With the 29th pick of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, the Arizona Coyotes have selected Maveric Lamoureux from the Drummondville Voltigeurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
About Maveric Lamoureux
Maveric Lamoureux is one of the tallest players in this draft class and will be one of the tallest players in the NHL when he gets there. His first season in the QMJHL wasn’t superb, but he showed some growth (both in size and skill) in the 2021-22 season where he scored an impressive 24 points in 54 QMJHL games. This towering right-handed defenseman has the potential to become a bruising defensive defenseman at the NHL level if his physicality can improve to match his large frame.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“If you’re a fan of oversized defensemen who can skate well, you’re going to love what Maverick Lamoureux brings to the table. Standing at 6-foot-7 and inching closer to the 200-pound mark, he draws comparable to Zdeno Chara, and he certainly has the imposing stature to show for it. His first season got off to a rocky start, as his offensive game didn’t pick up much, but defensively he made up for it. This season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), he’s accumulated 13 points in 35 games on a Drummondville Voltigeurs team that is fourth in the Western Conference but producing the third-worst offense.
“He has the ability to control a game in the defensive zone with his imposing physicality and prowess in corner battles. He often ops to check the players in corners using his massive size, while utilizing his stick-checking game to scoop pucks out and infuriate the opposition. Offensively, he leaves a lot to be desired as he mainly plays with a passive approach to carrying the play while in the offensive zone, but there have been glimpses into his intelligence with getting low shots on net to create rebounds in the high-danger areas, creating chaos in the process.
Related: 2022 NHL Draft Live Tracker
“Where his game falters is the inconsistencies in his strengths. For example, his ability to cover large amounts of the ice with his reach would be more impactful if he focused on improving his gap control. Lamoureux often tends to back up too far, leaving room for the opposition to start up their rush play and pass the puck off to an open area. The inconsistencies also factor into his physical game, as he sometimes backs away from battles or takes a more passive approach when digging for pucks.”
Full player profile can be found here
How This Affects the Coyotes’ Plans
After selecting two centermen in Logan Cooley and Connor Geekie, the Coyotes add some depth to the defensive side of their prospect pool in Maveric Lamoureux.
