The Canadian Hockey League has awarded Rimouski Océanic captain Alexis Lafreniere the 2019-20  CHL Top Draft Prospect of the Year Award.

This past season, Lafreniere led the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League in scoring – notching 35 goals and 77 assists for 112 points in just 52 games. He is the top North American skater in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

“I would just like to say thank you for the Top Prospect trophy,” Lafreniere said. “It’s really a big honour for me. I had the chance to play with an amazing team in Rimouski so this is really special for me.”

After being chosen first overall by the Oceanic in the 2017 QMJHL Entry Draft, Lafreniere scored 114 goals and 183 assists for 297 points in 173 career games.  The 18-year-old from Saint-Eustache, QC, captained Team White to victory at the 2020 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Hamilton just weeks after earning MVP honours and winning gold with Canada at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Since the CHL’s Top Draft Prospect award was re-introduced in 2006, there have been six recipients who would go on to be chosen first overall at the NHL Draft.  That list includes Connor McDavid (Edmonton, 2015), Nail Yakupov (Edmonton, 2012), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Edmonton, 2011), John Tavares (New York Islanders, 2009), Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay, 2008) and Patrick Kane (Chicago, 2007).

Source: chl.ca