As a freshman defenseman at the University of Maine last season, Loic Usereau scored two goals and five assists in 29 games.
He already has three goals through UMaine’s first six games this season.
Usereau admitted that he had a tough start last season after coming from the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. But his improvement so far this season prompted UMaine men’s hockey head coach Ben Barr to call Usereau a different player this year who is a stronger, quicker and better skater.
“The pace was a lot different. The skills, too. The guys were bigger, older. You had to [play] quicker,” Usereau said. “But I kind of found my game at the end and started this year with a bit more confidence and trust in my game. That has helped a lot.”
He has been paired with Bemidji State transfer Isa Parekh, beginning with the optional six-week workout sessions this summer in Orono. Parekh has two goals and three assists, which gives the tandem five goals and three assists between them for the 4-2 Black Bears so far.
“It has helped a lot playing with [Parekh]. That has been lights out from the start,” Usereau said.
The feeling is mutual.
“[Loic] is a real high character, high energy,” Parekh said. “He knows what plays to make at all times. He is really dialed in.”
They are two of the team’s leaders in minutes played per game. Parekh averages 18:49 per game and Usereau is at 17:29.
The 21-year-old Usereau has always been a point-producing defenseman.
He had 29 goals and 76 assists in 190 regular season games in the QMJHL and two goals and nine assists in 18 playoff games. In his last two seasons with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, he had 26 goals and 67 assists in 130 regular season contests.
The 6-foot, 176-pound native of Saint-Michel, Quebec, will bring a two-game goal-scoring streak into this weekend’s Hockey East series at Boston University.
He scored an important insurance goal with 5:14 remaining in last Saturday’s 3-0 win over Colgate, skating down to the low slot and one-timing a pass out from behind the net by Judah Makway.
He also scored the second goal in the previous night’s 3-0 win over Colgate with a well-screened wrist shot from the high slot.
“He can really shoot it,” Barr said. “He’s very dependable. He is super competitive. He’s smart, he has courage. He’s a great fit for us because of his character and work ethic.”
Usereau focused on the defensive aspect of his game a year ago, saying “you have to start by building some confidence from the coaching staff. And the more you have confidence, the more you can go out there and make some better plays or more creative plays to create offense.”
That foundation was established last year, said Usereau, whose two goals came in his last 11 games of 2025-26. He also had an assist during that span and was a plus-four in plus-minus. Players receive a plus-one if they are on the ice when their team scores an even-strength or shorthanded goal and a negative-one if the opponent scores one.
“I’ve been practicing with Parekh all summer and building my game,” Usereau said. “I’m trying to be a good, reliable guy on the [penalty kill] and in every situation I can play in. I’m just trusting my game and loving it.”
Senior center and alternate captain Max Scott said Usereau’s game is evolving every day.
“He is a good, puck-moving defenseman. He makes plays, he is great with his feet and, hopefully, he can keep it going here,” Scott said.
Graduate student left wing and captain Owen Fowler said Usereau has been “playing great and brings so much to this team on and off the ice.”
Usereau loves being at UMaine, saying he thoroughly enjoys his teammates, the coaching staff and the area. He also said playing in the lively atmosphere at Alfond Arena is unreal.
“It’s a lot better than any other spot I’ve been to in this league,” Usereau said.
The Black Bears, who have made their first appearance in the top 20 in one of the two national polls this week by being ranked 19th in the U.S. College Hockey Online poll, will have their hands full against a BU team that is ranked 14th in one poll and tied for 13th in the other.
BU is 4-2 overall and 2-2 in the league. The Terriers have 18 NHL draft picks, including 11 selected in the first and second rounds.
Puck drop is at 7 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday at Agganis Arena.