Maxim Noreau

{{Infobox ice hockey player

| name = Maxim Noreau

| image = Maxim Noreau (cropped).jpg

| image_size = 230px

| caption = Noreau with the Lake Erie Monsters in 2014

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|5|24|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 0

| weight_lb = 198

| position = Defence

| shoots = Right

| league = NL

| team = SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers

| prospect_team =

| prospect_league =

| former_teams = Minnesota Wild
HC Ambrì-Piotta
SC Bern
ZSC Lions

| ntl_team = CAN

| draft = Undrafted

| career_start = 2007

}}

Maxim Noreau (born May 24, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the National League (NL). He has formerly played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Minnesota Wild.

Playing career

On May 22, 2008, Noreau was signed as a free agent to a three-year entry-level contract with the Minnesota Wild.{{cite web |url=http://wild.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=485520|title=Wild signs Maxim Noreau | publisher =Minnesota Wild | date = 2008-05-22 | accessdate = 2010-05-03}} 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.{{cite web |url=http://theahl.com/first-and-second-all-star-teams-unveiled-p141811|title=First and Second All-Star Team named | publisher =American Hockey League | date = 2010-04-01 | accessdate = 2010-05-03}} Noreau also made his National Hockey League debut on April 8, 2010, with the Minnesota Wild.{{cite web|title=Maxim Noreau, Wild|url=http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8474222&view=notes|accessdate=2010-04-10|publisher=National Hockey League}}

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.{{cite web| url = http://devils.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=566123 | title = Devils acquire Maxim Noreau | publisher = New Jersey Devils | date = 2011-06-16 | accessdate = 2011-06-16}} 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.{{cite web | url = http://www.hcap.ch/it/article/1215/noreau-in-biancoblu-fino-al-2015 | title = Noreau in Biancoblu until 2015 | publisher = HC Ambri-Piotta | date = 2011-11-06 | accessdate = 2011-11-06 | language = Italian | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20111112070450/http://www.hcap.ch/it/article/1215/noreau-in-biancoblu-fino-al-2015 | archivedate = 2011-11-12 }} 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.{{cite web| url = http://swisshockeynews.ch/index.php/switzerland/nla-new/1810-maxim-noreau-off-to-colorado-hc-ambri-piotta-signs-another-canadian | title = Maxim Noreau off to Colorado, Ambrì-Piotta signs another Canadian | publisher = swisshockeynews.ch | date = 2014-07-07 | accessdate = 2014-07-07 | last1 = Ambrì-Piotta | first1 = HC }} 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{{Cite web|url=http://www.scb.ch/no_cache/news/top-meldung/newsitem//maxim-noreau-zum-scb.html|title=Maxim Noreau to SCB | website = SC Bern | date = 2016-04-26 | accessdate=2016-04-26}}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.swisshockeynews.ch/index.php/shn/11-swiss-ice-hockey/nla/11513-will-maxim-noreau-suit-up-for-the-zsc-lions-as-of-next-season|title=Confirmed - Maxim Noreau joins ZSC, Kevin Klein to retire|website=www.swisshockeynews.ch|date=March 2018 |access-date=2018-03-02 |author1=Blick }}

International play

{{Medal|Country|{{CAN}}}}

In December 2016, he won his second Spengler Cup with Team Canada and was named to the tournament's all-star team.{{Cite web|url=https://www.spenglercup.ch/en/news/14th-triumph-team-canada|title=14th triumph for Team Canada {{!}} Spengler Cup|website=www.spenglercup.ch|access-date=2016-12-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170101003022/https://www.spenglercup.ch/en/news/14th-triumph-team-canada|archive-date=2017-01-01|url-status=dead}} One year later, he captained Canada to another victory at the Spengler Cup.{{Cite web|url=https://www.spenglercup.ch/en/news/renewed-triumph-team-canada|title=Renewed Triumph for Team Canada {{!}} Spengler Cup|website=www.spenglercup.ch|access-date=2017-12-31}}

In January 2022, Noreau was selected to play for Team Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics, marking his second consecutive Olympic appearance.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/winter/hockey/olympics-team-canada-men-hockey-1.6325564|title=Canada unveils non-NHL Olympic hockey roster with pro experience, young talent|date=25 January 2022|website=www.cbc.ca/|publisher=CBC Sports|access-date=25 January 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://olympic.ca/2022/01/25/team-canadas-25-player-mens-hockey-roster-nominated-for-beijing-2022/|title=Team Canada's 25-player men's hockey roster nominated for Beijing 2022|last=Nichols|first=Paula|date=25 January 2022|website=www.olympic.ca/|publisher=Canadian Olympic Committee|access-date=25 January 2022}}{{cite news|last=Stephens|first=Mike|date=25 January 2022|title=Canada Names Men's 2022 Olympic Hockey Roster|url=https://thehockeynews.com/2022-olympics/canada-names-mens-2022-olympic-hockey-roster|work=The Hockey News|location=Toronto, Ontario, Canada|access-date=25 January 2022}}

Personal

His younger brother, Samuel Noreau, is a professional hockey player currently with the Missouri Mavericks of the ECHL; he was formerly a prospect within the New York Rangers organization.{{cite web| url = http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=68120 | title = Samuel Noreau player profile | publisher = Eliteprospects.com | date = 2014-07-07 | accessdate = 2014-07-07}}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2003–04

| West Island Lions

| QMAAA

| 42

| 12

| 20

| 32

| 82

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2004–05

| Victoriaville Tigres

| QMJHL

| 65

| 5

| 8

| 13

| 47

| 7

| 0

| 8

2005–06

| Victoriaville Tigres

| QMJHL

| 69

| 22

| 43

| 65

| 116

| 5

| 2

| 4

| 6

| 7

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2006–07

| Victoriaville Tigres

| QMJHL

| 69

| 17

| 53

| 70

| 106

| 6

| 2

| 1

| 3

| 8

2007–08

| Texas Wildcatters

| ECHL

| 2

| 0

| 3

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2007–08

| Houston Aeros

| AHL

| 50

| 8

| 16

| 48

| 5

| 0

| 4

2008–09

| Houston Aeros

| AHL

| 77

| 14

| 25

| 39

| 49

| 20

| 4

| 7

| 11

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2009–10

| Houston Aeros

| AHL

| 76

| 18

| 34

| 52

| 60

| —

2009–10

| Minnesota Wild

| NHL

| 1

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2010–11

| Houston Aeros

| AHL

| 76

| 10

| 44

| 54

| 58

| 24

| 2

| 10

| 12

| 23

2010–11

| Minnesota Wild

| NHL

| 5

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2011–12

| HC Ambrì–Piotta

| NLA

| 44

| 7

| 23

| 30

| 22

| —

2012–13

| HC Ambrì–Piotta

| NLA

| 45

| 10

| 25

| 35

| 38

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2013–14

| HC Ambrì–Piotta

| NLA

| 35

| 8

| 16

| 24

| 28

| 4

| 0

| 2

2014–15

| Lake Erie Monsters

| AHL

| 39

| 8

| 22

| 30

| 29

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 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

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 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

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2019–20

| ZSC Lions

| NL

| 45

| 10

| 29

| 39

| 26

| —

2020–21

| ZSC Lions

| NL

| 50

| 5

| 31

| 36

| 35

| 8

| 0

| 3

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2021–22

| ZSC Lions

| NL

| 48

| 8

| 30

| 38

| 10

| 18

| 3

| 11

| 14

| 8

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 6

! 0

! —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NL totals

! 380

! 71

! 200

! 271

! 223

! 50

! 6

! 25

! 31

! 18

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"

ALIGN="centre" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! Result

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

2012

| Canada

| SC

| {{gold1}}

| 4

| 0

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2013

| Canada

| SC

| 4th

| 2

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 0

2016

| Canada

| SC

| {{gold1}}

| 5

| 3

| 1

| 4

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2017

| Canada

| SC

| {{gold1}}

| 9

| 5

| 6

| 11

| 0

2018

| Canada

| OG

| {{bronze3}}

| 6

| 2

| 5

| 7

| 0

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2022

| Canada

| OG

| 6th

| 5

| 1

| 3

| 4

| 0

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan=4 | Senior totals

! 11

! 3

! 8

! 11

! 0

Awards and honours

class="wikitable" ! Award ! Year !
colspan="3"\|AHL
First All-Star Team \| 2011 \| {{cite web\|url=http://theahl.com/2010-11-first-and-second-all-stars-named-p170408&t=mobile_news_article&bblh=other \|title=2010-11 First and Second All-Stars named \|publisher=American Hockey League \|date=2011-03-26 \|accessdate=2011-03-26 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921025916/http://theahl.com/2010-11-first-and-second-all-stars-named-p170408%26t%3Dmobile_news_article%26bblh%3Dother \|archivedate=2012-09-21 }}
Second All-Star Team \| 2010 \|
colspan="3"\|NLA
All-Star Team \| 2012 \|
Most assists by defenceman \| 2013 \|
Most points by defenceman \| 2013 \|
Most goals by defenceman \| 2014 \|
colspan="3"\|International
Olympic All-Star Team \| 2018 \| {{cite web \|url=http://pyeongchang2018.iihf.hockey/men/news/kovalchuk-mvp/ \|title=Kovalchuk MVP \|work=IIHF.com \|accessdate=February 25, 2018 \|date=February 25, 2018 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225193008/http://pyeongchang2018.iihf.hockey/men/news/kovalchuk-mvp/ \|archive-date=February 25, 2018 \|url-status=dead }}

class="wikitable"

! Award

! Year

colspan="3"|AHL

First All-Star Team

| 2011

| {{cite web|url=http://theahl.com/2010-11-first-and-second-all-stars-named-p170408&t=mobile_news_article&bblh=other |title=2010-11 First and Second All-Stars named |publisher=American Hockey League |date=2011-03-26 |accessdate=2011-03-26 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921025916/http://theahl.com/2010-11-first-and-second-all-stars-named-p170408%26t%3Dmobile_news_article%26bblh%3Dother |archivedate=2012-09-21 }}

Second All-Star Team

| 2010

colspan="3"|NLA

All-Star Team

| 2012

Most assists by defenceman

| 2013

Most points by defenceman

| 2013

Most goals by defenceman

| 2014

colspan="3"|International

Olympic All-Star Team

| 2018

| {{cite web |url=http://pyeongchang2018.iihf.hockey/men/news/kovalchuk-mvp/ |title=Kovalchuk MVP |work=IIHF.com |accessdate=February 25, 2018 |date=February 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225193008/http://pyeongchang2018.iihf.hockey/men/news/kovalchuk-mvp/ |archive-date=February 25, 2018 |url-status=dead }}