Brad Lauer

❧

Wikipedia

Brad Lauer
Born (1966-10-27) October 27, 1966 (age 59)
Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Left
Played for New York Islanders
Chicago Blackhawks
Ottawa Senators
Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL draft 34th overall, 1985
New York Islanders
Playing career 1986–2002

Bradley Richard Lauer (born October 27, 1966) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey player. He is currently the head coach of the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He is a former associate coach of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Lauer previously served as the head coach of the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL. Lauer was drafted 34th overall in the 1985 NHL entry draft by the New York Islanders and played in the NHL for the Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, and Pittsburgh Penguins between 1986 and 1996.

Early life

Born and raised in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Lauer played minor hockey in Swift Current alongside Wendel Clark,[1] and with the Humboldt Broncos in Saskatchewan.[2]

Career

Amateur

Lauer graduated to the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League (WHL) ahead of the 1983–84 season.[3] In the second half of the season, Lauer took on a penalty killing role for the Pats.[4] In 60 games with Regina, Lauer scored five goals and seven assists for 12 points.[5] The Pats qualified for the playoffs but Lauer missed time with a broken knuckle suffered in a game on March 7, 1984.[6][7] He returned to the lineup on April 13, but the Pats ultimately fell to the Kamloops Junior Oilers in the WHL finals.[8] In 16 playoff games, Lauer added one assist.[5] He returned to the Pats for the 1984–85 season and was placed on a line with Brent Fedyk and Allan Acton. The line was matched against opposing team's top scoring lines.[9] By December, Lauer was on a line with Acton and Doug Trapp.[10] In 72 games with Regina, he tallied 33 goals and 79 points.[5] The Pats once again made the playoffs, but were knocked out by the Medicine Hat Tigers.[11] In eight playoff games, Lauer registered six goals and 12 points.[5]

For the 1985–86 season, Lauer missed time early with a shoulder injury,[12] and later in November, with a broken knuckle.[13] Lauer was invited to attend Team Canada's training camp ahead of the 1986 World Junior Championships in December 1985.[14] However, he was not among those selected to play in the tournament for Canada.[15] He was instead selected to play in the WHL Eastern Division all-star game in January 1986.[16] With the Pats missing defencemen, Lauer played the final six games of the regular season on defence.[17] In 57 games with Regina, he recorded 36 goals and 74 points.[5] The Pats qualified for the playoffs and entered the round-robin portion of the playoffs, in which they were eliminated.[17][18] In ten playoff games, Lauer tallied four goals and nine points.[5]

Professional

Lauer was selected by the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL), who took him with the 34th selection of the 1985 NHL entry draft.

Lauer had successful rookie and sophomore seasons before being hindered by injuries but continued to play in the NHL until the completion of the 1995–96 regular season.

He made appearances with the Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins. Lauer was also a part of the Dallas Stars' system where he provided veteran leadership for their International Hockey League (IHL) affiliate, the Utah Grizzlies.

His most successful season of professional hockey was the 1992–93 season with the Indianapolis Ice of the IHL. Lauer notched 50 goals and 41 assists for 91 points in just 62 games played.

He also suited up for the American Hockey League (AHL) Springfield Indians, Capital District Islanders and the IHL Las Vegas Thunder, and Cleveland Lumberjacks. He retired following 2001–02 season after playing one season with the Sheffield Steelers in the EIHL in which he took the role as player-coach and went on to win the Playoff Championship.

Coaching career

Lauer served as the head coach for the Kootenay Ice between 2002–03 and 2006–07.

On July 30, 2007, he was hired by the Nashville Predators to be the assistant coach of their primary developmental affiliate, the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, staying with the team for both the 2007–08 and 2008–09 AHL seasons.

Brad left Milwaukee to rejoin his Kootenay Ice coaching partner Cory Clouston, who was now the head coach of the Ottawa Senators, as an assistant coach on July 23, 2009.[19] Lauer was the first former Senators' player to serve on the team's coaching staff, but was not offered an extension on his expiring contract on April 9, 2011, after the team finished with the 5th worst record in the NHL that resulted in himself, assistant coach Greg Carvel, and Head Coach Cory Clouston being let go by the team.

That off-season Lauer signed with the Anaheim Ducks to be an assistant coach with their farm team the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL for the 2011-12 season. However, early into that season the Anaheim Ducks fired their entire coaching staff (November 30, 2011) and Lauer was promoted to assistant coach of the Anaheim Ducks replacing Dave Farrish and Mike Foligno.[20] where he was joined by Bruce Boudreau and Bob Woods who themselves had recently been released by the Washington Capitals.

On June 27, 2018, Lauer was named the head coach of the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League.[21] In the 2021–2022 season he won the Ed Chynoweth Cup with the team.

On July 21, 2022, Lauer was named an assistant coach of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League.

On July 18, 2024, Lauer was named head coach of the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League.[22]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1983–84 Regina Pats WHL 60571251 1601124
1984–85 Regina Pats WHL 7233467957 866129
1985–86 Regina Pats WHL 5736387469 104592
1986–87 New York Islanders NHL 617142165 62024
1987–88 New York Islanders NHL 6917183567 53144
1988–89 Springfield Indians AHL 81560 —————
1988–89 New York Islanders NHL 143252 —————
1989–90 Springfield Indians AHL 74260 —————
1989–90 New York Islanders NHL 636182419 402210
1990–91 Capital District Islanders AHL 115111614 —————
1990–91 New York Islanders NHL 44481245 —————
1991–92 Indianapolis Ice IHL 5724305446 —————
1991–92 New York Islanders NHL 81012 —————
1991–92 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 60004 71122
1992–93 Indianapolis Ice IHL 6250419180 53146
1992–93 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 70112 —————
1993–94 Ottawa Senators NHL 302576 —————
1993–94 Las Vegas Thunder IHL 3221214230 41012
1994–95 Cleveland Lumberjacks IHL 5132275948 44266
1995–96 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 214156 121124
1995–96 Cleveland Lumberjacks IHL 5325275244 —————
1996–97 Cleveland Lumberjacks IHL 6427214861 1446108
1997–98 Cleveland Lumberjacks IHL 6822335574 1003312
1998–99 Utah Grizzlies IHL 7831306168 —————
1999–00 Utah Grizzlies IHL 7126224873 50112
2000–01 Utah Grizzlies IHL 7315233870 —————
2001–02 Sheffield Steelers BISL 4713132662 71346
IHL totals 609273275548594 4212132536
NHL totals 3234467111218 34751224

References

  1. ↑ Clark & Lang 2016, p. 104.
  2. ↑ "Hockey". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. October 31, 1981. p. C2. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "The Pats". Regina Leader-Post. September 28, 1983. p. B2. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Drinnan, Gregg (February 16, 1984). "Pats' penalty killers corral Wranglers". Regina Leader-Post. p. B1. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Brad Lauer". hockeydb.com. Retrieved December 2, 2025.
  6. ↑ Drinnan, Gregg (March 21, 1984). "Youth came through". Regina Leader-Post. p. B2. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "The Scouting Report". Regina Leader-Post. April 13, 1984. p. B3. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Kamloops KOs Pats". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. The Canadian Press. May 10, 1984. p. C5. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Drinnan, Gregg (October 18, 1984). "Pats win on the draw". p. B1. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ Senick, Dave (December 7, 1984). "Acton Producing for Pats". Regina Leader-Post. p. B1. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ Drinnan, Gregg. "Pats' entire season full of frustration". p. B6. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ Gallagher, Danny (October 15, 1985). "Quite a day for Hornung". Regina Leader-Post. p. B4. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Raiders dump shorthanded Pats". Regina Leader-Post. November 14, 1985. p. B1. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ Dickins, Jeff (December 13, 1985). "Team Canada lends a hand". Hamilton Spectator. p. C2. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ McKay, Garry (December 23, 1985). "Fast Start". p. B1. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ Gallagher, Danny (January 22, 1986). "Body contact missing". Regina Leader-Post. p. B3. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. 1 2 Gallagher, Danny (March 25, 1986). "Pats being post-season marathon". Regina Leader-Post. p. B1. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ Gallagher, Danny (April 9, 1986). "The end is here for Pats". Regina Leader-Post. p. C1. Retrieved December 2, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ Ottawa Senators (July 23, 2009). "Bulletin: Senators name Lauer as assistant coach". Senators.com. Archived from the original on January 9, 2010. Retrieved July 23, 2009.
  20. ↑ "Boudreau Replaces Carlyle as Ducks Head Coach".
  21. ↑ "Oli Kings Name Brad Lauer as Head Coach". Edmonton Oil Kings. June 27, 2018.
  22. ↑ https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2024/jul/18/spokane-chiefs-name-brad-lauer-coach-whls-all-time/

Bibliography

  • Clark, Wendel; Lang, Jim (2016). Bleeding Blue: Giving My All for the Game. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-1-5011-3598-9.