Colorado Avalanche Draft Profile: Elusive Alexis Lafreniere

The Colorado Avalanche will probably pick very low in the 2020 NHL Draft, long after Alexis Lafreniere is off the board. The elusive puck mover will make some team happy.

The Colorado Avalanche will not have the chance to draft left wing Alexis Lafreniere out of the QMJHL. He’s the top prospect that’s supposed to go first overall in the 2020 NHL draft, whatever form that takes.

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The young superstar is waiting patiently for how narratives are going to play out in the sports world. The QMJHL did not put their season on pause — they cancelled it outright. Therefore, Lafreniere is just chilling to see how the draft might go.

But he should be confident he’ll go number one. Here’s why.

Alexis Lafreniere Stats

Alexis Lafreniere just completed his third season with the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL. He wore the C as captain of the team this season. Last season, he was an alternate captain.

Lafreniere’s statistics have always been impressive. In his rookie year with the Oceanic, he recorded 80 points (42 goals, 38 assists) in 61 games.

He did better than that the following season — 105 points (37 goals, 68 assists) in 61 games. This season was his most impressive yet. He recorded 112 points (35 goals, 77 assists) in the 52 games before the season cancellation. That’s more than two points per game.

The Draft Analyst describes Lafreniere as a “gifted scoring winger with outstanding hockey sense and the ability to elevate his game when the situation necessitates it.”

Central Scouting compares him to Jonathan Huberdeau of the Florida Panters and describes him as an “exceptionally smart player with top-end speed” and great vision and puck skill.

Sounds exciting. Let’s look at some highlights of the young Quebecois.

Alexis Lafreniere Highlights

The 2018-19 season is the one in which Alexis Lafreniere recorded 105 points. Here are the highlights from that season:

Those are some wheels.

This season, Lafreniere apparently had a killer October — 43 points!

He’s clearly a player who knows how to take control of the game.

Colorado Avalanche and Alexis Lafreniere

The Colorado Avalanche are third in the entire NHL right now in the rankings. No matter how the season plays out, they will not have a draft lottery chance. They also don’t helpfully have a fist-round pick from last season when they chose Bo Byram with Ottawa’s first rounder.

So, all those gifts that Alexis Lafreniere will not play out on Colorado ice. That’s a pity because obviously his speed and nose for a good play would be a complement to the Avalanche style. However, we’re in a good quandary as far as the draft goes — too good to get the really good players.

Next. Fresh Facts about Cale Makar. dark

As Joe Sakic likes to say, you’re always going to get a good player in the first round. So, even though it won’t be Lafreniere, I’m sure the Avs scouting will make good recommendations when that time comes.

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