Coyotes 25 under 25: #16 Maveric Lamoureux

Sep 14, 2022 - 7:00 PM

The 2022–23 season is fast approaching. Here at Five For Howling, we’re looking at this year’s 25 best Arizona Coyotes players under the age of 25.

The Arizona Coyotes had three first-round picks at the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, giving General Manager Bill Armstrong a lot of flexibility. After drafting the smaller Logan Cooley third overall, Armstrong went with size for the rest of the draft, including drafting the 6’7” defenseman Maveric Lamoureux.

Maveric Lamoureux

2021–22 League: QMJHL (Drummondville Voltiguers)

Regular Season Games Played: 54

Regular Season Goals: 4

Regular Season Assists: 20

Highest Individual Ranking: 13

Lowest Individual Ranking: 21

Last Year’s Ranking: Not drafted

Despite being a bit of a reach at 29th overall, Lamoureux’s size gives him a significant upside. He is a solid defenseman who skates well, especially for his size. He definitely has some work to do before he is NHL caliber, but he has a strong enough base to build off.

Unfortunately, Lamoureux’s offensive game is still a work in progress. He isn’t strictly a defensive defenseman and can provide some offense, but most scouting reports describe it as inconsistent.

Fortunately, there is still plenty of time to work on improving his overall game, and the upsides for Lamoureux are clearly apparent. His size should give him a significant advantage and should make him at least a lock for a bottom-pairing defenseman. If he can boost his offensive production, he could easily be a top-four, something the Coyotes will undoubtedly need in the coming years.

Lamoureux has already signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Coyotes, although he will likely be headed back to the QMJHL next season. He still needs some time to develop, and the Coyotes already have a loaded blue line, so it works out for everyone.

Most experts seem to believe that GMBA reached by drafting Lamoureux 29th overall. But he looks like a lock to make it to the NHL even if there were players with a higher ceiling drafted after him.