Maxime Lajoie Signs with KHL’s Avangard Omsk
Maxime Lajoie, a 27-year-old defenseman who previously played for the Seattle Kraken and the Coachella Valley Firebirds, has inked a deal with KHL’s Avangard Omsk. During his tenure with the Kraken organization, Lajoie participated in 70 games for the Firebirds, registering four goals and accumulating a total of 38 points.
Career Overview
Before this latest move, Lajoie was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fifth round of the 2016 NHL Draft, 133rd overall. Following his initial stint with Ottawa, where he appeared in 62 NHL matches, Lajoie spent three subsequent seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes. His journey continued with the Toronto Maple Leafs prior to his arrival in Seattle.
Across his NHL career, he has played in 77 games, netting seven goals and contributing 16 points. Additionally, Lajoie’s experience includes 378 games in the AHL, where he tallied 34 goals and 194 points during his eight seasons in the league.
Joining Avangard Omsk
At Omsk, Lajoie will join a roster featuring notable NHL prospects, such as Mikhail Gulyayev from the Colorado Avalanche and Semyon Chistyakov of the Nashville Predators, alongside former NHL players like Nail Yakupov and Vyacheslav Voynov.
Lajoie is expected to thrive under the guidance of coach Guy Boucher, who he previously played for in both Ottawa and Toronto. Alexei Sopin, the general manager of Avangard Omsk, expressed his enthusiasm about Lajoie’s signing, stating that the team has pursued him for several seasons due to his capabilities both defensively and offensively, as well as his impressive skating skills. Sopin believes Lajoie will significantly contribute to achieving Avangard’s ambitious goals this season.
Related News
In related news, another former Kraken player, Daniel Sprong, has signed with KHL team CSKA Moscow.
