6th year Danish-born defenseman Markus Lauridsen(44) will switch up countries once again signing for 2017/2018 with EHC Munchen of DEL after a decently successful season in the SHL with Leksands IF.
He was on a 2-year deal.
This followed his first campaign after leaving North America hockey for the country’s tier 2 Allsvenskan, where he had a career high 8 goals, 13 assists and 21 points with 28 penalty minutes for AIK.
He actually did three years of junior hockey in Sweden so is likely pretty comfortable there, but then almost oddly left to play US junior hockey with Green Bay Gamblers of the USHL for two years and somehow got on Colorado Avalanche‘s radar.
During the lockout of 2012/2013, as he was set to turn pro the parent club encouraged him to agree to terms with affiliate Lake Erie Monsters.
The decently-sized 6’1″ 205 lbs. split his rookie season between leagues and even started with Central Hockey League‘s Denver Cutthroats doing nicely on the score sheet with both.
He would sign a two-year entry level in 2013/2014 playing for the farm team doing ok but maybe not quite enough to be given a qualifying offer even after a new season best 62 AHL games.
The 26-year old will likely flourish in Germany and could find a good sticking spot.