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New Jersey Devils: Five Lottery Prospects You Should Know Right Now

By Vincent Parise

HAMILTON, ON - JANUARY 16: Alexis Lafreniere #11 of Team White and Quinton Byfield #55 of Team Red following the final whistle of the 2020 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at FirstOntario Centre on January 16, 2020 in Hamilton, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
HAMILTON, ON - JANUARY 16: Alexis Lafreniere #11 of Team White and Quinton Byfield #55 of Team Red following the final whistle of the 2020 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at FirstOntario Centre on January 16, 2020 in Hamilton, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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New Jersey Devils Jack Hughes
(Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

Alexis Lafreniere

In the event that the Devils win the 2020 NHL Draft Lottery, they would select Alexis Lafreniere of the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL. The Devils won the lottery in both 2017 and 2019 so it seems like tall odds for it to happen again. However, the previous seasons don’t go into the lottery ball’s bounces at all. It might be unlikely, but it is a possibility. If they did get Lafreniere, that would be so amazing for the short and long term of this team.

Lafreniere is an 18-year-old left wing that will be able to play in the NHL next season. He has the skill set that should get him next to one of Nico Hischier or Jack Hughes right away. It would be a waste to use him on the third or fourth line just to “ease him in.” The way this kid plays doesn’t need much of that. He is a physical player that also makes everyone around him better. He has a lot of similar traits as Sidney Crosby, who also creates chances for his teammates at a high level while battling for goals in the dirty areas.

Nico Hischier is already showing what he is going to be in the NHL, but the ceiling of Jack Hughes remains to be seen. If you add Lafreniere to either of their wings, it could go on to form one of the best core groups in the league. This isn’t one of those drafts that have a competition at the top either because Lafreniere is for sure going to whatever team wins the lottery.

He had 35 goals and 77 assists for 112 points in 52 games for Rimouski this season. If those feel like ridiculous numbers for a CHL player, that is because they are and he wasn’t even able to finish the season because it was canceled early. It doesn’t matter because now Lafreniere’s focus is on the NHL and playing in it next season.

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