St. Cloud State Alumni Patrick Russell and Oliver Lauridsen Named to Denmark Olympic Team
1/19/2022 2:59:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Russell and Lauridsen gives the Huskies five representatives at the 2022 Winter Olympics
ST. CLOUD, Minn. – St. Cloud State Men's Hockey alumni Patrick Russell (2014-16) and Oliver Lauridsen (2008-11) have been named to the Denmark Olympic Team, announced on Tuesday. The duo will join St. Cloud State head coach Brett Larson, senior forward Sam Hentges (New Brighton, Minn.) and senior defenseman Nick Perbix (Elk River, Minn.), who will represent Team USA, at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China from Feb. 2-20.
Russell and Lauridsen are the 10th and 11th Huskies to be named Olympians and the first to represent Team Denmark. It will be Denmark's first-ever Olympic appearance in the the sport of men's ice hockey. The duo joins fellow Husky Olympians Bret Hedican (Team USA – 1992 Albertville, 2006 Turin), Mark Parrish (Team USA – 2006 Turin), Matt Cullen (Team USA – 2006 Turin), Ryan Malone (Team USA – 2010 Vancouver), Andreas Nodl (Team Austria – 2014 Sochi), Will Borgen (Team USA – 2018 PyeongChang), Garrett Roe (Team USA – 2018 PyeongChang), Hentges and Perbix.
The pair's naming to the Denmark National Team gives the Huskies five representatives – four athletes and one coach – in the 2022 Winter Olympics, the most of any Olympic Games. It surpasses the previous best mark of three, which occurred at the 2006 Turin and 2018 PyeongChang Games. In 2006, Bret Hedican, Matt Cullen and Mark Parrish represented the Huskies in Turin, while Will Borgen, Garrett Roe and Rikard Gronborg represented St. Cloud State in 2018 in PyeongChang. Hedican, Cullen, Parrish, Borgen and Roe all represented Team USA as athletes, while Gronborg was the head coach for Team Sweden.
Russell, a forward, scored 66 points – 30 goals, 33 assists – in two seasons for the Huskies from 2014-16, helping St. Cloud State to two NCAA Tournament appearances and an NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship in 2016. Russell was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team in 2014-15 and currently ranks second in program history in game-winning goals in one season, scoring six in 2015-16. He was also a two-time NCHC All-Academic Team honoree, earning the distinction in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
Following his time in St. Cloud, Russell played 59 games for the Edmonton Oilers from 2018-21, scoring seven points, all assists. He also played on the Denmark National Team from 2017-19 and the Junior National Team in 2011 and 2013.
Lauridsen, a defenseman, scored 22 points – seven goals, 15 assists – in three seasons for the Huskies from 2008-11. He was given the William Radovich Award in 2010, given annually to the team's most improved player, and was a two-time WCHA Scholar Athlete recipient, earning the honor in 2010 and 2011.
Following St. Cloud State, Lauridsen played parts of two seasons in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers, playing 16 games in the 2012-13 and 2014-15 seasons, recording three points (two goals, one assist). He also played on the Denmark National Team from 2013-19 and the Junior National Team from 2008-09.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Men's Hockey, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Tickets for the 2021-22 season are available for purchase at www.scsutickets.com, downloading the St. Cloud State Huskies app or by calling 1-877-SCSUTIX / 320-308-2137.
Russell and Lauridsen are the 10th and 11th Huskies to be named Olympians and the first to represent Team Denmark. It will be Denmark's first-ever Olympic appearance in the the sport of men's ice hockey. The duo joins fellow Husky Olympians Bret Hedican (Team USA – 1992 Albertville, 2006 Turin), Mark Parrish (Team USA – 2006 Turin), Matt Cullen (Team USA – 2006 Turin), Ryan Malone (Team USA – 2010 Vancouver), Andreas Nodl (Team Austria – 2014 Sochi), Will Borgen (Team USA – 2018 PyeongChang), Garrett Roe (Team USA – 2018 PyeongChang), Hentges and Perbix.
The pair's naming to the Denmark National Team gives the Huskies five representatives – four athletes and one coach – in the 2022 Winter Olympics, the most of any Olympic Games. It surpasses the previous best mark of three, which occurred at the 2006 Turin and 2018 PyeongChang Games. In 2006, Bret Hedican, Matt Cullen and Mark Parrish represented the Huskies in Turin, while Will Borgen, Garrett Roe and Rikard Gronborg represented St. Cloud State in 2018 in PyeongChang. Hedican, Cullen, Parrish, Borgen and Roe all represented Team USA as athletes, while Gronborg was the head coach for Team Sweden.
Russell, a forward, scored 66 points – 30 goals, 33 assists – in two seasons for the Huskies from 2014-16, helping St. Cloud State to two NCAA Tournament appearances and an NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship in 2016. Russell was named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team in 2014-15 and currently ranks second in program history in game-winning goals in one season, scoring six in 2015-16. He was also a two-time NCHC All-Academic Team honoree, earning the distinction in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
Following his time in St. Cloud, Russell played 59 games for the Edmonton Oilers from 2018-21, scoring seven points, all assists. He also played on the Denmark National Team from 2017-19 and the Junior National Team in 2011 and 2013.
Lauridsen, a defenseman, scored 22 points – seven goals, 15 assists – in three seasons for the Huskies from 2008-11. He was given the William Radovich Award in 2010, given annually to the team's most improved player, and was a two-time WCHA Scholar Athlete recipient, earning the honor in 2010 and 2011.
Following St. Cloud State, Lauridsen played parts of two seasons in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers, playing 16 games in the 2012-13 and 2014-15 seasons, recording three points (two goals, one assist). He also played on the Denmark National Team from 2013-19 and the Junior National Team from 2008-09.
For all the latest on St. Cloud State Men's Hockey, stay tuned to SCSUHuskies.com and follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Tickets for the 2021-22 season are available for purchase at www.scsutickets.com, downloading the St. Cloud State Huskies app or by calling 1-877-SCSUTIX / 320-308-2137.
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