Brooks Laich - Ice Hockey Players, Timeline and Personal Life

Evan Brooks Laich was born in Wawota, Saskatchewan, Canada on 23rd June 1983. His father Harold Laich was a school teacher and principal, and his mother’s name was Jane Laich. He has two siblings, a sister named Jodi and a brother named Jordan.

Inspired by ice hockey star Joe Sakic of the Colorado Avalanche, Laich began playing minor hockey from an early age. During the 1999-2000 season, not only was Laich the top scorer but he also became the most valuable player for his team ‘Tisdale Trojans’.

Brooks Laich began his junior hockey career playing for the ‘Moose Jaw Warriors’ during the 2000-01 season of the Western Hockey League. He proved to be a very efficient player for the team, and played in 71 games. He was awarded the club’s Scholastic Player of the Year for the season for his excellent performance.

After the season, Laich was drafted by the Ottawa Senators during the 2001 NHL Entry draft. Though he played the 2001-02 season with the Warriors, later on he was traded off to the ‘Seattle Thunderbirds’. Laich played for the Thunderbirds for the rest of his junior hockey career.

Laich’s skills were quite appreciated and he was also named the team’s ‘Most Dedicated Player’ after the 2001-02 season. His reputation increased slowly, after he finished the 2002-03 season with 41 goals and 53 assists, leading the team. Owing to his excellence on the field, he was named the ‘WHL’S Western Conference Most Valuable Player’.

In 2003, he played his first professional game for the ‘Birmingham Senators’ at the American Hockey League. He made his National Hockey League (NHL) debut the same year with the Senators in a match against the New Jersey Devils. Later during the season, Laich was traded to the ‘Washington Capitals’.

After the trade-off, Laich reported to the Portland Pirates, the Capitals’ AHL affiliate. He played for the Pirates for the rest of the season, as well as the entire 2004-05 season.

Laich had also made his international debut in 2003 at the World Junior Championships, representing the Canadian National Team, where he helped his team capture the silver medal.

He played for the Capitals as well as their new AHL affiliate, the ‘Hershey Bears’, during the 2005-06 season. After the end of the Capitals’ season, he played for the Bears again, helping the team capture the Calder Cup. During the 2006-07 season, Laich played entirely for the Washington Capitals.

During the 2007-08 season, Laich not only played in all 82 games for the Capitals, but he also reached the highest number of goals and points in his entire career. He continued playing for the Capitals during the 2009-2010 season.

Brooks Laich played internationally for the second time during the 2010 World Championships, where he scored one goal for the Canadian National Team. The tournament was won by Czech Republic, while Canada finished at the seventh place.

During the 2010-11 season, the Capitals took part in the 2011 NFL Winter Classic where they faced the Pittsburgh Penguins. The same year, in June, Laich signed a six year, $27 million contract extension, which was worth $4.5 million per season.

Prior to the 2012-13 season, Laich played for the Kloten Flyers of Switzerland’s National League. He played a total of 35 games, where he scored a total of 17 goals and 38 points. However, because of an injury, he could only play nine games for the NHL in the 2012-2013 season. In 2016, Laich was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, during the 2016 NHL Drafts.

He won a silver medal at the 2003 World Junior Championships in which he represented Canada.

Brooks Laich started dating Julianne Hough, a professional dancer and actress, in 2014. Their engagement was announced the following year. They finally got married in July 2017.

A very passionate and disciplined player, Brooks Laich has also gained attention for his support towards charities related to multiple sclerosis and ‘Athletes Against Autism.’ He is also active on multiple social media sites, where he has a huge fan base.

Laich plays guitar and golf in his free time.