Maxime Lajoie: NHL-Caliber Player Poised to Elevate Avangard

The head coach of Avangard, **Guy Boucher**, shared his thoughts on the signing of Canadian defenseman **Maxime Lajoie**.

«I coached Lajoie in Ottawa in the NHL, so I know him personally. However, it took some convincing for him to decide to come here, as he is an NHL-caliber player. He is intelligent, team-oriented, and completely unselfish on the ice. No matter what role he is given, he commits fully to it.

We had numerous discussions, and it seemed like he might stay in North America. But in the end, after extensive talks, we managed to persuade him to join us,” Boucher stated in an interview with the [press service of the Omsk club](https://vkvideo.ru/video-42405053_456261629).

The 27-year-old Lajoie has experience in the National Hockey League. He has played 77 regular-season games in the NHL, scoring seven goals and providing nine assists, with a plus/minus rating of -22. In the playoffs, he appeared in two games without registering any points.