Paul Laus

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.^{[citation needed]}

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

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.^{[citation needed]} His grit and determination made him a fan favourite and he is still one of the most beloved all-time Panthers^{[citation needed]} 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

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
• Interview with Paul Laus

Preceded by Scott Mellanby

Florida Panthers captain 2001–02 with Pavel Bure

Succeeded by Olli Jokinen