The Kansas City Mavericks will be without their top defenseman next season as Mark-Olivier Duquette is heading overseas to France after spending his first five years pro in the ECHL with the Fort Wayne Komets, Wheeling Nailers, Maine Mariners, and Kansas City Mavericks. The 26-year-old defenseman would put up 22 goals and 44 assists for 66 points in 226 regular season games and would add nine assists in 28 career Kelly Cup Playoff Games. Duquette is coming off a career year where he put up nine goals and 20 assists for 29 points in 70 games. He led all Maverick defenders in goals (9), points (29), and penalty minutes (65). The left-handed shot defenseman was one of only two defensemen from Kansas City to play more than 60 games last year and one of three defensemen to play in all 20 Kelly Cup Playoff Games last season.
Duquette becomes the first defenseman and sixth player overall from last year’s Brabham Cup Championship team to take the overseas route, joining forwards Jacob Hayhurst, Jeremy McKenna, Cole Coskey, Nolan Walker, and Patrick Curry. This is another big blow for the Mavericks, who lost their top forward and defenseman to teams overseas.
Prior to going pro, the Chateauguay Native would spend parts of five seasons in the OHL with the Gatineau Olympiques and Drummondville Voltigeurs, playing in 191 games, putting up 14 goals and 56 assists for 70 points. He would play in 29 QMJHL Playoff games, putting up one goal and six assists for seven points.
