Longtime Palmyra resident and Ottawa native Coach Mitch Lamoureux serves as a special instructor for the Palmyra Black Knights. Mitch played 3 years of junior hockey for the Oshawa Generals of the OHL. While playing for the Generals, he was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the eighth round of the 1981 NHL draft and joined the Pens’ new AHL affiliate in Baltimore in 1982-83. He promptly scored 57 goals – the most in the 47-year history of the league at that point – and recorded 107 points, at the time a rookie record. Lamoureux earned the Dudley “Red” Garrett Award as the outstanding rookie in the AHL. In Lamoureux’ final season with the Bears for a third and final stint in 1997-98, and was named the recipient of the Fred T. Hunt Memorial Award for sportsmanship, determination and dedication to hockey in 1998-99.
Lamoureux played parts of 17 of professional season in the NHL, AHL, UHL and in Europe. Several of Mitch’s career highlights included leading the Hershey Bears in scoring in both the regular season and the playoffs, helping the franchise to its first 50-win season, a perfect 12-0 postseason mark and the Calder Cup championship. Two of his other memorable highlights were having his #16 Jersey retired in 1999 along with the great Willie Marshall and being inducted into the AHL Hall Of Fame in 2011 in Hershey.
Lamoureux still holds the AHL record for most Power Play goals for in one season with 27 PP goals in the 1995-96 season with the Bears. Mitch reached the 30-goal plateau six times in his AHL career and sits in seventh place all-time in goals (364) and ninth in points (816) over 802 games. Coach Lamoureux works with all age groups within the Black Knights organization. With is vast hockey experience and coaching skill we are pleased to have him part of the Palmyra Black Knights.
