Playing a season in the National League and making a career there are two very different things. Quebecer Maxime Lajoie was 21 in 2018-2019, when he played his first full season in the NHL. Since then, he has played in the American League. And he hopes to have his chance again.
Of the seven Quebecers present at the American League All-Star Classic on Sunday and Monday, Lajoie is probably the one Place Bell supporters knew the least about. And that’s kinda normal.
The defender was 5 years old when his family left Quebec for Ontario. From there, they later moved to Calgary, where they still reside to this day. The grandparents and the rest of the family, however, remained in Quebec; Lajoie visits them every summer.
“We speak French at home too, so I keep it quite easily,” he laughs at The Press. “I like coming back to Quebec. There’s a lot of food I like that we don’t have [à Calgary] ! I’ve already eaten St-Hubert twice! »
Maxime Lajoie was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the 5e round of the 2016 draft, after his three seasons in the Western Junior League.
From his second professional year, the young man had a golden opportunity. As the Senators traded star defenseman Erik Karlsson, the door opened for him. And he took advantage of it. In his first game in the NHL, on October 4, 2018, he registered a goal and an assist. After six games, he had four goals and three assists. He ultimately spent the full season there, amassing 15 points in 56 games. Sensational professional debut.
Lajoie was back in the AHL the following year, however, playing only six NHL games. In January 2021, he was traded from the Senators to the Carolina Hurricanes.
“I’ll always remember the first year I played in Ottawa,” he said, “but it was a decision of my agent and me. My opportunity in Ottawa was not the same as at the beginning. We decided to see if we could find something else. »
“The coach has changed, so it has an impact on a lot of things, he explains. I was happy to come to Carolina. »
VSgo on and believe
Since joining the Hurricanes organization, Maxime Lajoie has only played 10 NHL games, including two in the playoffs.
“Of course it’s hard,” he says. When you play almost a whole year in the National League, you say to yourself: OK, I got there, so I’m going to stay there. But no… It’s hard. At the same time, I find that I have improved as a player. I got better defensively, that’s what I wanted to do. »
The defenseman is, in a way, a victim of the fact that the Hurricanes aspire to the Stanley Cup.
“They have 6 very good defenders and they don’t have a lot of injuries. It’s a good deal for them, he exclaims with a smile. But at the same time, it’s more difficult to make the team. »
Last year, Lajoie won the Calder Cup with the Hurricanes’ Chicago Wolves, scoring 33 points in 60 games. Even if the opportunities have been fewer in Carolina in recent years, the Quebecer remains “super happy” with where he is. “The organization is amazing and I love it in Chicago,” he says.
When asked if he puts pressure on his shoulders, he who turned 25 in November, the back does not slip away: “yes, that’s for sure”, he replies. “But my father talks to me a lot, my agent too. We also talk about the fact that you never know what can happen; I might have an opportunity somewhere else. »
” [Les opportunités sont] different for each team, he recalls. We will see what will happen this year. »
With the National League trade deadline approaching, the player who will be a restricted free agent at the end of the campaign “just tries to play every game as if someone [le] was watching”.
“Even if I’m 25, you never know,” he suggests. Especially at this time of year. I find that I get better with every game and I just focus on that. »