For Markus, the road to the SHL was one less traveled by players generally. Instead of being drafted in the SMJHL as an 18-year-old, he was ignored at the draft. Not disheartened by this setback, he worked with his agent to sign as a free agent, which he did with the Lethbridge Lions. Working hard to show he could earn his place in the league, he took the league by storm in his rookie season, even earning a sport as the starter by the end of the season and for the playoffs. Not only that, he was drafted in the second round in the SHL, proving that he had opened some eyes in the big leagues. For two years after that, he was the uncontested starer for the Lions, guiding them to good regular seasons, but unfortunately, never to the ultimate prize. He was called up by the Chiefs this season, and he had a surprisingly good campaign for a rookie goalie behind a team in the middle of a rebuild. He can only hope that the future is bright in Minnesota, not only for his team, but for himself.

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