Utah HC recalls promising defenseman Maveric Lamoureux from minors

Well, that didn’t take long.
After a strong rookie camp, a good preseason and four games of dominance in the AHL, 20-year-old defenseman Maveric Lamoureux has earned his first chance in the NHL.
“I didn’t think I would get called up that quick, but being here is amazing,” Lamoureux said after practice on Wednesday. “Everyone wants to be here, so the fact that I’m here already means a lot.”
He went on to mention that he still doesn’t know whether he’ll get to play a game yet, but he’s happy either way to get the experience of being with an NHL team.
Patrik Koch, whom the Utah Hockey Club had previously recalled, has been sent back to the AHL. It’s possible that the team’s plan is to rotate through Koch, Lamoureux and possibly Maksymilian Szuber, as they don’t want anyone’s development to be hindered by not playing regularly.
The team announced Wednesday that defensemen John Marino and Sean Durzi have both undergone surgery. Marino is expected to return within three to four months, while Durzi’s timeline is four to six months.
Lamoureux got the call on Tuesday evening and took a 6 a.m. flight to Salt Lake City on Wednesday. He was among the first group of players to take the ice at practice Wednesday morning.
“I got like four hours of sleep, that’s pretty much it, but I look like I slept the whole night,” he said. “I’m just really happy to be here.”
He woke his parents, who live in Quebec, with a phone call last night to tell them the news. He’s not sure if they’ll be able to make it to his first game or not. There’s no guarantee that he’ll play right away so it could be difficult. If they do come, though, it’s probably best to keep the cameras off of them.
Through four games with the Tucson Roadrunners, Utah HC’s AHL affiliate, the 6-foot-7, right-shot defenseman has two goals and an assist.
“It’s a completely different game from junior,” Lamoureux said of the pro hockey experience. “Every player is on task, players are good on details, they’re much bigger, much faster.”
The steeper level of competition has been the biggest challenge for Lamoureux, though he says he’s getting accustomed to it.
“It’s definitely a big step from playing against 16-year-olds (in) junior,” he said. “Now there are some guys that are 35, 36. It’s definitely a huge step, but I’m getting used to it now so it doesn’t bother me anymore.”
Utah HC head coach André Tourigny has liked what he’s seen from Lamoureux to this point.
“He’s big, he can skate, he moves the puck well, he keeps his game simple, he can be physical as well,” Tourigny said.
Tourigny is not certain whether Lamoureux will play in Thursday’s matchup against the Colorado Avalanche, but he understands how big it is for a player to dress for his first NHL game.
“I don’t want to put any pressure on the young players,” he said. “We’ll determine, first of all, if he’s playing tomorrow or not, and then, if he’s playing, (we) want him to enjoy the day. There’s one chance to play your first game in the NHL. That will never happen again. … If he does play, what I will tell him is to enjoy the moment.”
Lamoureux says he’s been trying to gain weight and put on muscle to be able to compete physically in the NHL the same way he did in the QMJHL.
The Arizona Coyotes drafted Lamoureux 29th overall in 2022 with the pick they acquired for taking Zack Kassian from the Edmonton Oilers.