Laura Lynne Schuler (born December 3, 1970) is a Canadian ice hockey coach for Minnesota Duluth of the WCHA and former player who was a member of the 1998 Canadian women's Olympic hockey team.

Laura Schuler
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamMinnesota Duluth
ConferenceWCHA
Biographical details
Born (1970-12-03) December 3, 1970 (age 53)
Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Playing career
1989–1993Northeastern
1993–1994Scarborough Firefighters
1996–1996Toronto Red Wings
1996–1997Newtonbrook Panthers
1998–2000Brampton Thunder
Position(s)Forward
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2004UMass Boston
2004–2008Northeastern
2008–2016Minnesota Duluth (Assistant)
2016–2020Dartmouth
2021–2024Minnesota Duluth (Assistant)
2024–presentMinnesota Duluth
Medal record
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1998 Nagano Team
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1990 Canada
Gold medal – first place 1992 Finland
Gold medal – first place 1997 Canada

Playing career

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Schuler played one sport in high school. She was captain of the field hockey. She earned MVP awards in field hockey, ice hockey and soccer. Schuler won three Canadian national soccer championships with Scarborough United.[1] Schuler began playing with the Toronto Aeros' youth organization when she was 11 years old in 1981. After three years with the Aeros, she played with the Scarborough Firefighters from 1984 to 1989. In 1994, Schuler joined the Toronto Red Wings.

Northeastern

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In 1989, Schuler entered Northeastern University in Boston to pursue a bachelor's degree in cardiovascular health and exercise. As a rookie, she was the Huskies scoring leader in goals, assists, and total points. After the 90–91 season, she scored 20 goals and 13 assists. The following season, the Huskies had 20 wins and seven losses. Schuler accumulated 20 goals and 13 assists for 33 points. Once again, she led the team in goals, assists and points.

In 1991–92, Schuler was part of the Huskies third consecutive 20-win season (the Huskies went 20–5–2). Schuler had another season with 20 goals. For the year, she had 29 points. During her final year of 1992–93, she was named team captain. As she was the team leader in scoring with 16 goals and 20 assists, (for 36 points), she suffered a season-ending leg injury. The injury occurred with seven games remaining. For her career, her numbers with the Huskies included 64 goals, (fifth overall), 57 assists (ninth), and 121 points (eighth).

Toronto Lady Blues

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After her time at Northeastern, Schuler played for the Toronto Varsity Blues women's ice hockey program. In the 1997 OWIAA semifinal, Schuler's hat trick led the Lady Blues to a 4-1 victory over the Guelph Gryphons. Schuler would also score a goal against York University goaltender Debra Ferguson in the 1997 OWIAA gold medal game.[2]

Hockey Canada

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Schuler joined the Canadian women's national team in its first season, 1990. She captured gold medals at World Championships in 1990, 1992, and 1997. Schuler also played in the 1995 and 1996 Pacific Rim Tournament.[3] Her final major international tournament was the 1998 Winter Olympics where she suited up for six matches.[4]

Coaching career

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In 2004, she became the head coach for the program at Northeastern University. From 1998 to 2000, she had coached the Stouffville Midget AA teams in Stouffville, Ontario from 1998 through 2000. In 2007–08, Schuler's Northeastern Huskies team had two members on the Hockey East All-Rookie team: Kristi Kehoe (led the team in scoring), and goaltender Leah Sulyma.[5] In the summer of 2010, Schuler participated in the evaluation camp for the 2010–11 Canadian national women's team.[6] She was a coach for Canada Red (the camp was divided into four teams, Red, White, Yellow, Blue). Schuler assisted head coach Ryan Walter for Team Canada at the 2010 Four Nations Cup.[7]

Schuler was an assistant coach for the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs women's ice hockey program from 2008 until 2016.

On April 22, 2016, Schuler was named head coach of the Dartmouth College women's ice hockey team.[8]

On September 7, 2020, Schuler was named a volunteer advisor at Quinnipiac for the 2020–21 season.[9]

On July 21, 2021, Minnesota Duluth announced that Schuler would be returning to the program as an assistant coach.[10] On July 11, 2024, she was named the third head coach in the history of the Bulldogs women's ice hockey team.[11]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM
1989–90 Northeastern ECAC 21 8 15 23
1990–91 Northeastern ECAC 27 20 13 33
1991–92 Northeastern ECAC 27 20 9 29
1992–93 Northeastern ECAC 24 16 20 36
1993–94 Scarborough Firefighters COWHL 14 9 7 16 38
1995–96 Toronto Red Wings COWHL 16 6 11 17 12
1996–97 Newtonbrook Panthers COWHL 19 16 16 32 26
1998–99 Brampton Thunder NWHL 14 6 10 16 10
1999–2000 Brampton Thunder NWHL 25 9 9 18 41
NCAA totals 99 64 57 121
COWHL totals 49 31 34 65 76
NWHL totals 39 15 19 34 51

International

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Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
1990 Canada WC   5 4 2 6 8
1992 Canada WC   5 1 2 3 4
1997 Canada WC   5 1 4 5 6
1998 Canada OG   6 0 0 0 2
Senior totals 21 6 8 14 22

Coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
UMass Boston (ECAC East) (2003–2004)
2003–04 UMass Boston 13–12–1 6th
UMass Boston: 13–12–1
Northeastern (Hockey East) (2004–2008)
2004–05 Northeastern 3–25–4 2–15–3 6th
2005–06 Northeastern 8–24–1 6–14–1 7th
2006–07 Northeastern 5–26–2 4–15–2 7th
2007–08 Northeastern 7–24–3 6–14–1 6th
Northeastern: 23–99–10 18–58–7
Dartmouth (ECAC) (2016–2020)
2016–17 Dartmouth 7–21–0 5–17–0 11th
2018–19 Dartmouth 5–19–3 4–16–2 10th
2019–20 Dartmouth 7–19–3 4–15–3 10th
Dartmouth: 19–59–6 13–48–5
Minnesota Duluth (WCHA) (2024–present)
2024–25 Minnesota Duluth
Minnesota Duluth:
Total: 55–170–17 31–106–12

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

[12]

Awards and honours

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  • Ontario Athletic Union, All-Conference, 1996
  • Ontario Athletic Union, All-Conference in both 1997
  • Eastern College Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Award in 2004
  • Northeastern University's Sports Hall of Fame (inducted in 2004)[13]

References

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  1. ^ Who's Who in Canadian Sport, Volume 4, p.396, Bob Ferguson, Fitzhenry and Whiteside Ltd., Markham, ON and Allston, MA, ISBN 1-55041-855-6
  2. ^ Riz, Barry (February 25, 1997). "Hockey Dream Season Crushed in Overtime". Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2011.
  3. ^ Marc Ouellette. "University of Toronto Varsity Blues 1995–96". dgp.toronto.edu. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
  4. ^ "Laura Schuler". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020.
  5. ^ "Husky Profile: Laura Schuler". Northeastern Women's Hockey. Archived from the original on April 17, 2008.
  6. ^ "The Official Website Of Hockey Canada". Archived from the original on February 4, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  7. ^ "The Official Website Of Hockey Canada". Archived from the original on June 1, 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  8. ^ "Laura Schuler named head coach of women's hockey". Dartmouth Sports. April 22, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2016.
  9. ^ "Turner Welcomes Laura Schuler to Women's Ice Hockey Staff". gobobcats.com. September 7, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  10. ^ "Schuler Joins UMD Women's Hockey Coaching Staff". UMD Athletics. July 14, 2021.
  11. ^ Kennedy, Ian (July 11, 2024). "Laura Schuler Named New Head Coach For University of Minnesota-Duluth Women's Hockey". TheHockeyNews.com. The Hockey News. Retrieved July 12, 2024. Laura Schuler has been hired as the third head coach in University of Minnesota-Duluth women's hockey history.
  12. ^ "Statistics". Elite Prospects.
  13. ^ "Inductee Profile: Laura Schuler". Northeastern University Sports. Archived from the original on May 29, 2008.
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