Canadian defenseman Maxime Lajoie, 27, has signed a one-year contract with Avangard Omsk, the KHL club announced on Tuesday.

This is Lajoie’s first contract to play overseas.

“Many teams have wanted to sign Maxim for several seasons, and we’re glad that he’s chosen Avangard,” said Omsk GM Alexei Sopin. “He is a versatile defenseman with excellent skating and a great shot, he’s mobile, and works equally well defensively and offensively. He also successfully connects partners and makes reliable decisions. We believe that Maxim will help achieve the serious goals set for Avangard.”

Lajoie was born in Quebec City but grew up in Montreal, Toronto and Calgary, and then junior hockey for the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos. He was selected in the fifth round, 133rd overall, by the Ottawa Senators in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Between 2018 and 2024, Lajoie played 77 NHL regular-season games for the Senators, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs, recording 16 points and 20 penalty minutes. He also played two playoff games for Carolina in 2021, incurring one minor penalty.

KHL Club Avangard Omsk Extends A Pair Of Ex-NHLers & Olympians Two players who have both played in the NHL and represented their countries at the Winter Olympics have signed contract extensions with Avangard Omsk, the KHL club recently announced.

Lajoie spent the 2024-25 season in the Seattle Kraken organization but spent the entire season in the AHL, recording 39 points and 32 penalty minutes in 76 regular-season and playoff games for the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

In Omsk, Lajoie will play for coach Guy Boucher, whom he previously played for in Ottawa and Toronto. Last season, Omsk finished sixth in the KHL’s Eastern Conference and was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs.

The Avangard lineup features ex-NHLers Nail Yakupov, Vyacheslav Voynov, Alexander Volkov, Nikolai Prokhorin and Vasili Ponomaryov.

© Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images.

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