LAAOUAN TAKING THE ‘BULL BY THE HORNS’
Fourth-year defenseman ready for full-time role with Amerks after three seasons in ECHL
Dec 13, 2025By Andrew Mossbrooks | @ Mossbrooks48
Pro hockey is a different beast. It doesn’t matter what program you played in, what team you led in scoring, or what championships you won beforehand. When you get to the pros, things change.
That’s exactly what happened to defenseman Noah Laaouan, who had been named the QMJHL’s Best Defensive Defenseman in back-to-back seasons for the Charlottetown Islanders. He wore a letter. He operated at nearly a point-per-game pace his last two seasons, including his overage campaign in 2021-22 when the Halifax, Nova Scotia, native amassed 12 goals and 60 points in 68 games.
Despite being an award-winning player and All-Star in major junior, Laaouan went undrafted and had to catch the eye of a team hoping he’d get a chance.
‘When you come into the pro ranks, I think I tried to play a little bit safe,” said Laaouan. “I think at times, at least for myself, I did, but I think overt time I learned to trust myself and my abilities to believe I belong at this level.”
But getting to this level was not an overnight feat. Laaouan would play his first two AHL games during his rookie season in 2022-23 for Tucson. But 93 of his first 95 professional games came in the ECHL, split between Atlanta and Trois-Rivières. It was the latter of the two teams where the blueliner would get a call from the general manager of the Laval Rocket at that time that Laaouan had been traded to the Rochester Americans.
“They (Amerks) traded for me, so you have to tell yourself at a certain point that they saw something in me and believed something in me.”
Over the last two seasons, Laaouan, again, spent the bulk of his seasons playing in the ECHL, this time with Rochester’s affiliate in Jacksonville. He appeared in a single game for the Amerks last season. As a third-year pro, it was the first time Laaouan hadn’t appeared in multiple AHL games. While some could view it as a decline in upward momentum, the defenseman took it in stride and kept his focus on where he was.
“I think the last couple years have been really important for me. I got to play a lot of hockey, which was a big thing. It's hard to develop at times when you're not playing. So, I think just having a good mindset with everything and understanding that you're still getting to play the game that you love and you're getting the opportunity to grow as a player and a person every day, no matter where or what league you're in. It went a long way for me.”
Laaouan’s 2024-25 campaign saw him lead all Icemen defensemen in scoring with 44 points 44 (8+36) in 67 games. Being in the ECHL, a league that has developed several Amerks and Sabres, too, was the best possible situation for the 24-year-old.
“I got to play in every kind of situation. I got to play a lot of minutes and important minutes in that league. Everybody wants to be playing in the NHL, but I’ve learned that whatever's in front of you, you kind of just got to take the bull by the horns and go with it. The situation in Jacksonville was very important for me and helped me grow a lot as a player.”
After 169 ECHL games over three seasons, that mentality led to production, and that production led to a new contract. In the offseason, Laaouan was awarded a two-year AHL deal with the Amerks. There were three words the humble defenseman used vehemently when talking about remaining in the organization: trust, belief, and confidence. But those aren’t things said into a mirror for optimistic manifestation. They’re real intangibles that Laaouan committed to himself, even when no one was committing to him.
“There's going to be tough days and the last three or four years of getting sent down, called up, and scratched will do that to you. Not every day is going to be sunshine and rainbows, but you kind of just got to take it in stride. I kept my focus on having the right mindset and just trying to be a good person and a good teammate.”
Fast forward to the present, and after seven AHL games over the previous three seasons, Laaouan has appeared in over a dozen games with the Amerks this year. On Nov. 28 in the late stages of the second period against Syracuse, Laaouan scored his first AHL goal.
“I just want to continue growing and working hard here. Ever since I got here, this team and this organization have shown they believe in me. They’ve given me the opportunity to prove and work my way into the position I’m in. The coaching staff has been so good to me and playing with the guys on this team is awesome. I’ve been really happy with how things have gone to start the season.”