When your name is in the running for the first overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft, it doesn’t hurt to have a bullet point on your resume that only Sidney Crosby shares in hockey history. Forward Alexis Lafreniere of the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic is projected to be the top pick in the 2020 draft almost unanimously. Any doubt that he may not take that title was likely put to rest on Wednesday when the CHL announced that Lafreniere had been named the 2019-20 CHL Player of the Year. As if that wasn’t enough of an accomplishment, this is actually the second straight campaign in which Lafreniere has received the award. He was named the CHL’s best player in 2018-19 as well. The only other player honored in consecutive seasons: Pittsburgh Penguins captain and one of the game’s all-time best, Sidney Crosby.
Lafreniere, 18, recorded an eye-popping 112 points in just 52 games this season with Rimouski. His 2.15 per-game scoring rate was the CHL’s best since another NHL mega star, Connor McDavid, was playing juniors. It also marks a sharp increase from Lafreniere’s 2018-19 production of 105 points in 61 games, which was still good enough to take home the CHL’s Player of the Year honors last season. Altogether, Lafreniere registered 72 goals and 217 points in 113 games across his two MVP campaigns and nearly 300 points total in his three junior seasons combined. As a result, there is approximately a 0% chance that he will ever play in the juniors again.
Instead, the presumptive top pick will simply sit and wait to see where his first pro destination will be. The NHL answer could arrive as early as later this month, as the NHL Draft Lottery is scheduled for Friday, June 26th. However, if the nearby Ottawa Senators or the historically bad Detroit Red Wings or one of the other non-playoff teams does not win the first to select first overall, Lafreniere will have to wait even longer. A second lottery later this summer would determine which playoff team eliminated in the knockout round of the NHL’s adapted playoff format would have the first pick. On top of that, there is still some concern that with a possible delayed start to the 2020-21 NHL season that Lafreniere’s pro career may actually begin in Europe. The young star has entertained the thought of getting his first pro season started on time, even if that isn’t with his NHL club. He would of course be expected to return to North America once the new season does begin.
Regardless of where Lafreniere ends up, any team that has him in their lineup will receive a major boost. Lafreniere has shown for several years now that he is a special prospect and his second straight CHL Player of the Year Award puts him in elite company. Is it too early to proclaim him the next Crosby? Of course. That won’t stop the winners of this year’s draft lottery from keeping their hopes up though.
Future King
*Wing
Good player, but way closer to the next Jack Hughes than the next Crosby or McDavid.
He’s way better than Hughes, this kid will dominate in the nhl Hughes not so much
not sure he will dominate. agree I think he may be better the Hughes but as a wing, his success will depend on his centre at the next level.
If Detroit gets the first pick, do you think Stevie will call-forward his phone to the “time and temperature” number, just to stiff the other 30 guys out of a potential trade? Can you imagine those looks?
I’m interested to see if Lafreniere has the right stuff to succeed and then some, based on the stuff from the preeminent talking heads and other pundits. His numbers remind me a little bit of Oliver Bjorkstrand a few years ago in the WHL.
Have you not watched him very much? This kid is leagues ahead of where bjorkstrand was in junior! Alexis is the real deal
@Sillysundin – Bjorkstrand was one of the few in recent (relatively speaking, for me) memory that was a 1.5-2 GOALS/game guy in juniors, but had some maturity issues that look to be behind him now. I’ve seen a little bit of Alexis, but there are guys every year that get hyped and tend to not show us much after they get “over-drafted.” I really want to see Lafreniere not just succeed, but light it up, big time. Let’s face it, there have been many kids that have been pressured to live up to others’ expectations, and ended up going “thud.” My gut feel is that Lafreniere will exceed expectations and will be a ridonkulously fast learner when it comes to sliding into a top-6 NHL role. If the team that drafts him hoses him over in the AHL for any length of time, they should get their butts contracted. You just have to worry about media dopes that try to tie anchors to his back, too. If we get “generational” players every couple of years now, it only helps the game. Here’s a novel thought: Instead of comparing him to whatever former great from the team that gets to draft him, how about we just let him be the best Alexis Lafreniere that he can be? He’s not going to be the next anybody, but the first Alexis Lafreniere. Whadda think?