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

[Daximus]

C

He does not play C. He plays left wing.

 

[Daximus]

What's Lafreniere's natural position C or LW / RW?
And what's his NHL comparison right now is he like Patrick Kane or more like Sidney Crosby?

He has been tried at C but seems to produce more playing on the wing. I don't think he is much like either. He's like a power forward with really smooth hands, quick decision making and a great shot/pass arsenal, seems to be equally good at both setting up plays and finishing them. I don't know if there is a winger like him currently in the NHL.

 

[Castle8130]

He has that special ability to create scoring chances out of nowhere. There are only a few players that have that ability, but still has a few flaws in his overall play. That's why I think people are saying he is overrated and the people that are just looking at his ability to create scoring chances are saying he is Mcdavid esque.
IMO he does have some qualities that only him and Mcdavid have. I think him and Mcdavid share the similar hands in close and their shooting is pretty similar. They are also good at stickhandling quickly at a fast pace. I would say he definitely doesn't have the speed Mcdavid has and can't match Mcdavid in too many other categories. (When Mcdavid was his age)

 

[Artorius Horus T]

He has that special ability to create scoring chances out of nowhere. There are only a few players that have that ability, but still has a few flaws in his overall play. That's why I think people are saying he is overrated and the people that are just looking at his ability to create scoring chances are saying he is Mcdavid esque.
IMO he does have some qualities that only him and Mcdavid have. I think him and Mcdavid share the similar hands in close and their shooting is pretty similar. They are also good at stickhandling quickly at a fast pace. I would say he definitely doesn't have the speed Mcdavid has and can't match Mcdavid in too many other categories. (When Mcdavid was his age)

I disagree. However, i respect your opinion, lets see how he it all works out, who's better, who is not.
For me (at same age) for most categories : Lafrenière > McDavid

 

[Artorius Horus T]

This is gonna be super bold and probably make some HFBoards members go ape **** on me but...
i see three player combo in him;Crosby,Kariya and Selänne.

 

[Get North]

The one thing that makes McDavid the best player in the world, is the fact that he can play elite hockey at a unreal speed. He's the fastest on the ice, the most smartest on the ice, and the most skilled on the ice. He's 6'1-6'2 as well and is hard to knock off the puck. Lafreniere is a great player, but he'll never play at the speed McDavid does. He doesn't pass like McDavid or have the stick handling ability.

I'll say that Lafreniere has a better shot and more strength than McDavid at the same age. Hands are close, I would go with McDavid just because he can deke through players while at a much higher speed.

Hughes also has really good hands and passing ability, but he doesn't have the speed that McDavid possesses. Lafreniere compared to Hughes also has the better shot, strength and goal scoring instincts.

McDavid is on another level than Hughes and Lafreniere even though they are great talents.

 

[1Gold Standard]

I disagree. However, i respect your opinion, lets see how he it all works out, who's better, who is not.
For me (at same age) for most categories : Lafrenière > McDavid

Absolutely not.

14 year old McDavid > 16 year old Lafreniere.

but it will be fun coming back to your post and my reply over the next few years to see who was right and who was wrong.

 

[JPeeper]

The one thing that makes McDavid the best player in the world, is the fact that he can play elite hockey at a unreal speed.

Pretty much this, there are players in the NHL who have the elite hockey IQ that McDavid has and there are some really fast guys (in a straight line anyway, not the edgework), there are guys with better hands than McDavid, but McDavid has all of these attributes and can execute at the same time whereas most of the fast guys have either stone hands or low hockey IQ or both; players with the IQ but not the speed. McDavid can go at his full speed and do what ever he wants out there.

Alexis could have the hands and IQ of McDavid, but he doesn't have close to his speed.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Absolutely not.

14 year old McDavid > 16 year old Lafreniere.

but it will be fun coming back to your post and my reply over the next few years to see who was right and who was wrong.

Indeed.

 

[Thebesthockey]

I like Laffre.

but make no mistake , McDavid is By FAR the best hockey player to come around in years

no one can play and think at the speed he does

he is unreal in the “ new “ nhl

simply the best

 

[cg98]

This is gonna be super bold and probably make some HFBoards members go ape **** on me but...
i see three player combo in him;Crosby,Kariya and Selänne.

Your posts about Lafreniere are getting ridiculous. Stop lol.

 

[bigdog16]

I disagree. However, i respect your opinion, lets see how he it all works out, who's better, who is not.
For me (at same age) for most categories : Lafrenière > McDavid

I think your setting yourself up for disappointment there. Mcdavid was a far superior player at 16 than Laf was. But everyones entitled to their own opinion

 

[scoutman1]

First off, scoring has gone down quite a bit since Crosby had that incredible season. Secondly, Lafreniere was playing in a u-18 tournament, it's not like he was dominating u-20s out there. My expectations for Lafreniere is somewhere ranging from 90-115 points and that is still an incredible point total in a single season.

you say scoring has gone down since Crosby...the year Crosby scored 168 points his next closest was Dany Roussin who was his linemate (with 116) who only scored those points because of Crosby...only Pouliot and Bousclair had over a 100 points that year and everyone else was 97 points and below. Crosby was so good that Roussin in his 3rd year in the league only scored 54 points in 71 games, he was a 7th round NHL pick, then his 3rd year in the league was put on a line with Crosby he was a 117 pointer that year, then in his 4th year in the league and 2nd year on Crosby line he was 116 point guy and then drafted 2nd round in the NHL.

Scoring was not crazy higher...this year in the QMJHL there were two 100 point scorers and if you took Crosby out of the league in that QMJHL there would have only been 2 100 point scorers because Roussin would not have touched 100 points.

 

[JLFGoNicsGo11]

you say scoring has gone down since Crosby...the year Crosby scored 168 points his next closest was Dany Roussin who was his linemate (with 116) who only scored those points because of Crosby...only Pouliot and Bousclair had over a 100 points that year and everyone else was 97 points and below. Crosby was so good that Roussin in his 3rd year in the league only scored 54 points in 71 games, he was a 7th round NHL pick, then his 3rd year in the league was put on a line with Crosby he was a 117 pointer that year, then in his 4th year in the league and 2nd year on Crosby line he was 116 point guy and then drafted 2nd round in the NHL.

Scoring was not crazy higher...this year in the QMJHL there were two 100 point scorers and if you took Crosby out of the league in that QMJHL there would have only been 2 100 point scorers because Roussin would not have touched 100 points.

Radulov had like 162 in the Q

 

[Breakfast of Champs]

Radulov had like 162 in the Q

directly post lockout (more pps) and also 2 years post draft on a great team.

But yea, Radulov was ridiculous

 

[Motte and Bailey]

I hope Montreal gets to draft this kid, he's exactly what they need to answer Toronto's pair of Matthews and Tavares. Plus he's French Canadian, it would just be too perfect!

 

[Killerjas]

I hope Montreal gets to draft this kid, he's exactly what they need to answer Toronto's pair of Matthews and Tavares. Plus he's French Canadian, it would just be too perfect!

What about Kotkaniemi?

 

[Motte and Bailey]

What about Kotkaniemi?

Lafreniere and Coke can yummy > Matthews and Tavares

 

[David Suzuki]

What about Kotkaniemi?

An after thought by the time the Habs have Hughes and Lafreniere.

 

[Tkachuckycheese]

is the 2020 draft suppose to be better than the 2019 draft? Maybe Ottawa is hoping for this kid instead of Hughes.

 

[LeafChief]

It'll be a real mistake if this kid doesn't make the WJC team in December.

 

[Killerjas]

is the 2020 draft suppose to be better than the 2019 draft? Maybe Ottawa is hoping for this kid instead of Hughes.

Top talent is slightly better than 2019. We can't say anything about the depth of the 2020 draft, 2020 is still too far away.

 

[penguindog]

It'll be a real mistake if this kid doesn't make the WJC team in December.

Jack Hughes vs Alexis Lafreniere on the big stage would be the best Christmas present.

 

[scallionjj11]

So what kind of numbers do people expect him to put up in the Q this year?

 

[WhatTheDuck]

This is gonna be super bold and probably make some HFBoards members go ape **** on me but...
i see three player combo in him;Crosby,Kariya and Selänne.

It's not even about being bold, I don't see those being close style comparisons whatsoever, especially not Kariya. Completely different player.