Maxim Noreau

Maxim Noreau (born May 24, 1987) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played 6 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Minnesota Wild from 2010 to 2011. The rest of his career, which lasted from 2007 to 2024, was mainly spent in the Swiss National League. Internationally he played for the Canadian national team at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics, winning a bronze medal in 2018.

Playing career On May 22, 2008, Noreau was signed as a free agent to a three-year entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild. He spent most of the 2009–10 season with the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League. He posted 52 points in 76 games to earn selection in the AHL Second All-Star Team. Noreau also made his National Hockey League debut on April 8, 2010, with the Minnesota Wild.

Following the conclusion of the 2010–11 season, Noreau was traded from the Wild to the New Jersey Devils for David McIntyre on June 16, 2011. With his rights owned by the Devils on August 1, 2011, Noreau signed a one-year European deal with HC Ambri-Piotta of the Swiss National League A. In his first season with Piotta in 2011–12, Noreau led the defense and scored 30 points in 44 games. As a result, he was selected to the NLA All-Star Team and was re-signed to a three-year contract extension on November 6, 2011. In the 2012–13 season, despite missing out on the post-season for the second consecutive season, he was again the offensive presence from the blueline for Piotta, contributing with 10 goals and 35 assists to lead the league in defensive scoring.

Noreau posted 102 points in 146 games over three seasons before he was released from the final year of his contract with Ambri-Piotta to sign a two-year, one-way contract with the Colorado Avalanche on July 7, 2014. He spent the entirety of his contract within the Avalanche's AHL affiliates. During the 2014–15 season with the Lake Erie Monsters, he was leading defensemen with 30 points in 39 games before he suffered a season-ending injury. In the following season, Noreau was reassigned to new AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, again leading the blueline in scoring, placing second overall among the Rampage with 45 points in 64 games.

In April 2016, unable to further his NHL career, Noreau put pen to paper on a two-year deal to return to Switzerland with SC Bern of the NLA

On March 1, 2018, Noreau agreed to a two-year contract with rival NL club, the ZSC Lions, worth CHF 1.8 million, starting from the 2018–19 season.

International play

In December 2016, he won his second Spengler Cup with Team Canada and was named to the tournament's all-star team. One year later, he captained Canada to another victory at the Spengler Cup.

In January 2022, Noreau was selected to play for Team Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics, marking his second consecutive Olympic appearance.

Personal His younger brother, Samuel Noreau, was also professional hockey player, and was a prospect within the New York Rangers organization.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2003–04 West Island Lions QMAAA 42 12 20 32 82 — — — — — 2004–05 Victoriaville Tigres QMJHL 65 5 8 13 47 7 0 0 0 8 2005–06 Victoriaville Tigres QMJHL 69 22 43 65 116 5 2 4 6 7 2006–07 Victoriaville Tigres QMJHL 69 17 53 70 106 6 2 1 3 8 2007–08 Texas Wildcatters ECHL 2 0 3 3 0 — — — — — 2007–08 Houston Aeros AHL 50 8 8 16 48 5 0 0 0 4 2008–09 Houston Aeros AHL 77 14 25 39 49 20 4 7 11 2 2009–10 Houston Aeros AHL 76 18 34 52 60 — — — — — 2009–10 Minnesota Wild NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2010–11 Houston Aeros AHL 76 10 44 54 58 24 2 10 12 23 2010–11 Minnesota Wild NHL 5 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2011–12 HC Ambrì–Piotta NLA 44 7 23 30 22 — — — — — 2012–13 HC Ambrì–Piotta NLA 45 10 25 35 38 — — — — — 2013–14 HC Ambrì–Piotta NLA 35 8 16 24 28 4 0 0 0 2 2014–15 Lake Erie Monsters AHL 39 8 22 30 29 — — — — — 2015–16 San Antonio Rampage AHL 64 12 33 45 31 — — — — — 2016–17 SC Bern NLA 35 4 14 18 8 4 1 2 3 4 2017–18 SC Bern NL 32 8 16 24 18 11 1 6 7 2 2018–19 ZSC Lions NL 46 11 16 27 38 — — — — — 2019–20 ZSC Lions NL 45 10 29 39 26 — — — — — 2020–21 ZSC Lions NL 50 5 31 36 35 8 0 3 3 0 2021–22 ZSC Lions NL 48 8 30 38 10 18 3 11 14 8 NHL totals 6 0 0 0 0 — — — — — NL totals 380 71 200 271 223 50 6 25 31 18

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2012 Canada SC 4 0 0 0 2 2013 Canada SC 4th 2 1 0 1 0 2016 Canada SC 5 3 1 4 0 2017 Canada SC 9 5 6 11 0 2018 Canada OG 6 2 5 7 0 2022 Canada OG 6th 5 1 3 4 0 Senior totals 11 3 8 11 0

Awards and honours Award YearAHL First All-Star Team 2011 Second All-Star Team 2010