Alexis Lafreniere - is he the 2nd best prospect since Crosby?

[Panthaz89]

I definitely don't think he's above Tavarres, McDavid by comparison.

 

[Dondini]

he turned 18 in October. I don’t know I always take into account those older draft picks. He’s unreal foresure but that can honestly help a player big time at that age. I don’t think he will be anywhere near a Crosby/mcdavid/makinnon/Kane.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

It's always hard to look back and be objective. Hype probably varies a bit depending on geography. As an example Buffalo fans were claiming much loftier status for Dahlin than I was hearing/seeing in Ontario. Hype is also irrational , Eichel garnered more hype than Matthews despite Matthews having better career numbers and being more NHL ready after a pro year in Europe.

To me the minute you are talking about a winger you are already behind the 8 ball. I'm sure he's going to be good but it's hard to get excited about a winger as top pick.

I agree to a certain extent, but at the same time I don't think Washington or Chicago are unhappy with their 1st overall wingers.

 

[Voight]

No. Kane, Tavares, Stamkos, Eichel, Matthews, Dahlin all better prospects

'
Ekblad too - people forget the hype around him.

At 15, when he was allowed to play in the OHL a year early (at the time only the second player ever after Tavares) he already looked and was built like an 18-20 year old.

 

[Muffin]

I don't know about that one. I definitely remember the expectation being that Colorado would take Jones first. There was also talk about the top 5 of that draft being "good, not great". If anything, I was a little underwhelmed by MacKinnon in his draft year.

I think that was before his Memorial Cup MVP performance, hype was in full force after that.

 

[SympathyForTheDevils]

'
Ekblad too - people forget the hype around him.

At 15, when he was allowed to play in the OHL a year early (at the time only the second player ever after Tavares) he already looked and was built like an 18-20 year old.

By his draft year, that hype had tapered off a bit. He wasn't a controversial pick (especially for Florida, who had just drafted Barkov at C but had little on D), but there were a few lists with Reinhart or Bennett on top. He didn't have as good a draft year as Lafreniere is having, and I seriously doubt he would have been drafted over him in that scenario.

Think there's a bit of revisionist history in this thread. Mackinnon wasn't even the favorite for 1st overall for most of his draft year. Stamkos was a great prospect, but was a bit overshadowed by Tavares, who was younger and generally outperformed him at the OHL level. Kane, like Mackinnon, wasn't the favorite until the end of the year, and even then it wasn't a certainty that he would go first. Plus. like with Stamkos, having the 2-years younger Tavares trail right behind him in scoring drained a bit of hype from that draft.

As for the OP's question, I think Lafrenière is in the 4th-8th range.

 

[Voight]

By his draft year, that hype had tapered off a bit. He wasn't a controversial pick (especially for Florida, who had just drafted Barkov at C but had little on D), but there were a few lists with Reinhart or Bennett on top. He didn't have as good a draft year as Lafreniere is having, and I seriously doubt he would have been drafted over him in that scenario.

Think there's a bit of revisionist history in this thread. Mackinnon wasn't even the favorite for 1st overall for most of his draft year. Stamkos was a great prospect, but was a bit overshadowed by Tavares, who was younger and generally outperformed him at the OHL level. Kane, like Mackinnon, wasn't the favorite until the end of the year, and even then it wasn't a certainty that he would go first. Plus. like with Stamkos, having the 2-years younger Tavares trail right behind him in scoring drained a bit of hype from that draft.

As for the OP's question, I think Lafrenière is in the 4th-8th range.

Fair point, Bennett was in fact ranked ahead by seasons end. Didn't help that Ek was on an obscure Barrie team that went nowhere.

RE MackInnon, you're 100% correct. Jones was #1 all year until Halifax beat Portland in the MC Final.

Tavares is actually the same age as Stamkos. He just had a late September birthday and was pushed to the 2009 draft. But yes, Stamkos was often overshadowed by Tavares, especially with all the records JT broke/set and the fact that Stammer never won any hardware at the OHL level.

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

I think he has the potential to be a bigger Patrick Kane.
And that's pretty awesome. The way this season is going, I hope the Hawks get him.

 

[BlueBaron]

I agree to a certain extent, but at the same time I don't think Washington or Chicago are unhappy with their 1st overall wingers.

I'm sure you're right. I could not help but notice how old those two are and how long it's been since a winger did go #1.

 

[Xirik]

it depends on what team he is drafted too, If its a big market/Canadian market then he will be the best. If a smaller market gets him he will be compared to hughes, Hischier etc.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I'm sure you're right. I could not help but notice how old those two are and how long it's been since a winger did go #1.

Yakupov. But that's probably not the blueprint for anyone drafting 1st overall.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I think he has the potential to be a bigger Patrick Kane.
And that's pretty awesome. The way this season is going, I hope the Hawks get him.

He's way more physical and, at this stage of his development, is way ahead of Kane in terms of two way play. Maybe if you morphed Hossa's board work/two way game with Kane's offensive game (though I think Kane's a better dangler).

 

[jibbz]

The numbers he is putting up in the Q would seem to fit him above everyone else except Crosby and McDavid.

Well, everyone except another guy in his own draft class

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Title implies that McDavid wasn't a better prospect than Crosby... He is.

 

[Laveuglette]

Title implies that McDavid wasn't a better prospect than Crosby... He is.

In juniors Crosby was clearly better than McDavid. I agree that it's arguable for what follows, though.

 

[Turin]

Title implies that McDavid wasn't a better prospect than Crosby... He is.

Very, very few people thought that in 2025. There were some, but a minority, especially among those who actually followed both.

 

[Long Live Lyle]

It wasn’t even just common at the beginning of the season. ISS final rankings had Seth Jones 1st.

How I recall it was basically the exact opposite of how the poster you originally quoted said it was. I remember the tanking battle cry that year (after Suck for Luck and Fail for Nail) was Not Winnin’ for MacKinnon (i.e., MacKinnon was the early #1 favorite). Then in the middle of the year, Jones emerged ahead and seemed to solidify it by the end of the season. Finally, when Colorado/Sakic won the lottery, it appeared everything was coming full circle since Sakic gave Popeye advice when Seth was a kid.

I remember it was mildly shocking when reports started to emerge in the week(s) leading up to the draft that Colorado was probably gonna take MacKinnon.

 

[Long Live Lyle]

I don't know about that one. I definitely remember the expectation being that Colorado would take Jones first. There was also talk about the top 5 of that draft being "good, not great". If anything, I was a little underwhelmed by MacKinnon in his draft year.

This is more in line with my recollection, too. I think MacK at the start of the year was ahead of the pack, but lost ground and was (thought to have been) overtaken by Jones.

 

[Nabrules]

Yikes people are going to be disappointed if they think he’s the 2nd best prospect since Crosby or even close. He’s comparable to Laine, Puljujarvi, Svechnikov and Marner in their draft years. Great player but boy he’s getting overhyped.

 

[ESH]

How I recall it was basically the exact opposite of how the poster you originally quoted said it was. I remember the tanking battle cry that year (after Suck for Luck and Fail for Nail) was Not Winnin’ for MacKinnon (i.e., MacKinnon was the early #1 favorite). Then in the middle of the year, Jones emerged ahead and seemed to solidify it by the end of the season. Finally, when Colorado/Sakic won the lottery, it appeared everything was coming full circle since Sakic gave Popeye advice when Seth was a kid.

I remember it was mildly shocking when reports started to emerge in the week(s) leading up to the draft that Colorado was probably gonna take MacKinnon.

Exactly how I remember it too. It seemed too obvious that Colorado would take Seth Jones when they won the lottery, right up until they outright told everyone they were going to take MacKinnon.

 

[biturbo19]

McDavid.
Matthews.
Tavares.
Stamkos.
Eichel.
Draisaitl.

I think there's an argument Lafreniere is even with Eichel, but if he's not a Center long-term in the NHL, his value as a prospect takes a hit. I think some people have forgotten how highly regarded Eichel was as "second place prize" in that draft.

Draisaitl, i know i was mostly alone on, but was adamant he was the best player in that draft. He was so utterly dominant in Juniors, mostly on bad teams where he was the offense.

With Stamkos, it was a hilarious hype level as a prospect...where Tampa literally put up billboards of the guy, before they even drafted him. He was a slam dunk.

 

[Canuck Luck]

Crosby
McDavid
Tavares
Lafreniere/MacKinnon

if we are looking at the pre-draft hype only not actually ability/stats

 

[daver]

Yikes people are going to be disappointed if they think he’s the 2nd best prospect since Crosby or even close. He’s comparable to Laine, Puljujarvi, Svechnikov and Marner in their draft years. Great player but boy he’s getting overhyped.

yeah, he certainly isn't tearing the Q a new one like Crosby did so claiming he is the 2nd best is very debatable. I do think his IQ and nose for the puck will perhaps elevate him to a status similar to the best of the rest in the NHL i.e. not Crosby/McDavid level.

 

[OKR]

People tend to forget that player development wasn’t the same when Crosby played in the Q, he was so clearly ahead of his peers then cause the average junior player wasn’t as good as they currently are and when McDavid played, McDavid imo was considered the better prospect of the two.

But yeah i think Alexis is gonna be in that Marner, Laine, Matthews tier, instead of Crosby/Ovi/Mcdavid

 

[Neutrinos]

Best since Crosby. McDavid is best since Lemieux

I'm not sure McDavid would or should be ranked ahead of Lindros