Jack Hughes or Alexis Lafreniere?

[Jordan Belfort]

Who’s the better prospect?

Click to read more...

 

[TT1]

Lafreniere imo is the better player but Hughes plays the more valuable position. Lafreniere is a beast tho.

 

[93LEAFS]

Hughes. More dynamic, and has the chance to be a center. Hopefully, we get to see both at the WJC this year.

 

[Captain97]

Lafreniere is better but Hughes is a centre.

 

[jj cale]

I think it Hughes for the reason listed above by 93Leafs.

 

[HOPE]

Hughes.

 

[Thebesthockey]

They are both great in different ways
would take either anytime

I will skew to Lafr. just based on current size potential
sorry but in NHL size matters over long run

 

[1Gold Standard]

Hughes. and I don't say this often...but it's not really that close at the moment.

Can Lafreniere be the better pro at the end of the development curve? it's possible. but as of today I'll take Hughes 10 times out of 10.

 

[1972]

This isn't even close IMO. Hughes is a Matthews/Eichel caliber talent while Lafreniere is not at that level.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Sidney Crobsy

 

[Lights911]

Hughes imo

 

[ijuka]

Hughes at u18s: 12p in 7 games
Lafreniere at u18s: 6p in 5 games

Lafreniere is so overrated it's not even funny. Hughes is much better.

 

[TwoPiece]

Hughes at u18s: 12p in 7 games
Lafreniere at u18s: 6p in 5 games

Lafreniere is so overrated it's not even funny. Hughes is much better.

You know that Lafreniere isn't draft-eligible until 2020, right? And that U18 statistics aren't a universal measurement to how good a player or prospect is?

Just wanna make sure.

 

[Mrb1p]

This isn't even close IMO. Hughes is a Matthews/Eichel caliber talent while Lafreniere is not at that level.

Only Crosby, PM Bouchard and Esposito have had more points at the same age, since the 2000s as Lafreniere, he's in elite company. He outproduced Mackinnon by three points, eleven more goals.

 

[ijuka]

You know that Lafreniere isn't draft-eligible until 2020, right?

So? He's 5 months younger. Indeed, that's less than the 7 it'd be the other way around. What do you want to do then? Compare their u17 stats where both are last-year eligible?

Lafreniere:
6p in 6 games
Hughes:
15p in 6 games

Or do you perchance suggest that Lafreniere would do better at u17s next year? Too bad, he's no longer eligible then. It'd probably be a good idea for you to take a look at how age groups work.

 

[TwoPiece]

So? He's 4 and a half months younger. What do you want to do then? Compare their u17 stats where both are last-year eligible?

Lafreniere:
6p in 6 games
Hughes:
15p in 6 games

What I want to do is rank the prospects in comparison to how good they are, and project to be, rather than just statistics.

IIRC, Teemu Pulkkinen broke all of Ovechkin's U18 stats, and look where he is at age 26 (KHL).

If you're going to utilize statistics, at least be reasonable with them. Compare Lafreniere's 40-goal rookie season, at 16 in the Q, to someone else's. Or Hughes' USHL same-age statistics to a comparable.

 

[X66]

Hughes at u18s: 12p in 7 games
Lafreniere at u18s: 6p in 5 games

Lafreniere is so overrated it's not even funny. Hughes is much better.

Lafreniere and Hughes were both only 16 during that tournament (5 months younger than Hughes), Lafreniere led his team in scoring(tied), they weren't a very high scoring bunch.

I still take Hughes if given the choice, but Laf is definitely not overrated, he's an elite prospect.

 

[Mercedes Benn]

So? He's 5 months younger. Indeed, that's less than the 7 it'd be the other way around. What do you want to do then? Compare their u17 stats where both are last-year eligible?

Lafreniere:
6p in 6 games
Hughes:
15p in 6 games

Or do you perchance suggest that Lafreniere would do better at u17s next year? Too bad, he's no longer eligible then. It'd probably be a good idea for you to take a look at how age groups work.

Nobody asked who was better at the U17 tournament? The question was, who is the better prospect? Votes are even so i would say they are fairly close.

 

[TT1]

Hughes. and I don't say this often...but it's not really that close at the moment.

Can Lafreniere be the better pro at the end of the development curve? it's possible. but as of today I'll take Hughes 10 times out of 10.

gotta love when you see statements like this

Alexis was a top 3 forward in the Q 2 years before his draft year.

 

[TwoPiece]

I'd go with Hughes, only because Lafreniere has a female first name.

 

[Mrb1p]

What I want to do is rank the prospects in comparison to how good they are, and project to be, rather than just statistics.

IIRC, Teemu Pulkkinen broke all of Ovechkin's U18 stats, and look where he is at age 26 (KHL).

If you're going to utilize statistics, at least be reasonable with them. Compare Lafreniere's 40-goal rookie season, at 16 in the Q, to someone else's. Or Hughes' USHL same-age statistics to a comparable.

Oh, now you want to compare same age seasons.

 

[TwoPiece]

Oh, now you want to compare same age seasons.

I never didn't want to compare same-age seasons. Draft eligibility in 2018 = "same age season", since you want to carryover conversation from an alternative thread.

I want to compare same eligibility seasons (i.e. Draft -1 for Hughes, Draft -2 for Lafreniere) from the same league here.

 

[Shmookpup]

Lafreniere, at 16 playing vs 20 year olds, led his major junior team in goals and points, when a 20 year old NHL drafted Q veteran was 7 points back, having played 4 more games. Lafreniere was +35, 2nd on his team. These stats are irrefutably elite & prodigous. You cannot say that Lafs is overrated. Also, IMO, I don't think Hughes would have been able to produce at this rate in his draft -2. Even if I were to consider Hughes right now, I'm unsure if he would be able to match/top this production

All that being said, the only knock I have on him is that he's not a centre right now. Can he develop into a centre? Maybe. Even if he stays playing the wing, I'm taking him over Hughes right now. He isn't dramatically better, but I believe that he is indeed better.

 

[1Gold Standard]

gotta love when you see statements like this

Alexis was a top 3 forward in the Q 2 years before his draft year.

ya, so what's the big deal? oh...I could be wrong. oh the horror! Lafreniere skates circles around Hughes as a pro. I hope Alexis proves me wrong.

 

[TwoPiece]

Lafreniere, at 16 playing vs 20 year olds, led his major junior team in goals and points, when a 20 year old NHL drafted Q veteran was 7 points back, having played 4 more games. Lafreniere was +35, 2nd on his team. These stats are irrefutably elite & prodigous. You cannot say that Lafs is overrated. Also, IMO, I don't think Hughes would have been able to produce at this rate in his draft -2. Even if I were to consider Hughes right now, I'm unsure if he would be able to match/top this production

All that being said, the only knock I have on him is that he's not a centre right now. Can he develop into a centre? Maybe. Even if he stays playing the wing, I'm taking him over Hughes right now. He isn't dramatically better, but I believe that he is indeed better.

But... Lafreniere's first name is Alexis.

That doesn't factor into your decision?