Laperriere's Strong Season Has Been Rocket-Fueled
(from the Rocky Mountain News)
By Rick Sadowski
Rocky Mountain News
April 17, 2006 - EDMONTON, Alberta - When Ian Laperriere was tabbed to play the role of Hall of Famer Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion in the film The Rocket, little could the Colorado Avalanche forward have known that some of the former Montreal Canadiens star's scoring prowess would rub off on him.
The movie, shot during the summer in Montreal and Quebec City and scheduled for release this week, chronicles the life of Maurice "Rocket" Richard, for whom the NHL trophy for the top goals-scorer is named.
Geoffrion, who died last month at age 75, was the second player in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season - Canadiens teammate Richard was the first - and he had 393 goals during his career.
"Yeah, it was a fun experience," said Laperriere, who has recorded career bests for goals (21) and points (45) heading into the Avalanche's regular-season finale tonight against the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place (7, Altitude).
The fun hasn't stopped for Laperriere, a happy-go-lucky type who never had collected more than 13 goals in any of his 10 previous NHL seasons - and that happened in only 37 games in the lockout-shortened 1994-95 campaign when he was a rookie with the St. Louis Blues.
No one is more surprised than Laperriere, 32, who was expected to play little more than a defensive role after he left Los Angeles as a free agent in July 2004 to sign a three-year, $4.2 million contract that includes a team and player option for another season.
"It's been my most fun year," said Laperriere, whose engaging personality has made him as popular with media types as he is with his teammates. "It's fun to help the team on the scoring side of it."
Not that Laperriere has neglected his other duties. A versatile forward, he has played all three positions up front, is solid defensively, kills penalties and takes faceoffs on occasion.
Laperriere also brings an abrasive presence to the ice, whether with solid hits or trash talk. "Lappy," as he's called by teammates, is more than a little yappy on and off the ice, and his 114 penalty minutes lead the team.
"Certainly, he's had a great year for us," coach Joel Quenneville said. "We saw him more as an energy guy who can kill penalties and cause some distractions out on the ice, so his offensive production has been a bonus. He's been on a scoring line most of the year, but he still gets checking assignments."
"What he's brought to the team has been tremendous - his excitement and enthusiasm. Every day at the rink, he loves being here, and the guys all love him. He's so excited about not just being in Colorado but just playing the game. His energy in the room is contagious."
Laperriere didn't know what to expect with the Avalanche after leaving the Kings, for whom he played eight full seasons and was used in a defensive role under coach Andy Murray. His 10 goals in 2003-04 were his most since his rookie season.
"I guess I was so focused on defense that I didn't think about offense at all," said Laperriere, who registered 78 goals and 126 assists in 694 NHL games before this season. "It's been a new challenge for me here, a little chapter in my career, and I'm having fun every day."
"I was wondering what the new NHL rules were going to mean for me and being with a new team. I was in L.A. for so long that you get comfortable, but this locker room was easy to adjust to."
"One thing here, they give you freedom in the offensive zone, but you still have to be responsible defensively. The main thing I can take for playing for Andy Murray is that I tried to be strong defensively. His system was all about defense and that's something I can take with me for the rest of my career."