Maxim Massé’s Quebec Maritime Junior Hockey League career is coming to an end, and he wants to go out on top.
The Anaheim Ducks prospect has his Chicoutimi Saguenéens in the QMJHL final for the first time in 29 years and he wants to give the community its first Gilles-Courteau Trophy since 1994.
“I think it’s our time to give [our fans] a good show and give them what they want since it’s been so long,” Massé told TSN prior to the start of the final. “They’re always there. They always make noise. They’re always cheering for us. These fans are for sure the best fans in the league and they’re so into it.”
Massé was drafted third overall by the Saguenéens in the 2022 QMJHL Draft and has played all four of his major junior seasons in Chicoutimi.
The 6-foot-3 winger made an immediate impact with the team, recording 29 goals and 62 points in 65 games to win the league’s rookie of the year honours in 2023. He helped lead the team to three straight playoff appearances heading into this season but was unable to get past the second round.
Massé took his play to new heights this season, winning the Jean Beliveau Trophy by leading the league with 102 points. He also tied Blainville-Boisbriand star Justin Carbonneau for the league lead in goals with 51.
His efforts landed him the Michel Briere Trophy as league MVP, which symbolizes how much he has grown over the last four seasons.
“My time here was awesome, and I hope that the best is still yet to come,” said Massé. “As soon as I came here everyone was already talking about how good we were going to be when I turned 19-years-old.
“There’s a lot of credit that goes through my teammates, my coaches, the veterans that were there even at the beginning, and my billet family. I think we’re a family now. I can trust them, they can trust me, and that’s probably the reason why I won [the MVP].”
The Saguenéens entered the playoffs with the league’s second-best record at 49-10-5 and were the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
Chicoutimi cruised past the Halifax Mooseheads and Quebec Remparts in the first two rounds of the playoffs with a pair of four-game sweeps, respectively. They then took on a Rouyn-Noranda Huskies team that finished with the best record in the Western Conference at 40-17-7 and featured star forward Thomas Verdon, who was among the playoff scoring leaders with eight goals and 22 points.
After splitting the first four games, Chicoutimi stepped up to win both Games 5 and 6 to advance to their first QMJHL final since 1997.
Massé continues to lead Chicoutimi in scoring in the playoffs with six goals and 22 points, placing him tied for third in QMJHL playoff scoring.
The Saguenéens are now up against the Moncton Wildcats in the final, who finished just one point ahead of them in the standings to claim the league’s best record. The series is tied 1-1 with Game 3 set to take place on Tuesday from the Centre Georges-Vézina in Chicoutimi (live on TSN).
Moncton are the defending Gilles-Courteau Trophy champions and are looking to make a return to the Memorial Cup in Kelowna at the end of May. They feature star talent like last year’s playoff MVP Caleb Desnoyers, Utah Mammoth prospect Gabe Smith, and QMJHL defenceman and rookie of the year Tommy Bleyl.
Regardless of who their opponent is, Massé believes that his experience playing in high-leverage games will be an asset and thinks discipline is the key to victory against the Wildcats.
“I think I live for these moments, but I could probably say that for every other hockey player,” said Massé. “They’re fun moments and it’s why we play. I’m going to have fun out there and just try to control what I can because I can’t control the other side.
“In the final, we’ll have to be disciplined. I think we’ve been disciplined for the whole season and playoffs so far, so that will be one of the main things in the final.”
Looking forward to next year, Massé has committed to play for the University of Massachusetts for the 2026-27 campaign. He believes this is the natural next step for him as he graduates from the QMJHL and it will help him work toward being a professional hockey player either in the National Hockey League or the American Hockey League.
The Rimouski, Que., native has also participated in the last two training camps with the Ducks as they continue to watch his progression. He says that they have been working with him all throughout the QMJHL season and giving him feedback on things he needs to work on.
“I’ve really liked my experience [with the Ducks],” said Massé. “The staff, their coaching staff, and the players are all there helping you, trying to make you a better person and player. Even throughout the year, they come to the games and give you some feedback, so that’s a lot of positives for the Ducks.
“I think playing in the NCAA is a step between pro hockey and junior and when I met with UMass’s head coach Greg Carvel, I automatically clicked with him. It’s a great option because I’ve been playing 70 games per season for four years and it’s just 30 there. There’s a lot of off-ice training, so I’ll be able to put on some mass and work on my explosiveness and everything.
“My goal is to play one or two seasons there and become faster and stronger. After that, playing in the NHL is my Plan A, but if that doesn’t work, I’ll play in the AHL and work my way up in order to reach my dream of playing and staying in the NHL.”
