Alexis Lafreniere Scouting Report

 

Written By: Clare McManus

Is Alexis Lafreniere the clear choice for the first overall pick in 2020? Tons of scouts say so and have Alexis ranked #1 on their lists. According to scouts, and even fans, they say Lafreniere may be the best player since Connor McDavid. 

Alexis Lafreniere started his junior career in 2017, after being chosen first overall in the 2017 QMJHL Draft by the Rimouski Océanic. From there he has been absolutely dominating and has been the center of attention for the 2020 NHL Draft. So far this season, Alexis has 24 goals and 54 assists for 78 points in only 36 games. Lafreniere is quite possibly the best draft eligible player in the QMJHL since Sidney Crosby in the 2004-05 season.

Lafreniere is extremely offensively gifted. As a high impact forward, he moves well on the ice and vision on sets him apart from a lot of other players. With his strong passing ability, he passes the puck effortlessly giving his teammates a quality scoring opportunity. Lafreniere also has a strong shot, and has a very quick release. He can score goals in the dirty areas, while also maintaining good puck control. Lafreniere is a great skater with a powerful stride. His great skating combined with excellent hands makes it easy for him to create space and make a move. 

Defensively, Lafreniere may need some work. He gets physical in the dirty areas but there is still room for improvement. He can be lazy when back checking and tends to get out of position from time to time. But his hard work during defensive zone puck battles leads to him making a smart play out of the zone. So that is an upside.

Alexis Lafreniere is a potential elite first line forward. Although possessing strong goal scoring abilities, Lafreniere’s game revolves around hockey IQ and playmaking skills. It’s hard to determine his NHL comparison because he is so skilled in a lot of areas. Many have said he reminds them of Alex Ovechkin, David Pastrnak, Jack Eichel or Steven Stamkos.