Veteran ECHL experience joins young Lions blueline
The Trois-Rivières Lions announced the signing of defenceman Zachary Massicotte for the 2026-27 ECHL season, adding an experienced left-shot rearguard to a roster that has largely been built around younger players. The 25-year-old, a native of Shawinigan, Quebec, arrives after playing last season with the Maine Mariners.
- Player: Zachary Massicotte, 25
- Position: Defence
- Previous team (2025-26): Maine Mariners (ECHL)
- Trois-Rivières roster status: With this signing, the club now lists 13 forwards, seven defencemen and a goaltender under ECHL contracts for the coming season.
Track record in pro and junior hockey
Massicotte is entering his fifth professional season and brings a steady if modest offensive output from the back end. In the ECHL he has totalled 47 points (11 goals, 36 assists) in 189 regular-season games across three organisations. He has also accumulated playoff experience, including 14 Kelly Cup Playoff games last season in which he scored once.
"Les Lions de Trois-Rivières annoncent l’arrivée de Zachary Massicotte! ... le défenseur de 25 ans originaire de Shawinigan effectuera un retour au Québec pour se joindre aux Lions!"
The club’s announcement, shared on social media, framed the acquisition as a homecoming of sorts for the Shawinigan product. At the American Hockey League level he has skated in 27 games, registering one assist.
| Level | Games | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECHL (career) | 189 | 11 | 36 | 47 |
| Kelly Cup Playoffs (career) | 33 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| AHL | 27 | — | 1 | 1 |
| QMJHL (junior) | 220 | 16 | 54 | 70 |
| QMJHL Playoffs | 30 | 1 | 12 | 13 |
What this means for Trois-Rivières
The addition of Massicotte gives the Lions a defenceman who has seen extensive ECHL minutes and has played in high-pressure postseason series. For a team that had been assembling a primarily youthful corps, his background should provide added stability, penalty-killing minutes and a veteran presence in the dressing room.
Locally, the signing may resonate beyond the rink: Massicotte’s roots in the Mauricie region and championship experience in the QMJHL — including a league title in 2022 with his hometown club — will appeal to fans who follow the province’s junior-to-pro pipeline. His return to Quebec also ties into the Lions’ wider effort to strengthen local engagement as they grow their profile in the ECHL.
Operationally, the club now reports 21 players under ECHL contracts (13 forwards, seven defencemen and one goaltender), leaving general manager and coaching staff decisions to finalise depth ahead of training camp and the regular season. The signing will likely influence how the Lions deploy their defensive pairs and special teams, and could affect opportunities for younger local prospects vying for spots.
Trois-Rivières fans will watch training camp closely to see how Massicotte fits into the system and which roster moves follow as the team looks to contend in the coming campaign.
