Lafrenière trying to block out NHL draft talk
Projected No. 1 pick trying to focus on what got him there
PLYMOUTH, MICH. — Alexis Lafrenière has allowed his mind to wander, if ever so slightly, beyond what’s right in front of him.
And it’s hard to blame the always-smiling 17-year-old phenom.
Lafrenière is not only projected to be first overall pick at the 2020 NHL draft, the event will be held at the Bell Centre in Montreal — about a 40-minute drive from his hometown of Saint-Eustache.
“It’s going to be crazy,” he said looking ahead to next June. “It’s pretty far away ... but it’s going to be really big.”
It’s really not that far away. Less than 11 months, in fact.
First things first, however, for the highly-touted winger and 37 other Canadian hopefuls at the World Junior Summer Showcase.
The event in suburban Detroit at the home of the U.S. National Team Development Program is the first opportunity for Hockey Canada’s management and coaches to get an up-close look at many of the teenagers bidding to make the country’s 2020 world junior hockey championship team.
Lafrenière secured a place on last year’s squad following the December selection camp, but as a player two years younger than most competitors, he often found himself spot-welded to the bench as Canada finished a disappointing sixth in Vancouver and Victoria.
“I learned your spot’s not assured,” Lafrenière said. “You have to work for every minute of ice time.”
For someone not used to sitting very often, watching key moments — especially when Canada needed a goal — was difficult.
“You accept your role,” said Lafrenière, who scored once in five tournament games. “You want the team to be good.”
Set to turn 18 in October, he had 37 goals and 105 points in 61 contests with the QMJHL’s Rimouski Océanic in 2018-19. That came on the heels of a rookie campaign where Lafrenière registered 80 points (42 goals, 38 assists) in 60 outings.
In 20 career playoff games in junior, the kid appropriately nicknamed “Laffy” by teammates put up 13 goals and 30 points.
Joe Veleno, who was also part of Canada’s 2019 world junior setup in a supporting role and has centred a line featuring Lafrenière early at the summer showcase, said the six-foot-one, 192-pound forward comes as advertised.
“He’s dynamic in every sense,” said Veleno, selected 30th in the 2018 draft by the Detroit Red Wings. “He can score, he can pass, great hockey sense. “An amazing player.” Lafrenière met Jack Hughes, who just went No. 1 at the 2019 draft, for the first time during a recent combine. The star American centre handled the scrutiny of his 18-year-old season with impressive poise, and advised Lafrenière to block out everything he can’t control.
“(Hughes) told me to focus on myself,” Lafrenière said. “There’s going to be a lot of attention.”
Shawn Bullock, Hockey Canada’s director of men’s teams, said apart from Lafrenière’s obvious skills, his passion is what stands out.
“This guy loves hockey,” Bullock said. “Energy. Enthusiasm. Smile on his face 24-7. You can’t instil that in people. He’s infectious. He’s captivating to his teammates. They look to him for leadership. They look to him to guide them.”
That leadership aspect is something Lafrenière’s looking to embrace heading into the world juniors, which begin Dec. 26 in the Czech Republic, even though he stands to still be one of the youngsters on the team.
“Age is just a number,” said Lafrenière, who has been focusing on his shot and play in the neutral zone this summer. “I want to be a leader, and it starts now.”
But no matter how the rest of the roster shakes out, the country will be looking to Lafrenière when its world juniors kick off against the Americans in Ostrava on Boxing Day.
“The experience he had last year is only going to be a benefit,” said Mark Hunter, who is part of the Canadian brain trust. “He’s going to be in a role where we need him to do good things.”
The term “generational talent” gets thrown around far too often in hockey circles, but Lafrenière is fine with whatever moniker tossed his way as he ramps up toward what will be a hectic 11 months. And it’ll be with a smile on his face.
“I don’t know what I’d be doing without hockey,” Lafrenière said. “It’s my passion and my biggest love.”