Will Lafreniere go first in the 2020 draft? Well NHL scouts are all talking about him a lot. Alexis Lafreniere, an 18-year-old left winger playing for the Rimouski Océanic of the QMJHL. Lafreniere was picked first overall in the OHL 2017 draft by Rimouski.
He was awarded the QMJHL Rookie of the Year award and was named to the First All-Star team in his rookie season. The 6ft 1 left-winger from Saint-Eustace, Quebec is projected to go first overall followed by Quinton Byfield, A Center for the Sudbury Wolves.
Lafrenière has represented Canada internationally at the 2018 IIHF World U18 Championships, 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, and the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. As the captain of Team Canada’s junior team, Lafrenière led them to a gold medal at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup as well as being MVP and winning gold in the 2020 world juniors.
Lafrenière was the youngest player selected for Team Canada’s U18 team at the 2018 IIHF World U18 Championships at the age of 16. He later captained Team Canada at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup tournament, despite being the second youngest on the roster. Lafreniere led the tournament with 11 points in five games, helping Canada win gold.
In December 2018, Lafrenière was named to Team Canada’s 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship roster. He was the youngest member on the roster and the ninth-youngest forward ever to represent Canada in the World Juniors. He scored his first, and only, goal of the tournament during Canada’s 5–1 win over the Czech Republic. Canada was later eliminated by Team Finland in the quarterfinals.
In December 2019, he was named to Team Canada’s 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championship roster. After a 4-point performance in the team’s 6–4 win against the United States in the tournament opener, Lafrenière suffered a lower-body injury the following game after colliding with the Russian goalie on a chance in the second period.
Awards
QMJHL All-Rookie Team 2018
QMJHL First All-Star Team 2018
Rookie of the Year 2018
Michel Bergeron Trophy 2018
International World Junior Championships – Tournament MVP2020
World Junior Championships – Tournament All-Star Team 2020
Will Lafreniere go first?
Lafreniere regularly gets compared to Sidney Crosby which is a hard comparison for Alexis to ignore. Will he go first? Many think so, maybe his impressive numbers so far this season are the primary factor Lafreniere has played 34 games, scored 24, got 49 assists for a total of 73 points now that’s impressive numbers for any player let alone a 18 year old.
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