Jack Hughes or Alexis Lafreniere?

[Rabid Ranger]

I personally think Lefreniere's tool might make a better transition to the NHL. The skating part is hillarious. Lefreniere not a good skater ? what have these people been watching ? He is well above average for his age and only going to get better and stronger. Not much seperates him and Hughes, except Size. Jack Hughes is not exactly Quinton Hughes when it comes to skating too.

Jack Hughes is an unbelievable skater. Top tier.

 

[Hfbsux]

The skating part is hillarious. Lefreniere not a good skater ?

I know right? Raymond couldn't catch him on the end to end goal he made and skating is one of Raymond's strenght. I think it is underrated quite a bit.

 

[grentthealien]

I see that AL’s u-18 has closed the gap a bit.

 

[Spirit of 67]

Lafreniere.

There is belief that he would go #1 were he a week younger.

I haven't seen enough of either to get a good take on this but I'm immensely impressed by Alexis.
I suppose I could live with Hughes as well though.

 

[JPeeper]

I want to see Hughes play, only seen highlights whereas I have seen Alexis play and he straight up dominates everyone he plays against physically, with his skill, his positioning, etc.

I have super high hopes for Lafreniere.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I see that AL’s u-18 has closed the gap a bit.

Hlinka. Hughes wasn't at the tournament, so its an unfair thing to say.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Way too early to be making definitive statements about teenagers. Hope to see them both play well at this year's WJCs. Personally think Hughes is a bit ahead for now, just an incredible skater.

 

[Jabba11]

Lafreniere's ability to anticipate plays and to be there on step ahead when a play develops makes him a special player. That and combine his physicality, his shot and his deking, you have a player that will translate well in the league. I feel like he's gonna dominate the WJC U20 if he makes the team. He makes everyone around him better and I prefer his style than Hughes.

 

[93LEAFS]

Jack Hughes is an unbelievable skater. Top tier.

Yeah, even if Lafreniere is a good or above average skater, Hughes will be top 10 in the league when he enters. It'd be similar to me saying the big difference between Matthews and McDavid, is Matthews size. Matthews is a good skater, especially for a guy who is around 6'2 220, but McDavid would torch him in open ice.

Lafreniere looks like one of the most complete wingers in ages. He ticks all the boxes. Good size, great hands, very-high IQ, above average to good skating, plays hard, and plays physical.

The one trait I really like about Lafreniere appeared in his highlight reel goal, and it wasn't the part on the highlights. Prior to that breakout, he had a failed entry with a sloppy turnover. Instead of waiting for his team to get the puck back and get it to him (not an uncommon thing for star wingers in junior hockey), he was skating his ass-off to win the puck back, which he did by stripping a Swede and then driving up ice. It reminded me a bit of the differences between 17 year old Mitch Marner and 17-year old William Nylander. Nylander would wait for his teammates to get it back for him, and then attack again. Marner was like a dog on a bone to get that thing back. Here's a quote about it from an NHL scout in the 2015 Black Book about Marner.

“You don’t see a player with his talent backcheck like that everyday.”

I'd still lean Hughes on this postion. He has a bit more gamebreaking skill and has the chance of playing the more important question. But, Lafreniere is the best Canadian winger since at least Hall at the junior level. Past that your debating guys like R. Nash and Dany Heatley.

 

[GHJimmy]

Everyone was always going after Hughes, after the Gretzky cup everyone changed their option lmao ! Always Lafreniere he is a franchise changer

 

[ijuka]

I see that AL’s u-18 has closed the gap a bit.

Has it? Jack Hughes wasn't even present. This is about as well as Lafreniere should be expected to perform, in his own age group. It's at the level of Tyson Jost's u18 performance or so.

It's the typical overreaction. We'll see Hughes have an amazing season and people will come back to their senses.

Yeah, even if Lafreniere is a good or above average skater, Hughes will be top 10 in the league when he enters.

I really doubt he'll only be top 10 unless you mean it in the sense of "top 3 is top 10 also".

 

[Big Drama Show]

I see that AL’s u-18 has closed the gap a bit.

If Hughes played in the Hlinka the gap would have been bigger. He would have destroyed that tournament.

Hughes by a fairly good margin.

 

[NA Hockey]

Has it? Jack Hughes wasn't even present. This is about as well as Lafreniere should be expected to perform, in his own age group. It's at the level of Tyson Jost's u18 performance or so.

It's the typical overreaction. We'll see Hughes have an amazing season and people will come back to their senses.


I really doubt he'll only be top 10 unless you mean it in the sense of "top 3 is top 10 also".

Are you saying you think that Hughes will be a top 3 player in the NHL at 18?

People need to temper their expectations. Very little probability of being a top 20 player in the league at that age.

Give him time to grow into it, with comments like that people are only setting themselves up to be disappointed which isn't fair given how good he will be.

 

[AD1066]

Are you saying you think that Hughes will be a top 3 player in the NHL at 18?

People need to temper their expectations. Very little probability of being a top 20 player in the league at that age.

Give him time to grow into it, with comments like that people are only setting themselves up to be disappointed which isn't fair given how good he will be.

I think the original context was top 10 in skating ability. Which is still a high bar, but without getting into an ordinal ranking, I think he and his brother will absolutely be in the elite tier of skaters.

And I won't pretend to have seen much of Lafreniere, but I think it's reasonable to say Hughes is the better skater and it's hard to imagine that ever changing.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Has it? Jack Hughes wasn't even present. This is about as well as Lafreniere should be expected to perform, in his own age group. It's at the level of Tyson Jost's u18 performance or so.

It's the typical overreaction. We'll see Hughes have an amazing season and people will come back to their senses.


I really doubt he'll only be top 10 unless you mean it in the sense of "top 3 is top 10 also".

I feel like you know but I'll say it anyways....This wasn't Lafreniere's age group. Tyson Jost had 3 points when he played at the Hlinka playing with his age group. I get it, you are a massive fan of Hughes that doesn't mean you need to make up reasons Lafreniere is worse. Or hell you are acting like anyone that thinks he is better then Hughes is inherently just wrong because you disagree or that nobody thought he was better before the Hlinka. Again you are wrong.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

133-130 for Hughes at the moment. Few days and Lafrenière takes the lead.

 

[1Gold Standard]

I feel like you know but I'll say it anyways....This wasn't Lafreniere's age group. Tyson Jost had 3 points when he played at the Hlinka playing with his age group. I get it, you are a massive fan of Hughes that doesn't mean you need to make up reasons Lafreniere is worse. Or hell you are acting like anyone that thinks he is better then Hughes is inherently just wrong because you disagree or that nobody thought he was better before the Hlinka. Again you are wrong.

not following? This Hlinka-Gretzky tournament wasn't Lafreniere's age group? It most certainly was his age group. '01 born players, he's just not in this year's '19 draft class due to a late b-day. but this Hlinka-Gretzky tournament was his age group. Given that, and the level of the prospect he is...his production at it wasn't anything other than what he should be doing in a tournament for his age group. He equaled Nathan MacKinnon's Hlinka pt. totals. Lafreniere -Mackinnon are comparables imo. and at this point I'd still give the edge to Mackinnon. but stay tuned, Lafreniere could surpass him this season.

If he were in '19 draft class, my number 1OA pick would still be Hughes. for now. but that is also subject to change.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

not following? This Hlinka-Gretzky tournament wasn't Lafreniere's age group? It most certainly was his age group. '01 born players, he's just not in this year's '19 draft class due to a late b-day. but this Hlinka-Gretzky tournament was his age group. Given that, and the level of the prospect he is...his production at it wasn't anything other than what he should be doing in a tournament for his age group. He equaled Nathan MacKinnon's Hlinka pt. totals. Lafreniere -Mackinnon are comparables imo. and at this point I'd still give the edge to Mackinnon. but stay tuned, Lafreniere could surpass him this season.

I was going by the fact that he will still be eligible for the tournament next summer. Not saying what he did wasn't expected but he still has another year of U-18 eligibility. That to me means he isn't playing at his age group. As far as the Mackinnon comparison I disagree I think Lafreniere is a better prospect at this point then Mackinnon was having seen a ton of both players.

 

[1Gold Standard]

I was going by the fact that he will still be eligible for the tournament next summer. Not saying what he did wasn't expected but he still has another year of U-18 eligibility. That to me means he isn't playing at his age group. As far as the Mackinnon comparison I disagree I think Lafreniere is a better prospect at this point then Mackinnon was having seen a ton of both players.

He's not eligible to play Hlinka-Gretzky next year.

He's eligible to play the IIhf U18 tournament in April.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

He's not eligible to play Hlinka-Gretzky next year.

He's eligible to play the IIhf U18 tournament in April.

Is Hlinka not a u-18 tournament or do they just do it by birth year?

 

[1Gold Standard]

Is Hlinka not a u-18 tournament or do they just do it by birth year?

birth year. next year's Hlinka will be '02 born players.

if it went just by birthday and who has not yet reached the age of 18, then Nolan Foote (2017 Hlinka Team Canada player) would have been a returnee on this 2018 team. Foote is a late b-day and doesn't turn 18 until November 29.

 

[Jabba11]

Well, I see that some of you exaggerates a lot on how Hughes is better than Lafreniere. Skating alone doesn’t make up a player, so I wouldn’t put too much emphasis on that. Not taking anything away from Hughes, he’s a tremendous player and franchise type changing player.

However, looking at the poll as of this moment, Hughes with 134 votes (50.6%) and Lafreniere with 131 votes (49.4%), that for me says there’s no consensus on who’s the better player. And it says a lot about Lafreniere if he’s being voted equal to Hughes. While still being younger.

 

[Notsince67]

At his size, Lafreniere's stick work is crazy. I have a tall son who plays hockey. At 14, he is 6'2. I know first hand the difficulty in adjusting to a bigger stick every few months. I don't know when Lafreniere grew but he is a big boy now and inevitably had or has to deal with developing a bigger gas tank for his size and relearning edge work and stick reach constantly. He is only going to get better

 

[L4br3cqu3]

I hope the Habs get both of them in the next 2 seasons, I don't care who'll be the 'best', they both can be great.

Both.

 

[GAGLine]

It depends which one the Rangers draft.