Maxime Clermont

Maxime Clermont (born December 31st 1991) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the New Jersey Devils organization.

Junior
Clermont was chosen in the first round, 13th overall, of the 2007 QMJHL Draft by the Gatineau Olympiques. In his QMJHL rookie season, Clermont played in 29 games for the Olympiques, going 13-7-0. He finished with a 2.89 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage. In 3 playoff games, Clermont had a 3.20 goals-against average and a .813 save percentage.

Clermont played in 49 games for the Olympiques in 2008-09, finishing with a 3.22 goals-against average, a .884 save percentage, and a 25-20-0 record. In 2 playoff games, Clermont had just 10 minutes of action.

In his third QMJHL season, Clermont played in 59 games for the Olympiques. He turned in a 2.81 goals-against average, a .897 save percentage, and a 24-31-0 record on the season. In 11 playoff games, he had a 3.59 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage. He played for Team Cherry at the 2010 CHL Top Prospects Game. He was chosen by the New Jersey Devils 174th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Clermont had an uneven fourth season with a Gatineau team that was one of the best defensive teams in the QMJHL; but appeared to iron out his problems and played well in the league playoffs. In 48 regular season games for the Olympiques Clermont was 28-15 with four shutouts and had a 2.55 GAA and .896 save percentage but saw less action as Francois Lacerte took over late in the season. Lacerte started the first three playoff games but was replaced by Clermont nine minutes into Game 3 against the Rimouski Océanic. Clermont started 19 of 20 playoff games after that as the Olympiques reached the finals against the eventual Memorial Cup champion Saint John Sea Dogs. In 21 playoff games he was 11-10 with one shutout and had a 2.22 GAA and .927 save percentage. Clermont signed a three-year, entry-level contract with New Jersey in August 2011.

AHL & ECHL
Clermont spent most of his first pro season with the Kalamazoo Wings of the ECHL, and appearing in two American Hockey League games with the Devils’ AHL affiliate, the Albany Devils. He had a win in October against thProvidence Bruins, stopping 28 of 30 shots in his first AHL start – and then played in a 2-1 loss to the Syracuse Crunch on April 15th – stopping 21 of 23 shots. Clermont and former Western Michigan University goalie Riley Gill split the goaltending for the K-Wings. Clermont appeared in 31 games and was 13-13,  with three of the losses coming in overtime, and had a 3.42 goals against and .891 save percentage. Kalamazoo reached the Eastern Conference finals after finishing first in the North Division. Clermont appeared in one playoff game as Gill started all 14 games and allowed 3 goals on 18 shots in 35 minutes of action.

Clermont played in one game for the Devils’ AHL affiliate in Albany in March of 2013 in his second pro season; spending most of the year with the ECHL’s Elmira Jackals. Clermont stopped 29 of 30 shots during regulation and in overtime in a 2-1 shootout loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for Albany. He played in 41 games for the Jackals and was 20-13-5 with a 3.24 goals against and .899 save percentage. Elmira finished second in the Atlantic Division and lost to the Florida Everblades in a six-game first round playoffs series. Clermont was 1-2 in three playoff games, splitting time with long-time Central Hockey League goalie Ian Keserich, and had a 4.33 goals against and .860 save percentage.

Clermont appeared in two games with Albany, splitting most of the season between Elmira and the Orlando Solar Bears in the ECHL. He was 0-1 with a 2.00 goals against and .923 save percentage in his brief stint with Albany. Splitting time with Scott Greenham in Elmira he was 6-9-1, winning three of four starts during one stretch in January, and had a 3.34 goals against and .892 save percentage. In February he was loaned to Orlando and in 10 games was 5-3-1 with one shutout and had a 3.35 goals against and .891 save percentage. Clermont played in three playoff games for the Solar Bears and was 1-2 with a 2.03 goals against and .926 save percentage. He was tendered a qualifying offer by New Jersey in June and signed a one-year two-way contract with the Devils in July 2014. After another AHL/ECHL split season. Clermont retired in 2014.