Nathan Lawson (ice hockey)

Nathan Lawson (born September 29, 1983) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. A goaltender, Lawson is currently playing with HPK in the Finnish top-flight Liiga. Lawson has previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators.

Nathan Lawson
Lawson with the Vienna Capitals in 2016
Born (1983-09-29) September 29, 1983 (age 40)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight191 lb (87 kg; 13 st 9 lb)
PositionGoaltender
CatchesLeft
Liiga team
Former teams
HPK
New York Islanders
Ottawa Senators
Dornbirner EC
Vienna Capitals
NHL draftUndrafted
Playing career2007–present

Playing career

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Lawson started his career as a hockey player at the Olds Grizzlys, where he was active from 2001 to 2004 in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. He then spent three years at the University of Alaska Anchorage, and played in parallel for their hockey team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association play. In the 2007–08 season the goalkeeper made his debut in professional hockey, initially for the Phoenix RoadRunners and then for the Utah Grizzlies in the ECHL.

From the 2008–09 season through 2010–11, Lawson was goaltender for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the American Hockey League (AHL), the affiliate of the New York Islanders of the NHL. Lawson made his NHL debut with the Islanders on December 18, 2010, in a 4–3 shootout loss to the Phoenix Coyotes, and played a total of ten games for the Islanders in the 2010–11 season.

On July 5, 2011, Lawson signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Montreal Canadiens. He spent the season with the Hamilton Bulldogs, playing 57 games and recording five shutouts. He signed a one-year, two-way contract with Ottawa on July 16, 2012.[1]

On October 2, 2014, Lawson as a free agent ventured abroad to sign an initial try-out contract with Austrian club, Dornbirner EC of the EBEL.[2] Lawson secured the starting position with the Bulldogs, and appeared in 37 games in the 2014–15 season, recording 19 wins.

On May 30, 2015, Lawson opted to continue in the EBEL, signing a one-year contract with fellow Austrian club, the Vienna Capitals.[3] He made 44 EBEL appearances for the Vienna team during the 2015–16 season. He left the club after the season to move to Finland, where he penned a deal with HPK of the country's top-tier Liiga.[4]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPWLTOTLMINGASOGAASV%GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
2002–03Olds GrizzlysAJHL56
2003–04Olds GrizzlysAJHL54
2004–05University of Alaska AnchorageWCHA27715314828213.32.914
2005–06University of Alaska AnchorageWCHA21411310636113.44.908
2006–07University of Alaska AnchorageWCHA271015215237703.03.893
2007–08Phoenix RoadrunnersECHL53202791413.01.910
2007–08Utah GrizzliesECHL24147113906712.89.90610545432622.87.905
2008–09Utah GrizzliesECHL3200158602.28.918
2008–09Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL31199217236222.16.927202123803.89.833
2009–10Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL361616321218912.52.92210046202.63.938
2010–11New York IslandersNHL101423842604.06.893
2010–11Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL166549534602.90.913
2011–12Hamilton BulldogsAHL4419174240210352.57.914
2012–13Binghamton SenatorsAHL23126212584622.19.938303165802.60.905
2012–13Elmira JackalsECHL110060202.00.941
2013–14Binghamton SenatorsAHL30158115718003.05.908
2013–14Ottawa SenatorsNHL1000122010.00.800
2014–15Dornbirner ECEBEL371915020449812.88.920
2015–16Vienna CapitalsEBEL4023368802.26.9244132711102.43.917
NHL totals111403962804.24.889

Awards and honours

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AwardYearRef.
All-WCHA Rookie Team2004–05
AHL All-Rookie Team2008–09[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Bulletin: Senators sign goaltender Nathan Lawson to a one-year, two-way contract" (Press release). Ottawa Senators. July 16, 2012. Retrieved July 16, 2012.
  2. ^ "Dornbirn sign Nathan Lawson on try-out basis". Dornbirner EC. October 2, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2014.
  3. ^ "Nathan Lawson future keeper for the Caps" (in German). Vienna Capitals. May 30, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  4. ^ "HPK:n ensi kauden joukkue". HPK. April 29, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  5. ^ "Nathan Lawson profile". The Hockey News. October 2, 2010. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
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