With the conclusion of the 2024 Rookie Faceoff, the Utah Hockey Club debuted its blue, white and black color-schemed jerseys. In three games, the team posted a 1-2 record playing against the San Jose Sharks (3-2 loss), Los Angeles Kings (4-3 overtime win), and the Vegas Golden Knights (3-2 loss). After Utah announced its Rookie Camp roster in early September, the franchise showcased its deep prospect pool. One of those prospects who participated in the Rookie Faceoff was defenseman Maveric Lamoureux.
Who is Maveric Lamoureux?
The 6-foot-7, 214-pounder is everything an NHL general manager could ask for: His lengthy stature gives him a long reach and a physical advantage over his opponents. Lamoureux also provides in the offensive zone, tallying 33 points in 39 games for the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) last season.
Related: Coyotes’ Maveric Lamoureux Making Waves in QMJHL
The Arizona Coyotes selected Lamoureux with its last of three first-round selections in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The 20-year-old signed his entry-level contract (ELC) on Aug. 17, 2022. He has played the last two seasons with the Voltigeurs as an alternate captain. The alternate captain for Team Canada at the 2024 U20 World Junior Championship recorded three points in five games.
Performance at 2024 Rookie Faceoff
The Canadian was tied for the most points among Utah’s skaters in three games. Lamoureux and forward Julian Lutz both posted three-point performances in the Rookie Faceoff.
Lamoureux’s lone goal came in the team’s loss against the Golden Knights. He proved his offensive prowess by scoring a power-play goal from the slot, going top-shelf.
Utah’s head coach for the Rookie Faceoff, Steve Potvin (the Tucson Roadrunners’ head coach), commented on Lamoureux’s potential.
“When you see how much he can do, I don’t know what his ceiling is,” Potvin said. “I think his ceiling is really high, and I didn’t expect this type of offensive ability, he’s one of the guys that generated the most offense.”
Outlook for Tucson
The right-handed shot’s impressive showing put fans and management on notice. While Utah’s defensive core looks to be set for its inaugural season, Lamoureux could make the jump up to the NHL level if injuries or poor play were to occur. For now, the most ideal spot for him is in the American Hockey League (AHL) with Utah’s affiliate; the Tucson Roadrunners.
Defenseman Victor Söderström led the Roadrunners’ defense in scoring with 32 points last season. However, the first-round pick by the Coyotes in 2019 recently signed a two-year deal with Bryäns IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Therefore, Lamoureux is expected to fill Söderström’s shoes as the best right-handed shot in Tucson.
Other notable defensemen who could play for the Roadrunners this season are Artem Duda, Maksymilian Szuber, and Vladislav Kolyachonok. Although Kolyachonok recorded four points in five games with Arizona last season, the recent signing of veteran Robert Bortuzzo puts pressure on him to be the extra defenseman for Utah this season.
If Lamoureux were to play in the AHL this season, he should be on Tucson’s first defensive pairing with either Szuber or Kolyachonok. Both potential partners are left-handed (Lamoureux is right-handed), have NHL experience from last season, and provide a more defensive game.
Lamoureux was on Utah’s top power-play unit at the Rookie Faceoff and is the best candidate to quarterback the Roadrunners’ top power-play unit. He will also be a go-to penalty killer for Povtin’s squad. His long reach and height will help him box out players in front of the net and break up pass and shot attempts.
Last season, Tucson produced forwards Dylan Guenther (35 points in 45 games) and Josh Doan’s (nine points in 11 games) surprising campaigns for the Coyotes. Could Lamoureux replicate something similar at some point during the 2024-25 season? Only time will tell as the Utah Hockey Club endures its first season as an NHL franchise.
