Lafreniere trying to block out draft talk as world junior prep begins
PLYMOUTH, Michigan — Alexis Lafreniere 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.
Lafreniere 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, including former Victoria Grizzlies captain Alex Newhook, 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 opportuity 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.
Lafreniere 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 stapled to the bench as Canada finished a disappointing sixth in Vancouver and Victoria.
“I learned your spot’s not assured,” Lafreniere 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 Lafreniere, who scored once in five tournament games. “You want the team to be good.”
The Canadian Hockey League’s player of the year last season, Lafreniere is plenty good.
Set to turn 18 in October, he had 37 goals and 105 points in 61 contests with the QMJHL’s Rimouski Oceanic in 2018-19. That came on the heels of a rookie campaign where Lafreniere 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 Lafreniere 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.”