F Alexis Lafreniere - Rimouski Oceanic, QMJHL (2020 Draft) Part 2

[Kaners Bald Spot]

Has anyone made a detailed projection for Lafrenier with comparables?

Lafreniere is Patrick Kane if Kane was 6-1. Kane is the best pro comparison that I can think of. Little worse dangles, more size.

 

[ponder]

God damn he had an excellent first game of the tourney, he was downright dominant out there. Crazy vision and puck handling, making so much happen, even had some nice hits and defensive plays. He was the best player on the ice by a wide margin.

Hard to think of a good comparison for him - bigger Giroux maybe? He’s going to be damn good. Have never noticed any significant weaknesses in his game, IMO he’s a pretty “sure thing” franchise player.

 

[Slimmy]

Lafreniere is Patrick Kane if Kane was 6-1. Kane is the best pro comparison that I can think of. Little worse dangles, more size.

How does their numbers in Jr's compare? Is it possible to get a fairly reliable NHL point projection for Lafrenier based on his jr production alone?

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

How does their numbers in Jr's compare? Is it possible to get a fairly reliable NHL point projection for Lafrenier based on his jr production alone?

Kane only played one year in London(draft year). He went 62-83-145 in 58 games.
Lafreniere has 23-47-70 in 32 games.

If you project it out to the same number of games, Lafreniere projects to 42-85-127. Not quite the same junior goalscorer. Kane was also an early-ish birthday.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I always compared Lafreniere to Jack Eichel. Very similar skating style, very strong, great hands and shot.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

wait, there's actually people that think or would take Byfield at 1...?

I don't understand it either. I still have never seen Byfield play a good hockey game.

Just based on what I've seen, and I've seen a number of games now from Lafreniere and Byfield, I don't see much of a contest here for 1OA. To me, Lafreniere is the clear superior player. I also usually always give the center the advantage, if its close. And I don't think Lafreniere has the most exciting upside and everything anyone says about Byfield is about how high his upside is, but when I watch them play, Lafreniere is just a lot more impressive. His skills are much more presently apparent, even if he's not a flashy player.

 

[kings11]

I doubt anyone would take that. Would you have wanted to trade the Crosby pick for Nathan Horton + Alex Radulov + a 1st (Martin Hanzal)?

Trading Lafreniere has a very high possibility of making your team look really stupid in the near future.

I like Lafreniere a lot but let’s not ever compare him to Crosby or McDavid.. he’s not in that category. As some have mentioned he’s in the Matthews/Eichel level...
he isn’t elite with any of his tools but is above average in every category except skating. I see him having an immediate impact because his mentality and maturity are ahead of those two..
he’s also likely to land with a team that already has a young core in place or a nice pipeline.. Think LA, ANA, NJ, CHI and a few more .. well, if the lottery goes per its usual routine and someone jumps 15 spots that is lol..
Expect him to pot 25-30goals and net 35-40assists.. might seem like a lot to some but of those 4 main teams I mentioned.. they all have very talented centers

 

[JackFr]

I like Lafreniere a lot but let’s not ever compare him to Crosby or McDavid.. he’s not in that category. As some have mentioned he’s in the Matthews/Eichel level...
he isn’t elite with any of his tools but is above average in every category except skating. I see him having an immediate impact because his mentality and maturity are ahead of those two..
he’s also likely to land with a team that already has a young core in place or a nice pipeline.. Think LA, ANA, NJ, CHI and a few more .. well, if the lottery goes per its usual routine and someone jumps 15 spots that is lol..
Expect him to pot 25-30goals and net 35-40assists.. might seem like a lot to some but of those 4 main teams I mentioned.. they all have very talented centers

Are you kidding me? He maybe has the best natural playmaking and offensive hockey sense I've seen in a prospect in ages.

 

[BondraTime]

Kane only played one year in London(draft year). He went 62-83-145 in 58 games.
Lafreniere has 23-47-70 in 32 games.

If you project it out to the same number of games, Lafreniere projects to 42-85-127. Not quite the same junior goalscorer. Kane was also an early-ish birthday.

They were both in their 18 year old season, there is a month difference between their ages.

Kane played on the best CHL line of the past 20 years with Gagner and Kostitsyn, and was likely the best junior scorer of the past 2 decades.

 

[Dominance]

I like Lafreniere a lot but let’s not ever compare him to Crosby or McDavid.. he’s not in that category. As some have mentioned he’s in the Matthews/Eichel level...
he isn’t elite with any of his tools but is above average in every category except skating. I see him having an immediate impact because his mentality and maturity are ahead of those two..
he’s also likely to land with a team that already has a young core in place or a nice pipeline.. Think LA, ANA, NJ, CHI and a few more .. well, if the lottery goes per its usual routine and someone jumps 15 spots that is lol..
Expect him to pot 25-30goals and net 35-40assists.. might seem like a lot to some but of those 4 main teams I mentioned.. they all have very talented centers

You could say “I have never watched him play” in far fewer words.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Lafreniere is Patrick Kane if Kane was 6-1. Kane is the best pro comparison that I can think of. Little worse dangles, more size.

Kane is a better skater.

He reminds me a little of Draisaitl when he's the winger on McDavid's line.

 

[Mickey Marner]

This tournament will be nice to shut up some of the doubters.

I think he'll be a top-10 winger next season.

 

[Mercedes Benn]

God damn he had an excellent first game of the tourney, he was downright dominant out there. Crazy vision and puck handling, making so much happen, even had some nice hits and defensive plays. He was the best player on the ice by a wide margin.

Hard to think of a good comparison for him - bigger Giroux maybe? He’s going to be damn good. Have never noticed any significant weaknesses in his game, IMO he’s a pretty “sure thing” franchise player.

Honestly this to a T, great explanation

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

They were both in their 18 year old season, there is a month difference between their ages.

Kane played on the best CHL line of the past 20 years with Gagner and Kostitsyn, and was likely the best junior scorer of the past 2 decades.

Yeah Kane and Gagner were top 10 picks and Kostitsyn was a top 20 pick(IIRC)

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I always compared Lafreniere to Jack Eichel. Very similar skating style, very strong, great hands and shot.

Eichel's a much better skater though. You can't discount that. I think Lafreniere has better goal-scoring instincts and has a higher hockey IQ.

 

[Mercedes Benn]

Eichel's a much better skater though. You can't discount that. I think Lafreniere has better goal-scoring instincts and has a higher hockey IQ.

Agreed, Eichel is one of the best skaters in the league, hard to be on that level.

 

[D0ctorCool]

I always compared Lafreniere to Jack Eichel. Very similar skating style, very strong, great hands and shot.

I thought he looked a lot like Draisaitl but with a better motor.

 

[JackFr]

Fine, we'll switch to MacKinnon then - would you have traded the MacKinnon pick for Jonathan Huberdeau, Cody Ceci, and Curtis Lazar?

 

[kings11]

Are you kidding me? He maybe has the best natural playmaking and offensive hockey sense I've seen in a prospect in ages.

You’re shitting me right? Crosby, McDavid, Malkin... ok, maybe I’m older than you and can remember guys dating back to the 80s... so to me he isn’t in that category.. but I still don’t see how you’d have him over the guys I mentioned.. they were all everything as prospects

 

[SympathyForTheDevils]

Firstly, I need there to be absolutely no debate than Lafreniere is #1 to start. There was so much debate heading into the tournament that Byfield could be number 1. And the case to be made is solid when you consider position, birthdate, and relative performance in a stronger league. Second, go to the championships in the spring like both Matthews and Eichel did, represent your country against men, and play just as well as they did. How is that second point not possible?

Matthews went near PPG against NHL'ers in his draft year and Eichel was great too (0.7 PPG) in the worlds. Why can't we wait until Lafreniere does the same?

Because it's an absurd way to evaluate prospects? People already obsess too much over WJC results, and you take it a step further suggesting that prospects should be evaluated based on WC performance. Who says Lafrenière will even get the opportunity to play in the WC?

Also while Eichel and Matthews did play against men, "men" are not all equal in hockey talent. I love the Swiss National League, but it's well below the KHL, SHL and AHL in terms of quality. NCAA players are just a couple of years older than CHL "kids" on average. There's no reason to believe Lafrenière couldn't do very well in those leagues too.

Honestly I think it'd be more interesting to compare those players' actual attributes rather than their accomplishments, given that they're developing in very different contexts.

 

[Kaners Bald Spot]

Are you kidding me? He maybe has the best natural playmaking and offensive hockey sense I've seen in a prospect in ages.

That's where my Patrick Kane comparison comes from. It's mostly those qualities that remind me of Kane.

 

[kings11]

You could say “I have never watched him play” in far fewer words.

No, I’ve watched him plenty and love what I see but he is in no way at the level of Crosby or McDavid.. the Matthews and Eichel you see now Is pretty close to what he’ll bring from day one..
as I mentioned before, his mentality and maturity are ahead of those two... add in work ethic and maybe even the will to be great but not sure how you measure will

 

[JackFr]

You’re ****ting me right? Crosby, McDavid, Malkin... ok, maybe I’m older than you and can remember guys dating back to the 80s... so to me he isn’t in that category.. but I still don’t see how you’d have him over the guys I mentioned.. they were all everything as prospects

He's not over those guys, when I say ages I don't mean literal decades. But his playmaking specifically is stronger than any prospect I can remember in the past decade except possibly McD.

 

[57special]

Hey, if he's the next Eichel that ain't too bad. I keep thinking Lafleur, but he was faster. It's more a matter of star quality than anything else, though. Lafreniere has it, though I am highly conscious that this is only junior hockey, and that I suck at predicting prospect outcomes.

 

[NorthernBridge7]

Great game today from the likely 1st OA pick come June. Loved the physical play and tenacity he showed. I see a future NHL captain someday. As for the Byfield comparisons - remember that Lafreniere is one year older and a returning player with experience from last year's WJC. I see bright futures for both of these gents.