Lauri Pajuniemi (born 12 September 1999) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player for the Malmö Redhawks of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Pajuniemi was selected in the fifth round, 132nd overall, of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Rangers.[1]

Lauri Pajuniemi
Born (1999-09-12) 12 September 1999 (age 25)
Tampere, Finland
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb)
Position Right wing
Shoots Right
SHL team
Former teams
Malmö Redhawks
HC TPS
NHL draft 132nd overall, 2018
New York Rangers
Playing career 2013–present

Playing career

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In the 2019–20 season, Pajuniemi's 26 goals scored with HC TPS tied for third in Liiga with Eemeli Suomi, behind just Julius Nättinen and Justin Danforth.[2][3] Pajuniemi credited his emergence from a third or fourth line role player into a significant goal scorer to his coaches telling him to have confidence that he could score more than one goal a game.[4]

On 29 April 2021, Pajuniemi was signed by the New York Rangers to a two-year, entry-level contract.[5][6]

On 23 May 2023, Pajuniemi signed a one-year contract with the Malmö Redhawks of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).[7]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2015–16 TPS Jr. A 1 0 0 0 0
2016–17 TPS Jr. A 37 8 17 25 2 3 0 2 2 0
2017–18 TPS Jr. A 14 3 7 10 18
2017–18 TPS Liiga 32 2 5 7 4 9 3 1 4 2
2018–19 TPS Liiga 44 5 8 13 20 4 0 0 0 14
2018–19 TUTO Mestis 1 0 0 0 0
2019–20 TPS Liiga 49 26 14 40 10
2019–20 TPS Jr. A 2 0 0 0 0
2020–21 TPS Liiga 48 22 16 38 38 13 4 4 8 8
2021–22 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 51 13 13 26 14
2022–23 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 68 19 19 38 32 9 4 2 6 4
2023-24 Malmö Redhawks SHL 43 15 20 35 26
Liiga totals 173 55 43 98 72 26 7 5 12 24

International

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Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2016 Finland IH18 6th 4 1 0 1 0
Junior totals 4 1 0 1 0

References

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  1. ^ "New York Rangers select Lauri Pajuniemi 132nd overall". blueshirtbanter.com. 23 June 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  2. ^ "2019-2020 Regular Season Player Stats". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 24 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Tilastot - Lauri Pajuniemi - Kausi 2020-2021". liiga.fi (in Finnish). Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  4. ^ Walker, Mollie (16 September 2021). "Lauri Pajuniemi gets up-close look at his Rangers 'dream'". New York Post. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  5. ^ Power, Kevin (29 April 2021). "New York Rangers Sign Lauri Pajuniemi to ELC". Blueshirt Banter. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  6. ^ "New York Rangers Transactions". TSN. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
  7. ^ Pysch, Joakim (23 May 2023). "Lauri Pajuniemi klar för Malmö Redhawks". malmoredhawks.com (in Swedish). Retrieved 1 June 2023.
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