An excerpt from Canadiens.com (Manny Almela):

His future stall in the Habs’ dressing room may still be empty, but Georges Laraque will be hanging his new jersey in it soon enough, along with his brand new number.

While he may have worn No. 27 for most of his career, including his stints with both the Penguins and Oilers, and even in his junior days in Granby, Laraque knew better than to pry the number from its current Montreal owner Alex Kovalev. Instead, Laraque will don the No. 17 for the first time.

Once he hits the ice for the Habs, Laraque will become the 45th player in team history to wear the No. 17 and the first Canadien to do so since Jason Ward in 2003-04.

Habster:

Wow!!!……..we (Canadiens.com and myself ) are really grasping for any kind of hockey news when Georges Laraques’ decision to pick a jersey number is big news!!! It’s been slow lately and I’m due to write something new!!!