F Alexis Lafreniere - Rimouski Oceanic, QMJHL (2020 Draft)

[Lebowski]

Im not the best guy to answer that since I have never seen him play but from what I understand he is highly skilled and does not rely on physical attributes like Patrick did. Hes only listed at 6`0 170 however I heard his dad is like 6`4. Hopeully he gets taller still.

I saw them in person, and his dad is indeed a fairly large man.

Lafreniere looked thin when I saw him. Then again, he was a 15 years old teen at that point. He still has a ton of room to grow.

 

[L13]

LOL at people who've never watched him play urging caution because they think he must be so good because he's physically mature for his age.

Lafrenière is an extremely smart player and that's what makes him so good--and what will make him a star in the NHL one day.

Not sure where "he doesn't have gamebreaking ability" comes from either...

 

[tigervixxxen]

If he has the size and hockey IQ why isn't he a center or can't work toward that by his draft year?

Alexis is one of the more fascinating prospects to me, I'm really interested to see how he progresses.

 

[Daximus]

If he has the size and hockey IQ why isn't he a center or can't work toward that by his draft year?

Alexis is one of the more fascinating prospects to me, I'm really interested to see how he progresses.

I believe Rimouski has tried him there a few times. From what I have seen he's just more comfortable at wing.

 

[L13]

If he has the size and hockey IQ why isn't he a center or can't work toward that by his draft year?

He probably can try to transition to centre, which doesn't mean he will. He's a winger.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

6 game point streak with 10 points over that span, the kid isn't lighting up the league yet but he is off to an excellent start for a young 16 year old.

Rimouski has a bit of an odd schedule in that they have played 2-3 less games than most teams but will play 4 games over 5 days from Nov 1-5. With the U17s starting on the 5th he will likely miss a handful of Q games.

On another note, I was a bit disappointed he wasn't named to the CHL-Russia super series Q all star team, which is a bummer since that means I won't get to see him for a few more months live.

 

[NA Hockey]

Hockey Canada uses CHL-Russia Super Series to evaluate for World Juniors. Did you really think he had a shot to play in this game and/or for Canada at the World Juniors? Not many 16 year olds make Team Canada U20. He is off to a good start in in the Q but no chance of making U20's.

 

[Passchendaele]

LOL at people who've never watched him play urging caution because they think he must be so good because he's physically mature for his age.

Lafrenière is an extremely smart player and that's what makes him so good--and what will make him a star in the NHL one day.

Not sure where "he doesn't have gamebreaking ability" comes from either...

He's tall, but he's not large.. he's a stick.

If he had dominated AAA at 200lbs I'd be concerned.. but this is not the case.

 

[Killerjas]

Is on track of being a PPG player in his rookie season. Still has 2 more seasons after this one. Can't wait how he progresses!

 

[tigervixxxen]

 

[Dominance]

Also picked up a helper to improve to 17 points (7 goals) in only 14 games. Kid's evolved into the offensive force for his team, already, which is something you like to see from a highly rated but very young prospect, rather than just "solid" play and flashes of skill (see Veleno, Joe). He can round out his game in due time; right now, you want to see him flash his smarts and abilities as much as possible.

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

4 point on 5 Rimouski goals this weekend too, Interested to see if he can carry his recent play into the U17s and dominate. He will be on a team with the other 2 1st overall picks (Krebs and Suzuki) .

 

[Iceman]

Does these kids even know we are talking about them this early?

 

[93LEAFS]

Does these kids even know we are talking about them this early?

Probably, a kid this hyped will have had an agent for a bit, and they are obviously aware of stuff like this. Hell, in certain cases (not saying its true in Lafreniere's) it is people close to them doing the pumping.

This kid has been written about in multiple publications (including the most recent Hockey News). I'm sure he's aware there are people online talking about. The weirder cases are the kids who get threads before they are old enough to sign up for this site, like that Japanese kid and prior to him Mathias-Emilo Pettersen. Wahlstrom was also a youtube sensation at a young age due to his goal at an intermission kids scrimmage during a Bruins game.

 

[tigervixxxen]

He was the first overall pick and is playing in the CHL, it's really not that early.

 

[Iceman]

He was the first overall pick and is playing in the CHL, it's really not that early.

I was not necessarily referring to this kid specifically. I realize kids like McDavid get plenty of attention way earlier than draft day but as the guy above you pointed out, the low key prospects getting threads before they even know the names of half the NHL teams.

 

[scoutman1]

Does these kids even know we are talking about them this early?

lol yes....I have worked in this business a long time as a scout and lnow through peewee and bantam agents are fighting for these kids though they are not allowed to represent them until midget they are as we call it wining and dinning the parents and kid to have them come to their agency, they are being talked about on social media and rinks in midget and step on almost a world stage in the CHL as the attention goes up even more....these kids have to learn to adapt to this and still keep a level head or the business will eat them up

 

[Hfbsux]

Does these kids even know we are talking about them this early?

I posted a comment on a Facebook post about Jack Hughes being the next McDavid or Marner. I told them to also keep an eye on Lafrenière. I guess Alexis was following the same page as me because he liked my comment.

 

[Crispix56]

We'll of course see and its far out, but usually the obvious candidates for 1st overall are evidently that at Lafreniere's age. A player like Nolan Patrick is a good skater, not many guys who aren't great skaters go #1 anymore. You could tell that dynamic element was missing from Patrick's game. I can't say whether thats true about Lafreniere, but not being a great skater does make it difficult for him to be that type of player. McDavid's speed is ridiculous, I've always thought Eichel was an incredible skater, his strides have such power to them. Matthews has improved his skating a lot in my opinion, and he plays heavy, so it plays up. Laine might not be a great skater, but he's a goal scorer more than anything.

What is Lafreniere great at? I'd like to know if someone could tell me. There is obviously something that makes him so good. If its not gamebreakinig type of ability like a McDavid or even Eichel or Matthews, what is it? Is it that his game matured earlier or are all the tools there to be a star? I think we should just be a little cautious here. People were sure Patrick would be 1st overall a few years out, and he wasn't. His game matured early, he never turned into that star type of player. Will Lafreniere? I don't know, thats why I'm asking. This kid is pretty obviously going to be a high pick, how high will have almost all to due with his skills instead of stats. Thats what tripped Patrick up. It was perceived that Hischier was the more talented player with more gamebreakinig ability, so he went first.

I only saw 1 time, last year in midgat AAA. In that game, finished with 3g 1a. He reminds me austin matthew or Nikita Kucherov because he dont need space or time to have a good scoring chance, execution and creativity are top notch. He don't have a heavy shot like them but look accurate in that game.

sorry for my bad english

 

[Lebowski]

Interesting start to the season, as the top scorer of his team, on a team that doesn't score a whole lot to begin with.

McDavid had 25 goals and 66 points in 63 games in his 15 years old season. Lafreniere is currently on pace for 77 points over 63 games, and his pace is slowly picking up too. Obviously, he's not as young as McDavid at that point, but considering he has to spend 3 years in junior, it seems somewhat fair to compare their individual seasons head to head.

 

[93LEAFS]

Interesting start to the season, as the top scorer of his team, on a team that doesn't score a whole lot to begin with.

McDavid had 25 goals and 66 points in 63 games in his 15 years old season. Lafreniere is currently on pace for 77 points over 63 games, and his pace is slowly picking up too. Obviously, he's not as young as McDavid at that point, but considering he has to spend 3 years in junior, it seems somewhat fair to compare their individual seasons head to head.

Scoring isn't as transferable from the QMJHL to the NHL level, as OHL scoring is. He should probably be compared against other 16-year-olds too. Guys such as Hall, Stamkos, Tavares, Nolan Patrick etc. 3 of those guys were also late birthdays. Or even from his own league Nathan MacKinnon. Once we get to the WJC or so, I'll start seeing how the numbers look with league and age adjustments.

 

[Lebowski]

Scoring isn't as transferable from the QMJHL to the NHL level, as OHL scoring is. He should probably be compared against other 16-year-olds too. Guys such as Hall, Stamkos, Tavares, Nolan Patrick etc. 3 of those guys were also late birthdays. Or even from his own league Nathan MacKinnon. Once we get to the WJC or so, I'll start seeing how the numbers look with league and age adjustments.

Interesting. I can see where you're coming from, but I'd like to see the stats on that front if they're available.

As for McDavid, it's more of an example I brought up in jest, I'm not saying I expect Lafreniere to have the same kind of impact at the NHL level. It's just the closest comparable as far as highly touted prospects that had to play 3 junior seasons. I don't think you should compare him to the 16 years old seasons of the guy you mentioned. Even if McDavid had to get the exceptional status to play at 15, he was only 3 months younger than Lafreniere in his rookie season.

 

[93LEAFS]

Interesting. I can see where you're coming from, but I'd like to see the stats on that front if they're available.

As for McDavid, it's more of an example I brought up in jest, I'm not saying I expect Lafreniere to have the same kind of impact at the NHL level. It's just the closest comparable as far as highly touted prospects that had to play 3 junior seasons. I don't think you should compare him to the 16 years old seasons of the guy you mentioned. Even if McDavid had to get the exceptional status to play at 15, he was only 3 months younger than Lafreniere in his rookie season.

I use Iain Fyffe's method outlined in Hockey Abstract presents Stat Shot. This has a formula to account for playoff production and WJC, but does not include stuff for Hlinka, U-17 Challenge or U-18's. Doing the numbers myself, here is what I have for these players 16 year old seasons, and McDavid's 15 year old. I'll add Crosby as the most hyped QMJHL guy in years too. I'll add there Regular Season and year-end numbers, considering we only have Lafreniere's for about a 5th of a season. I have not put an era adjustment in place, so certain years may be slightly inflated.

Crosby
Regular Season: 2.71 (59)
Total: 2.60 (74)

Stamkos
Regular Season: 1.89 (63)
Total: 1.91 (67)

Tavares
Regular Season: 2.81 (67)
Total: 2.89 (76)

Hall:
Regular Season: 1.89 (63)
Total: 1.88 (68)

Mackinnon
Regular Season: 1.61 (58)
Total: 1.78 (75)

15 year old McDavid
Regular Season: 1.52 (63)
Total: 1.52 (63)

16 Year Old McDavid
Regular Season: 2.26 (56)
Total: 2.11 (77)

Patrick:
Regular Season: 1.36 (55)
Total: 1.34 (74)

Lafreniere is currently at 1.47 but considering he's only played 14 games it could easily swing wildly in either direction.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I was not necessarily referring to this kid specifically. I realize kids like McDavid get plenty of attention way earlier than draft day but as the guy above you pointed out, the low key prospects getting threads before they even know the names of half the NHL teams.

Oh yeah, I hear ya. There was a tweet recently about how MEP used to read his thread on here. I'm sure these kids are smart and know how to find where people are talking about them.

But back to Lafrenière, will be very interesting to see where his path takes him next three years. I'm glad to see he's starting off well.

 

[Killerjas]

Oh yeah, I hear ya. There was a tweet recently about how MEP used to read his thread on here. I'm sure these kids are smart and know how to find where people are talking about them.

But back to Lafrenière, will be very interesting to see where his path takes him next three years. I'm glad to see he's starting off well.

MEP?