Maxim Masse from Chicoutimi in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League has a talent for performing under pressure.

Among his 13 game-winning goals in two QMJHL seasons, the most memorable came in 2022-23 against Rimouski, the team he supported as a child.

“I grew up in Rimouski, and my grandfather had season tickets. He always bought me a ticket, and I would go with him,” Masse said. “I was really young, so we had to leave early, but I had a lot of fun watching the Oceanic.”

On January 29, 2023, Masse received a lead pass and skated in on a breakaway, scoring through the legs of Rimouski goalie Gabriel Robert with 3:52 remaining to secure a 3-2 victory for Chicoutimi.

Masse (6-foot-2, 190 pounds) has been a powerhouse during his two seasons with Chicoutimi. He was named Canadian Hockey League Rookie of the Year last season after scoring 62 points (29 goals, 33 assists), 20 power-play points, and six game-winning goals in 65 regular-season games.

This season, he led Chicoutimi in goals (36), points (75), power-play points (28), and game-winning goals (seven) in 67 regular-season games. He was third on the team with six points (three goals, three assists) in eight QMJHL playoff games.

“I’d say I can score from far away with my shot or when going to the net, but I can make plays for my teammates too,” Masse said. “I feel I can play well in my zone as well, so I’m a two-way forward.”

Masse, winner of the Mike Bossy Trophy as the QMJHL’s top professional prospect, is ranked No. 30 on NHL Central Scouting’s final list of North American skaters eligible for the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft.

“What we like is the scoring ability; he’s scored everywhere he’s played,” said Central Scouting’s Jean-Francois Damphousse. “He’ll need to add some strength to his lower body, which will help him physically. He’s not a puck carrier, a transporter, or a line driver, but at the next level, he can be a 6-foot-2 body on the wing who can finish around the net. Chicoutimi is a young team that was peaking at the right time, and they’ll be really strong over the next couple of years.

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“If you draft a kid like Masse, he’s going to be in a good situation for the next two years, competing for championships and scoring goals. He’s got a big body, so there’s a lot to like.”

Masse, who will likely remain a winger when he reaches the professional ranks, said he enjoys watching Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch.

“He’s a big guy who can score goals and plays well in his zone too, so I think that’s a great comparison,” Masse said. “The compete level and the mental side of the game are important as you develop because everybody at the highest level has the skills to be there. But it’s the one who is tougher mentally that goes through… the one that always competes and wants to get better.”