Paul LaDue

Paul LaDue
LaDue with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012
Born (1992-09-06) September 6, 1992 (age 32)
Grand Forks, North Dakota, U.S.
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 196 lb (89 kg; 14 st 0 lb)
Position Defense
Shoots Right
SHL team
Former teams		 Modo Hockey
Los Angeles Kings
New York Islanders
NHL draft 181st overall, 2012
Los Angeles Kings
Playing career 2016–present

Paul LaDue (born September 6, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the sixth round, 181st overall, in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

LaDue played junior hockey with the Alexandria Blizzard of the North American Hockey League and the Lincoln Stars in the United States Hockey League before he was drafted by the Kings. Committing to a collegiate career, LaDue returned home to North Dakota to play with the University of North Dakota in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.

Upon the conclusion of a successful junior year in 2015–16 season, helping the Fighting Hawks claim the National Championship, LaDue embarked on his professional career in agreeing to a one-year, entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings on April 30, 2016.[1] He made his professional debut in joining AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, on an amateur try-out and appeared in 3 post-season games.

After attending his first training camp with the Kings and turning heads in the pre-season, LaDue began his rookie campaign re-assigned to the Reign to begin the 2016–17 season. While placing second amongst blueliners in scoring, LaDue received his first recall to the NHL on February 1, 2017.[2] He made his NHL debut with the Kings in a 5–0 shutout defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 7, 2017.[3] He recorded his first point, an assist on a goal to Dwight King, in his second contest, a 6–3 victory over the Florida Panthers on February 9, 2017.[4]

On October 10, 2020, LaDue was signed as a free agent to a one-year, two-way contract with the Washington Capitals.[5] On September 20, 2021, LaDue was signed to a one-year contract by the New York Islanders.[6][7]

Following three seasons within the Islanders organization, LaDue left the club as a free agent and opted to sign his first contract abroad in agreeing to terms on a one-year contract with Swedish club, Modo Hockey of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), on July 16, 2024.[8]

Personal life

LaDue comes from a hockey playing family; his uncles and cousin also played collegiate hockey for the University of North Dakota.[9] His cousin Luke Johnson plays professionally for the Chicago Blackhawks organization of the NHL[10]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2009–10 Great Plains USHS 19 2 4 6 6 — — — — —
2009–10 Grand Forks Central High USHS 27 10 25 35 18 — — — — —
2010–11 Alexandria Blizzard NAHL 56 3 19 22 58 3 0 2 2 2
2011–12 Lincoln Stars USHL 56 9 25 34 27 8 1 2 3 2
2012–13 Lincoln Stars USHL 62 12 37 49 20 5 1 1 2 0
2013–14 U. of North Dakota NCHC 41 6 15 21 23 — — — — —
2014–15 U. of North Dakota NCHC 41 5 17 22 31 — — — — —
2015–16 U. of North Dakota NCHC 41 5 14 19 14 — — — — —
2015–16 Ontario Reign AHL — — — — — 3 0 0 0 2
2016–17 Ontario Reign AHL 38 6 12 18 28 3 1 0 1 2
2016–17 Los Angeles Kings NHL 22 0 8 8 4 — — — — —
2017–18 Ontario Reign AHL 36 8 10 18 22 4 0 0 0 6
2017–18 Los Angeles Kings NHL 12 3 1 4 6 2 1 0 1 0
2018–19 Los Angeles Kings NHL 33 2 3 5 12 — — — — —
2019–20 Ontario Reign AHL 48 9 18 27 30 — — — — —
2019–20 Los Angeles Kings NHL 2 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
2020–21 Hershey Bears AHL 18 3 5 8 18 — — — — —
2021–22 Bridgeport Islanders AHL 60 4 8 12 26 6 0 1 1 6
2021–22 New York Islanders NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2022–23 Bridgeport Islanders AHL 49 0 8 8 33 — — — — —
2023–24 Bridgeport Islanders AHL 44 0 8 8 33 — — — — —
NHL totals 70 5 13 18 22 2 1 0 1 0

Awards and honours

Award Year Ref
NAHL
All-Rookie Second Team 2011
USHL
First All-Star Team 2013
College
NCHC All-Rookie Team 2014

References

  1. ^ "LaDue signs entry-level contract with the Kings". Los Angeles Kings. April 30, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  2. ^ "LaDue recall coming; Gilbert placed on waivers". Los Angeles Kings. February 1, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2017.
  3. ^ "Bishop, Kucherov help Lightning beat Kings". CBS Sports. February 7, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
  4. ^ "Carter nets 4 points, Kings end drought". CBS Sports. February 9, 2017. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  5. ^ "Capitals sign defenseman Paul LaDue". Washington Capitals. October 11, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  6. ^ "Islanders Sign Five Players". NHL.com. September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  7. ^ "Islanders add Andreoff, LaDue; re-sign Timashov, Bardreau, Koivula". CTPost.com. September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
  8. ^ "Välkommen till MoDo, Paul LaDue!" (in Swedish). Modo Hockey. July 16, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  9. ^ Oltmans, Brady (January 29, 2015). "Former Stars Johnson, LaDue continue bond at North Dakota". Lincoln Journal Star. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
  10. ^ Brad Elliott Schlossman (October 3, 2018). "Two cousins from Grand Forks make NHL rosters". Grand Forks Herald. Retrieved October 4, 2018.