Maxime Lagacé (born January 12, 1993) is a
Canadian
Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as goalie or netminder) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their own team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays ...
who is currently playing for
Färjestad BK
Färjestad Bollklubb (; abbreviated as FBK) is a Swedish professional ice hockey team based in Karlstad.
Färjestad has had 21 Swedish Championship final appearances, winning ten times since the Swedish Hockey League (SHL; formerly Elitserie ...
in the
Swedish Hockey League
The Swedish Hockey League (SHL; ) is a professional ice hockey league in Sweden and the highest level of the ice hockey in Sweden, Swedish ice hockey system. The league currently consists of 14 teams. The league was founded in 1975, and while Li ...
(SHL).
Playing career
As a youth, Lagacé played in the 2005 and 2006
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament
The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament () is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, and give an opportunity for international competition to p ...
s with a
minor ice hockey
Minor ice hockey or minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body c ...
team from Rive-Nord.
Junior
Lagacé began his
junior years with the
Quebec Major Junior Hockey League
The Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL; , LHJMQ), formerly the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League (CHL). The league includes teams in Quebec ...
in
2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
. His first team was the
P.E.I. Rocket for three years, finishing with a total record of 33–80–6 in 107 games and a .873 save percentage average. Lagacé also appeared in his only junior playoff game with the Rocket.
On July 23, 2012, Lagacé signed a three-year, $1.83 million entry-level contract with the
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
. Lagacé had participated in the Stars' Development Camp earlier that summer.
Lagacé was transferred to the
Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
The Cape Breton Eagles are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) based in Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. They are members of the Maritimes Division, and play their home games at ...
in 2013, where he only played eight games with a 3–3–1 record and a .887 save percentage. He was then traded to the
Shawinigan Cataractes
The Shawinigan Cataractes () are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) based in Shawinigan, Quebec. The franchise plays their home games at the Centre Gervais Auto, and were originally known as ...
and the
Sherbrooke Phoenix
The Sherbrooke Phoenix are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Sherbrooke, Quebec, that plays in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). The team plays its home games at the Palais des Sports Léopold-Drolet.
History
The fr ...
in the same season.
Professional
Dallas Stars
Maxime Lagacé entered the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
under his contract with the Dallas Stars, playing for their affiliate
Texas Stars
The Texas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Cedar Park, Texas. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's (NHL) Dallas Stars. They play their homes games at the H-E-B Center.
History
In ...
. He had only played a single game with no wins or losses, as he was pulled in the midst of the game.
Lagacé signed with the
Missouri Mavericks
Missouri (''see pronunciation'') is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it borders Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas to the south and Oklahoma, Kansas, a ...
of the
ECHL
The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a minor professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams across the United States and Canada. Competitively, it is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The ...
in the
2014–15 season, but he was eventually traded to the
Bakersfield Condors
The Bakersfield Condors are a professional ice hockey team based in Bakersfield, California. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers. The Condors play their home games at Dignity Healt ...
, where he would make his personal best save percentage of .915. He would then return with the Stars in the AHL the following year, playing in 36 games with a 19–10–3 record and .913 save percentage. The Stars would send Lagacé back down to the ECHL with their affiliate, the
Idaho Steelheads
The Idaho Steelheads are an American professional minor league ice hockey team based in Boise, Idaho, and a member of the ECHL. The Steelheads play in the Mountain Division of the ECHL's Western Conference since the 2016–17 season.
In 1996, t ...
. He would sign a one-year, two-way, $600,000 extension with the Dallas Stars in that same year.
Vegas Golden Knights
Lagacé played two more seasons in the AHL with the Texas Stars before signing with the NHL expansion team, the
Vegas Golden Knights
The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas Valley, Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Golden Knights compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division ...
, as a free agent in 2017. Lagacé started with their AHL affiliate, the
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena ...
prior to getting called up to Vegas on first on October 15, 2017, due to injuries to
Marc-André Fleury
Marc-André Fleury (; born November 28, 1984) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender. Drafted out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2003 NHL entry draft, Fleury p ...
and then on October 23 when
Malcolm Subban
Malcolm-Jamaal Justin Subban ( ; born December 21, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently under contract with the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League. Subban was selected by the Boston Bruins of the ...
was injured. His first
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
game was on October 30, appearing in a 6–3 loss to the
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...
, allowing four goals on eleven shots in 25 minutes of playing time after replacing the injured
Oscar Dansk. The following night, Lagacé made his first NHL start at
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
against the
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...
, a 6–4 loss in which he stopped 32 of 37 shots. Lagacé got his first NHL win against the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
in a 5–4 game on November 4 while making 24 saves for the Golden Knights. On November 6, Lagacé lost his first shootout against the
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. The Maple Leafs compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the A ...
with a 3–4 loss. On December 10, Lagacé was reassigned to the
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional ice hockey team based in Rosemont, Illinois. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena ...
following
Marc-André Fleury
Marc-André Fleury (; born November 28, 1984) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender. Drafted out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2003 NHL entry draft, Fleury p ...
's return from the injured reserve. However, he was recalled back to the NHL on February 10, 2018, after Malcolm Subban was placed on injured reserve. He was reassigned to the AHL on March 15, 2018. Lagacé stayed in the AHL until Subban suffered a lower body injury in practice during the Western Conference Final, where he was then called up to serve as Fleury's backup.
Lagacé began the
2018–19 season with the Chicago Wolves after being cut from the Knights training camp. After playing in 18 games and posting a 9–6–0 record, he was recalled to the NHL on January 9. Lagacé played one game during his recall, a loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on January 30, before being reassigned to the Wolves on February 8. During the
2019 Calder Cup playoffs, Lagacé recorded the first playoff goal by a goaltender in AHL history to help the Wolves win 5–2 over the
San Diego Gulls
The San Diego Gulls are a professional ice hockey team based in San Diego. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Anaheim Ducks. The team plays its home games at Pechanga Arena.
History
On Jan ...
. Lagacé made a save and was the last Wolves player to touch the puck, as a San Diego player inadvertently shot the puck into his own net.
Boston Bruins
On July 1, 2019, Lagacé left the Golden Knights as a free agent following the franchise’s first two seasons. He then signed a one-year, two-way $700,000 contract with the
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...
. In the
2019–20 season, Lagacé was assigned to Boston's AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins, appearing in 33 games. Helping Providence to the second-best record in the AHL, he posted a 22–7–3 recorded with a 2.37 goals-against average, a .919 save percentage and five shutouts. His win total, goals-against average, save percentage and shutout total were all AHL career highs. He joined the Boston Bruins roster for the
2020 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 2019–20 season. The playoffs began on August 1, 2020, and concluded on September 28, 2020, with the Tampa Bay Lightning winning their second ...
, however did not feature in a game.
Pittsburgh Penguins
At the conclusion of his contract with the Bruins, Lagacé left as a free agent to sign a one-year, two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 10, 2020.
In his debut with the Penguins on May 8, 2021, Lagacé recorded his first career shutout against the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...
in the final game of the regular season. Stopping all 29 shots, Lagacé became the first goaltender in the history of the Penguins franchise to record a shutout in their first game.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Becoming a free agent the next off-season, Lagacé joined the
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. The Lightning compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the ...
on July 28, 2021 on a one-year, two-way contract.
After starting the season for AHL affiliate
Syracuse Crunch
The Syracuse Crunch are a professional ice hockey team based in Syracuse, New York. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning. They play in they home games at the Upstate Medical Univer ...
, Lagacé was recalled to the Lightning on December 27, 2021, along with teammate
Hugo Alnefelt. This was in response to both Lightning goalies contracting COVID-19 and needing to sit out. Lagacé started for the Lightning the next day at home against the
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens (), officially ' ( Canadian Hockey Club) and colloquially known as the Habs, are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal. The Canadiens compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic D ...
. Lagacé made 27 saves on 31 shots, as the Lightning won 5-4 in overtime. He started again on December 30 against the
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. The Panthers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team initially played it ...
, but was removed at the end of the second period after allowing 6 goals on 27 shots. Alnefelt came in for Lagacé in the 3rd period, making his NHL debut in the process.
Färjestad BK
Following two seasons within the Lightning organization, Lagacé at the conclusion of his contract opted to embark on a European career by agreeing to a one-year contract with Swedish club, Färjestad BK of the SHL, on June 14, 2023.
Personal life
Lagacé was born to Manon Dallaire and Gilles Lagacé. He has one younger brother,
and 10 other family members.
Lagacé speaks fluent
French and
English.
Career statistics
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lagace, Maxime
1993 births
Living people
Bakersfield Condors (1998–2015) players
Canadian ice hockey goaltenders
Cape Breton Screaming Eagles players
Chicago Wolves players
Färjestad BK players
Ice hockey people from Capitale-Nationale
Idaho Steelheads (ECHL) players
Missouri Mavericks players
P.E.I. Rocket players
Pittsburgh Penguins players
Providence Bruins players
Shawinigan Cataractes players
Sherbrooke Phoenix players
Syracuse Crunch players
Tampa Bay Lightning players
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Texas Stars players
Undrafted National Hockey League players
Vegas Golden Knights players
21st-century Canadian sportsmen
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins players