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Paul Laus

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Canadian ice hockey defenceman
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Ice hockey player
Paul Laus
Born (1970-09-26) September 26, 1970 (age 54)
Beamsville, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Right
Played for Florida Panthers
NHL draft 37th overall, 1989
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 1990–2002

Paul Laus (born September 26, 1970) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League for the Florida Panthers. Laus was the last original member of the Panthers.

Career

Born in Beamsville, Ontario, Laus was a Junior B standout with the St. Catharines Falcons before joining the Ontario Hockey League. He spent three years with the Hamilton Steelhawks/Niagara Falls Thunder franchise and was selected 37th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. He spent his first three years as a pro in the International Hockey League and ECHL, including a stint with the short-lived Albany Choppers.

The rugged blueliner was claimed by the Florida Panthers in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft. His solid defensive work and willingness to take on the toughest players in the league made him a valuable player on the club as it set an NHL record for expansion teams with 83 points. Two years later, he scored two goals and was a workhorse in 21 games as the Panthers reached the Stanley Cup finals. Laus continued to be an enforcer and team leader through the end of the 2000–01 season and was the only person to play in all of the club's first eight seasons. His grit and determination made him a fan favourite and he is still one of the most beloved all-time Panthers along with Scott Mellanby.

In the 1996–97 NHL season Laus set an NHL record with 39 fighting majors in 77 games while also setting career highs in assists, points, plus/minus, and penalty minutes.

However, injuries limited Laus to only 70 games over his last two seasons. After his latest wrist injury, in 2002, he never played another professional game. Eventually, Laus officially retired and moved back to Ontario.

Records

  • Holds the NHL record for most fighting majors in a season with 39, set during the 1996–97 season.
  • Florida Panthers team record: Most career penalty minutes (1,702)

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1986–87 St. Catharines Falcons GHL 40 1 8 9 56 — — — — —
1987–88 Hamilton Steelhawks OHL 56 1 9 10 171 14 0 0 0 28
1988–89 Niagara Falls Thunder OHL 49 1 10 11 225 15 0 5 5 56
1989–90 Niagara Falls Thunder OHL 60 13 35 48 231 16 6 16 22 71
1990–91 Albany Choppers IHL 7 0 0 0 7 — — — — —
1990–91 Knoxville Cherokees ECHL 20 6 12 18 83 — — — — —
1990–91 Muskegon Lumberjacks IHL 35 3 4 7 103 4 0 0 0 13
1991–92 Muskegon Lumberjacks IHL 75 0 21 21 248 14 2 5 7 70
1992–93 Cleveland Lumberjacks IHL 76 8 18 26 427 4 1 0 1 27
1993–94 Florida Panthers NHL 39 2 0 2 109 — — — — —
1994–95 Florida Panthers NHL 37 0 7 7 138 — — — — —
1995–96 Florida Panthers NHL 78 3 6 9 236 21 2 6 8 62
1996–97 Florida Panthers NHL 77 0 12 12 313 5 0 1 1 4
1997–98 Florida Panthers NHL 77 0 11 11 293 — — — — —
1998–99 Florida Panthers NHL 75 1 9 10 218 — — — — —
1999–2000 Florida Panthers NHL 77 3 8 11 172 4 0 0 0 8
2000–01 Florida Panthers NHL 25 1 2 3 66 — — — — —
2001–02 Florida Panthers NHL 45 4 3 7 157 — — — — —
NHL totals 530 14 58 72 1702 30 2 7 9 74

External links

Preceded byScott Mellanby Florida Panthers captain
2001–02
with Pavel Bure 		Succeeded byOlli Jokinen
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