New Jersey Devils: An Early Look At Alexis Lafrenière
Alexis Lafrenière is considered by many people to be the future number-one pick in this year’s NHL Draft. It’s a pipe dream that the Devils could get number one again, but is Alexis Lafrenière worth the pick if the Devils do draft him?
The New Jersey Devils are in a position to become the second team to win three NHL drafts in four years. It still depends on luck, which will be hard without Taylor Hall here. If the Devils do manage to win the lottery again, there is one obvious choice on who we take, left-winger Alexis Lafrenière. He is number one to go in this year’s NHL draft, so let’s look at how he’s played this year and in his previous years.
How has Alexis Lafrenière stats compares to Jack Hughes?
Alexis Lafrenière played in the QMJHL for the past three seasons with the Rimouski Océanic. There, he put up outstanding numbers. In his first season with Rimouski Océanic in the 2017-18 season, he put up 42 goals and 38 assists with a total of 80 points. That’s an excellent impression for a future NHL player. Last season was even better with 105 points total, with 37 goals and 68 assists. This season as the captain of the Oceanic at the time of this articles’ release, he has 24 goals and 54 assists with a total of 78 total points. So with a total of 185 points, he beats out the last #1 projected overall player Jack Hughes with his total of 116 points in Hughes’ time with the USNTDP Juniors.
If Alexis Lafrenière becomes a New Jersey Devil, could be become the next Devils legend?
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If the Devils do draft Lafrenière, he has all the makings of the next Patrik Elias. It might sound crazy, and it may look like this is overhyping him, but let’s look at the similarities things that both Lafrenière and Elias have.
First, look at the size of both players. They both stand 6 ft 1. While that is common for many NHL players nowadays, the fact that the Devils can have another left-wing of that size would give Devils fans dreams about Elias part two.
Lafreniere goes hard towards the net, and it shows in his point totals. He had the highest points total in all of the QMJHL, and it’s not close. In 37 games played, he has 81 points. The next best player has 72 points in 46 games played. Elias and Lafreniere are very similar in a lot of areas. He turned those skills into the franchise leader in goals, points, and assists. Who knows, maybe if he comes here to New Jersey, he can learn from a legend like Elias.
Final Conclusion
For the Devils to pick number one, it once again has to come down to luck. Though playing horrible is a strategy that may be a better way for other sports to determine where a team can draft a player, the outcome of the NHL Draft is all based on ping pong balls.
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For the Devils to pick a player like Alexis Lafrenière would be a big chance for the Devils to redeem themselves. Taylor Hall may have helped us pick Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes, but if we get number one this year again, people will be angry, but they won’t blame Taylor Hall this time. If the Devils do get Lafrenière, this may end up with Hughes, Hischier, and Lafrenière all having successful careers here and having their jerseys in the rafters of the Prudential Center one day.
The Devils are missing that next core of stars like they had in their Stanley Cup winning days. Getting Lafreniere would give us hope we got that new core.