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Maxime Lajoie

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Maxime Lajoie (born November 5, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Coachella Valley Firebirds in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). Lajoie was chosen 133rd overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2016 NHL entry draft. He has also played for the Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Maxime Lajoie
Lajoie at the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic Game
Born (1997-11-05) November 5, 1997 (age 26)
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams		 Seattle Kraken
Coachella Valley Firebirds (AHL)
Ottawa Senators
Carolina Hurricanes
Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL draft 133rd overall, 2016
Ottawa Senators
Playing career 2017–present

Early life

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Lajoie was born in Quebec City and moved to Montreal, Quebec, Toronto, Ontario and then Calgary, Alberta by the age of seven. His first language is French but is now bilingual.[1]

Playing career

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Junior career

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Lajoie played major junior hockey for the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League (WHL) from 2013 to 2017. He was drafted by the Broncos, 95th overall, in the 2012 WHL bantam draft.[2] Lajoie played one game in 2013–14 and earned a roster spot in 2014–15. He increased his points per game over his three seasons with the Broncos. He returned to Swift Current as an alternate captain for his final season in junior.[3]

Professional career

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Lajoie was selected by the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL) in his first season of eligibility, going 133rd overall in the 2016 NHL entry draft. Lajoie's coach until 2016, former Senator Mark Lamb, considered the selection of Lajoie a "steal" at 133rd overall, noting he was the team's No. 1 penalty killer, No. 1 shut-down defenceman and assistant captain.[4] Lajoie signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Senators on October 3, 2016, and attended their training camp.[5]

In 2017, he became a professional, joining the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League (AHL) in September 2017.[6] In November 2017, Lajoie was assigned to the Brampton Beast of the ECHL, returning to Belleville after one game with Brampton. In 2018, Lajoie made the jump to the NHL, earning a roster spot in training camp. He made his NHL debut on October 4, 2018, scoring a goal and an assist in a 4–3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks.[7] Lajoie became the second Ottawa defenceman (after Wade Redden) to score in his NHL debut.[7] He played in 56 games with the Senators in the 2018–19 season, scoring 7 goals and 15 points. He also appeared in three games with Belleville, registering just one assist.[8] The Senators assigned Lajoie to Belleville to start the 2019–20 season.[9] He was recalled by Ottawa in November[10] and made his NHL season debut on November 22 in a 4–1 victory over the New York Rangers.[11] He was returned to Belleville in December[12] after playing in six games with Ottawa, going scoreless.[8] He spent the rest of the season in Belleville, registering 4 goals and 17 points in 48 games before the AHL suspended play on March 12, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8][13]

After attending the Senators training camp for the pandemic-delayed 2020–21 season, on January 12, 2021, Lajoie was traded by Ottawa to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Clark Bishop.[14] He was directly assigned by the Hurricanes to join AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. He played in 27 games with Chicago, scoring 6 goals and 21 points.[8] He was recalled by Carolina along with Ryan Suzuki and Alex Nedeljkovic during the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs.[15] and made his Hurricanes and playoff debut in Game 3's double overtime 5–4 loss to the Nashville Predators on May 21.[16] He played in the following game, another double overtime loss, but was replaced by Jaccob Slavin who returned from injury for Game 5.[17]

Lajoie was assigned to Chicago for the 2021–22 season. He was recalled by Carolina along with Jalen Chatfield on November 29, 2021.[18] He and Chatfield made their NHL season debuts on November 30, replacing defencemen Brett Pesce and Tony DeAngelo in the lineup. The Hurricanes lost the game 4–1, though Lajoie played well.[19] He appeared in five games with Carolina before being sent back to Chicago on December 13.[20] In 60 games with the Wolves, he scored four goals and 33 points. In the 2022 Calder Cup playoffs, he added four goals and eight points.[8] He won the 2022 Calder Cup with the Wolves, scoring the game winner in the cup clinching victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds.[21] On August 6, 2022 the Hurricanes re-signed Lajoie's to an additional one-year contract.[22] Named captain of the Wolves for the 2022–23 season, Lajoie was selected to play in the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic.[23] In 63 games with Chicago he scored 11 goals and 45 points.[8]

Following three seasons with the Hurricanes organization, Lajoie left as an unrestricted free agent and agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 1, 2023.[24] He attended the Maple Leafs 2023 training camp, but failed to make the team and was placed on waivers. After going unclaimed Lajoie was assigned to the Maple Leafs AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies to start the 2023–24 season.[25][26] He was recalled by the Maple Leafs on November 4 after an injury to Timothy Liljegren and made his season debut against the Buffalo Sabres that night.[27] He was returned to the Marlies on November 9.[28] He spent the majority of the season with the Marlies, appearing in 56 games, scoring 4 goals and 24 points. He also appeared in seven games with the Maple Leafs, registering one assist.[29]

An unrestricted free agent in the offseason, Lajoie signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Seattle Kraken on July 1, 2024.[29] After going unclaimed on waivers, he was assigned to Seattle's AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, to start the 2024–25 season.[30]

Career statistics

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2012–13 Calgary Royals AMHL 28 1 10 11 12 5 1 2 3 0
2013–14 Calgary Royals AMHL 32 7 10 17 10 — — — — —
2013–14 Swift Current Broncos WHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2014–15 Swift Current Broncos WHL 72 7 33 40 22 4 1 2 3 0
2015–16 Swift Current Broncos WHL 62 8 29 37 28 — — — — —
2016–17 Swift Current Broncos WHL 68 7 35 42 26 14 1 8 9 10
2017–18 Belleville Senators AHL 56 1 14 15 12 — — — — —
2017–18 Brampton Beast ECHL 1 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
2018–19 Ottawa Senators NHL 56 7 8 15 20 — — — — —
2018–19 Belleville Senators AHL 3 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
2019–20 Belleville Senators AHL 48 4 13 17 24 — — — — —
2019–20 Ottawa Senators NHL 6 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2020–21 Chicago Wolves AHL 27 6 15 21 24 — — — — —
2020–21 Carolina Hurricanes NHL — — — — — 2 0 0 0 2
2021–22 Chicago Wolves AHL 60 4 29 33 10 18 4 4 8 18
2021–22 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 5 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2022–23 Chicago Wolves AHL 63 11 34 45 58 — — — — —
2022–23 Carolina Hurricanes NHL 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2023–24 Toronto Marlies AHL 51 4 20 24 31 3 0 0 0 0
2023–24 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 7 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
NHL totals 77 7 9 16 20 2 0 0 0 2

Awards and honours

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Award Year
AHL
Calder Cup (Chicago Wolves) 2022 [31]

References

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  1. ^ Kennedy, Ryan (February 9, 2016). "Prospect Need to Know: Max Lajoie has stepped up in Swift Current". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  2. ^ "SC Broncos: Sign Lajoie to WHL Contract". whl.ca. August 31, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2018.[dead link]
  3. ^ "Broncos Announce Leadership Group for 2016-17 Season". scbroncos.com. October 27, 2016. Retrieved October 5, 2018.[dead link]
  4. ^ Fraser, Callum (June 30, 2016). "Maxime Lajoie Has a Hockey Mind and a Heart of Gold". Silversevens.com. Retrieved October 5, 2018.
  5. ^ "Sens sign Maxime Lajoie to an entry-level contract". Ottawa Senators. October 3, 2016. Retrieved October 5, 2018 – via NHL.com.
  6. ^ "Parent Senators send three to Belleville". The Belleville Intelligencer. September 26, 2017. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Warren, Ken (October 5, 2018). "Lajoie makes smashing NHL debut with family in the house". canoe.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Max Lajoie". hockeydb.com. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  9. ^ "Senators' Max Lajoie: Starts 2019 in Belleville". CBS Sports. September 25, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  10. ^ Foot, David (November 22, 2019). "Roster carousel continues for B-Sens ahead of visit to Binghamton". Quinte News. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  11. ^ "Chabot, Nilsson lead Senators to 4-1 win over Rangers". ESPN. Associated Press. November 22, 2019. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  12. ^ Warren, Ken (December 26, 2019). "Warren: Awaiting Hainsey's return ... and the flurry of trades in the new year". Ottawa Sun. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  13. ^ "AHL cancels rest of regular season, playoffs due to COVID-19 pandemic". Sportsnet. May 11, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  14. ^ "Canes acquire Max Lajoie from Senators". Carolina Hurricanes. January 12, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2020 – via NHL.com.
  15. ^ Alexander, Chip (May 17, 2021). "The Hurricanes had plenty to celebrate after Game 1 against the Predators". The News & Observer. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  16. ^ Alexander, Chip (May 22, 2021). "Hurricanes left as much mad as sad after double-overtime loss to Predators". The News & Observer. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  17. ^ Alexander, Chip (May 26, 2021). "All seems right in the Hurricanes' world with Jaccob Slavin back and playing". News & Observer. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  18. ^ "Chatfield and Lajoie recalled". Chicago Wolves. November 29, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  19. ^ Alexander, Chip (December 1, 2021). "Holtby, Hintz spur Dallas Stars to win over Carolina Hurricanes". The News & Observer. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  20. ^ "Hurricanes' Max Lajoie: Back to minors". CBS Sports. December 13, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  21. ^ Powers, Colin (June 26, 2022). "Lajoie and Wolves win Calder Cup". SwiftCurrentOnline.com. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  22. ^ "Canes Re-Sign Lajoie To One-Year Contract". Carolina Hurricanes. August 6, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022 – via NHL.com.
  23. ^ "Wolves Captain Max Lajoie Named AHL All-Star". Chicago Wolves. January 11, 2023. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  24. ^ "Maple Leafs sign four players". Toronto Maple Leafs. July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023 – via NHL.com.
  25. ^ "Maple Leafs goaltender Martin Jones, five others clear waivers". Sportsnet. October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  26. ^ Barden, Nick (October 8, 2023). "Maple Leafs Waive Martin Jones and Others to Clear Cap Space Ahead of NHL Regular Season Roster Submission Deadline". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  27. ^ "Matthews' hat trick not enough as Sabres down Maple Leafs". Sportsnet. The Canadian Press. November 4, 2023. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  28. ^ Alter, David (November 9, 2023). "Why the Maple Leafs Called up Pontus Holmberg From the Marlies and Sent Down Max Lajoie". The Hockey News. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  29. ^ a b "Seattle Kraken sign Maxime Lajoie to one-year, two-way contract". Sportsnet. July 1, 2024. Retrieved July 8, 2024.
  30. ^ Gaudio, Julian (September 28, 2024). "Nikolas Brouillard and Luke Henman Clear Waivers; Kraken Place Maxime Lajoie On Waivers". The Hockey News. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  31. ^ "Chicago is Calder City again". American Hockey League. June 25, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
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