Meet Your 2010-11 Aeros: Maxim Noreau

MAXIM NOREAU

Born: May 24, 1987 (age 23)
Montreal, Quebec

5 ft 11
192 lbs
Defenseman
Shoots: Right

Career Transactions:
Signed multi-year contract with Minnesota on May 22, 2008…earned way onto the team after signing a PTO in 2007-08 and starting the season in Beaumont.

I’m going to be an old man, and I’m going to have this everlasting memory of Max Noreau. It was his rookie year with the Aeros in 2007-08. He was still trying to earn a contract with the Wild. But he was at that point where he was earning the trust of Kevin Constantine and his staff. As such, he was beginning to earn playing time at key points of the game. I don’t remember the game, but I do know the Aeros were in overtime. And the guy who scored the game-winning goal was Noreau.

But my memory is of interviewing him in the locker room after the game. There was this big smile on his face, and he eagerly, yet patiently answered our questions. That’s not the big deal as numerous players have done that. No, what I remember is showing up for the next game and finding out that Noreau had been playing that game with a broken foot.

In his three years with the Aeros, Noreau has become one of the team’s top clutch players, and he’s the key to the team’s power play. Noreau from the blue line on the power play is a very dangerous man, and over the years, he’s worked hard to improve all facets of his game. He made the AHL All-Star Game last year, and he earned a late season call-up to the Wild.

Noreau was the guy that Kevin Constantine pointed to when he was dealing with a youngster on his way back to the ECHL. Constantine would tell them to look at Noreau, an undrafted free agent who worked hard and made use of all his available talent to earn a NHL contract. I don’t know that much about new coach Mike Yeo, yet. But I’m sure of this, he’s going to like Max Noreau.