crowd started chanting my name.”

Late in the third period, the Kings pulled Fiset from their net in favor of an extra attacker. But Oilers head coach Kevin Lowe opted for more defensive-minded players to preserve the team’s lead. Then, with 29 seconds to go, Oilers defenseman Janne Niinimaa seemingly iced the game with an empty-net goal. It should have ended Laraque’s chances of earning his third goal of the night.

“And then (Lowe) puts the fourth line back out there,” Laraque said.

Devereaux fished the puck from the boards with seconds to play and found Laraque, who captured the puck on his stick before spinning around Berg.

“I don’t know why I did that,” Laraque said. “I did a Denis Savard spin-o-rama in front of Berg.

“In my mind, I’m like, ‘Oh, my God. How did I do that?’”

The moment was so unexpected that Wayne Gretzky called Laraque to congratulate him.

“He said I need 49 more to break his record,” Laraque said. “I’ll never forget that night. It was unreal.”