Markus Lauridsen Explained

Markus Lauridsen
Birth Date:1991 2, df=yes
Birth Place:Gentofte, Denmark
League:DEL
Team:Löwen Frankfurt
Former Teams:Lake Erie Monsters
Leksands IF
EHC München
HV71
Malmö Redhawks
Position:Defense
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:196
Ntl Team:Denmark
Draft:Undrafted
Career Start:2012

Markus Holton Lauridsen (born 28 February 1991) is a Danish professional ice hockey defenseman who currently plays for the Löwen Frankfurt of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). He is the younger brother to Oliver Lauridsen.

Playing career

Lauridsen originally played in his native Denmark with his hometown lower division club IC Gentofte before moving to join the Swedish youth team of Linköping HC. After one season in the J20 SuperElit in 2008–09, and with NHL aspirations, Lauridsen moved to North America to participate in a junior career in the United States Hockey League with the Green Bay Gamblers. Undrafted, Lauridsen was an overage player in his second season with the Gamblers in 2011–12, posting 30 points in 58 games.

On the back of helping Green Bay capture the Clark Cup Championship, Lauridsen accepted an invite to join the Colorado Avalanche 2012 training camp on 22 August 2012.[1] With the NHL lockout cancelling Colorado's training camp, Lauridsen was assigned to participate in the training camp of Avalanche AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters.[2] Signed to an AHL contract with the Monsters, Lauridsen was then reassigned to begin his professional career in the 2012–13 season, with inaugural Central Hockey League affiliate, the Denver Cutthroats.[3]

Lauridsen scored his first professional goal in his first game at the Cutthroats season opener on 19 October 2012.[4] He posted 15 points in leading the Cutthroats defense before he received a second recall to remain with the Lake Erie Monsters, finishing with 12 assists in 36 games. Towards the completion of his first professional year, Lauridsen was signed to a two-year entry-level contract with the Avalanche.[5]

After three years within the Colorado Avalanche organization and being unable to reach the NHL, Lauridsen signed as an impending restricted free agent to a one-year deal with Swedish second-tier club, AIK IF of the HockeyAllsvenskan on 16 June 2015.[6] In the 2015–16 season with AIK, Lauridsen cemented a role on the blueline, contributing with 21 points in 50 games and was instrumental in helping the club compete in the playoffs for promotion to the SHL.

On 14 April 2016, Lauridsen left AIK to sign a lucrative two-year contract with top-tier SHL club, Leksands IF.[7] He left the team after the conclusion of the 2016–17 season and inked a deal with German Deutsche Eishockey Liga side EHC München in May 2017.[8]

Lauridsen played a lone season in Germany, appearing in 32 regular season games for 7 points before helping EHC München to their third straight championship in the post-season. On 30 April 2018, Lauridsen opted to return to the SHL, signing a two-year contract with HV71.[9] Following two seasons with HV71, Lauridsen moved to his third SHL club, in agreeing to a two-year contract with the Malmö Redhawks, on 30 March 2020.[10]

Following 33 points in 74 games for the team in his first two seasons, and a combined plus-minus of +10, Malmö Redhawks announced on the 5th of April 2022 that they had signed Lauridsen to a 2-year contract extension, keeping him at the club over the 2023-24 season.[11]

International play

Lauridsen has been an established member of the Danish junior team, competing in various World U18 Championships and World Junior Championships. In the 2010 Championship, Lauridsen was named as the Division I Best Defenseman for the tournament and repeated his performance the following 2011 Championship to lead all defenseman in points.[12]

After the completion of his first professional season, Lauridsen was named to the Danish squad to make his senior debut at the 2013 World Championships in Sweden.[13] He played his first full international in an opening game defeat to Canada on 4 May 2013.[14] Playing alongside brother Oliver, he appeared in every game for Denmark to finish with one assist in 7 games to help avoid relegation and finish in 12th place.[15]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
2004–05IC GentofteDEN U2020000
2005–06IC GentofteDEN U201424626
2006–07IC GentofteDEN U2024491350
2006–07IC GentofteDEN.220000
2007–08Linköpings HCJ18112248
2008–09Linköpings HCJ181713410
2008–09Linköpings HCJ18 Allsv10437830004
2009–10Linköpings HCJ20370331260002
2010–11Green Bay GamblersUSHL44551016110440
2011–12Green Bay GamblersUSHL586243032113148
2012–13Denver CutthroatsCHL30691514
2012–13Lake Erie MonstersAHL360121216
2013–14Lake Erie MonstersAHL39391214
2014–15Lake Erie MonstersAHL625111622
2015–16AIKAllsv50813212880000
2016–17Leksands IFSHL4849132
2017–18EHC Red Bull MünchenDEL322571682134
2018–19HV71SHL49178891122
2019–20HV71SHL52327308
2020–21Malmö RedhawksSHL34014141020110
2021–22Malmö RedhawksSHL40217196
2022–23Malmö RedhawksSHL4045910
2023–24Malmö RedhawksSHL282462
2023–24Löwen FrankfurtDEL162462
AHL totals1378324052
SHL totals29116839946111232

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2008DenmarkWJC1810th60118
2009DenmarkWJC18 D114th50002
2010DenmarkWJC D113th50334
2011DenmarkWJC D112th51672
2013DenmarkWC12th70114
2014DenmarkWC13th60004
2015DenmarkWC14th700020
2016DenmarkWC8th81126
2016DenmarkOGQDNQ30000
2017DenmarkWC12th71012
2019DenmarkWC11th71344
2021DenmarkWC12th72570
2021DenmarkOGQQ30770
2022DenmarkOG7th52130
2022DenmarkWC9th717810
2023DenmarkWC10th706610
Junior totals211101116
Senior totals748313960

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Danish D-man gets try-out for Avs camp . Eurolanche.com . 2012-08-22 . 2013-04-05.
  2. Web site: 2012–13 Training camp roster announced . . 2012-09-28 . 2012-09-28 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140110085547/http://lakeeriemonsters.com/news/news/?article_id=1737 . 10 January 2014 . dead .
  3. Web site: Cutthroats announce opening night roster . . 2012-10-18 . 2012-10-18 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130325141529/http://www.denvercutthroats.com/news/news/index.html?article_id=53 . 25 March 2013 . dmy-all .
  4. Web site: Cutthroats top Missouri 4–3 in overtime . . 2012-10-19 . 2013-04-05 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130325165853/http://www.denvercutthroats.com/news/news/index.html?article_id=55 . 25 March 2013 . dmy-all .
  5. Web site: Cutthroats are CHL's top development club for 2012–13 . . 2013-04-03 . 2013-04-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130621070708/http://www.denvercutthroats.com/news/news/index.html?article_id=182 . 21 June 2013 . dmy-all .
  6. Web site: AIK building wall in defense . . 2015-06-16 . 2015-06-16 . Swedish . https://web.archive.org/web/20150618070332/http://www.aikhockey.se/artikel/67356/ . 18 June 2015 . dead .
  7. Web site: Two new players ready for Leksands . . 2016-04-14 . 2016-04-14.
  8. Web site: EHC Munich sign Defenseman Markus Lauridsen . . 2017-05-04 . 2017-05-04 . German.
  9. Web site: Markus Lauridsen new defenseman in HV71 . . 2018-04-30 . 2018-04-30 . Swedish.
  10. Web site: . Danish defensman Lauridsen signs with Redhawks . Swedish . 30 March 2020 . 30 March 2020.
  11. Web site: Kågström . Rasmus . Markus Lauridsen extends with Malmö (Swedish) . hockeysverige.se . Hockeysverige . 2 July 2022.
  12. Web site: 2010 World Junior Championship stats . Eliteprospects.com . 2013-04-05 . 2013-04-05.
  13. Web site: Danish squad for 2013 Championships . ishockey.dk . 2013-05-03 . 2013-05-03 . Danish . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130512005155/http://www.ishockey.dk/Calendar.aspx?Eventid=448 . 12 May 2013 .
  14. Web site: Canada off to winning start . . 2013-05-04 . 2013-05-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140112071953/http://www.iihf.com/en/competition/352/news/news-singleview-2013/recap/7796/lauridsen.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=7268&cHash=be5d38b8f6 . 12 January 2014 .
  15. Web site: Denmark's Dynamic Duo . . 2013-05-08 . 2013-05-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140112073505/http://www.iihf.com/en/competition/352/news/news-singleview-2013/recap/7840/lauridsen.html?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=7268&cHash=ecf5b8932b . 12 January 2014 .