Qualicum Beach’s Connor LaCouvee is back in the American Hockey League, following a brief stint with a professional team in Europe.
Last November, LaCouvee signed a one-year contract with HK Dukla Trencin of the Slovak Tipos Extraliga, the highest-level hockey league in Slovakia.
LaCouvee was contracted to play goal for Dukla Trencin until the end of the season but he was recently offered a chance to join the Arizona Coyotes organization and is now with its affiliate team, the Tucson Roadrunners, in the AHL.
“Slovakia was a great time,” LaCouvee told the PQB News via email. “I really enjoyed it there. It was good hockey, skilled players and bigger ice.”
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The 26-year-old Oceanside Minor Hockey product played nine games for Dukla Trencin, fashioning a 2.08 goal against average and a save percentage of .926.
Dukla Trencin management supported LaCouvee’s return to the AHL and his desire to make it to the National Hockey League. They said, “it’s an offer which probably arrives only once in our life.”
Prior to heading to Slovakia, LaCouvee had a two-way AHL contract in 2018-19 with the Laval Rocket, the top farm club of the Montreal Canadiens.
He was impressive in the 14 games that he played, with a 2.49 GAA and a .919 save percentage. In 2019-20, LaCouvee was with the Maine Mariners in the ECHL.
