MEET THE CHIEFS 2015-16: #35 LASSE PETERSEN
(by Joe Everson / Spokane Chiefs Education Advisor)
SPOKANE, Wash. – To call Spokane Chiefs goalie Lasse Petersen well-traveled would be an understatement. In just the past two years, he’s played hockey in Denmark, Canada, Hungary, Finland and now the United States.
Petersen was born in Denmark while his father Erik was playing professional hockey. His family remained there until Lasse was 16, when they moved to Swan River, Manitoba, after Erik was named General Manager and Head Coach of the Swan Valley Stampeders of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
He represented Denmark in the U-18 IIHF World Championships in Hungary last spring, playing every minute as Denmark went 5-0 in the tournament. This winter, he was backup goaltender for the Danes in the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship in Finland.
His WHL career began in Calgary this season, where he played seven games with the Hitmen before being waived in November. Back home in Swan River, he received a call four days later from Spokane General Manager Tim Speltz and his hockey odyssey brought him to Spokane not long after that.
Since that call, Petersen – affectionately nicknamed “Larry” by his Spokane teammates after they had a hard time pronouncing his real first name – has appeared in 16 games with the Chiefs, posting a 2.79 goals against average and .898 save percentage. After Wednesday night’s overtime win in Everett, he’s earned an 8-4-1-0 record in a Spokane uniform, including two shutout performances.
Petersen is truly bilingual, growing up speaking both English and Danish in his home; English with his dad and Danish with his mother, Birgitte. He had English classes in school beginning in second grade and speaks with a barely recognizable accent.
He began playing hockey with his father at four years old and recalls moving into net at age 10. He says he’d been a fan of NHL legend Patrick Roy even before that, so he was excited for the opportunity to play the same position as his hockey hero.
Petersen says that his world travels have taught him to welcome new experiences with an open mind, to take the sport one day at a time and take advantage of every chance he gets to improve his game and advance to the next level, wherever that is.
He has spent the last two off-seasons at home in Manitoba, but this summer his family will travel to Denmark for a month. After that, he says, he’ll continue to work on his core strength in preparation for fall camp and whatever hockey adventures come his way.
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Spokane Chiefs Education Advisor Joe Everson works with all Chiefs players, from those still in high school to those pursuing a post-secondary education or preparing to do so following their WHL career. Throughout this season, Everson will profile individual Chiefs to provide insight into their lives, their preparation and their goals for the future.
