The Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL have already produced great players in Sidney Crosby and Vincent Lecavalier. A lot of people who are more in the know than I think we might be seeing the next one at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton this week in the form of Team Canada captain Alexis Lafreniere.
Included in that number, many of the 285 scouts registered at this tournament, seen as the kick-off point for assessing players who’ll be taken in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Lafreniere, 16, won’t be drafted until 2020, when he’ll likely be the consensus first overall pick, but there’s already quite a buzz about the uber-talented left winger from St. Eustache, Que.
Lafreniere, who tallied 42-38-80 in just 60 games with the Oceanic this season, picked up a couple of assists in Team Canada’s 10-0 romp over Team Switzerland to open the tournament on Monday. Drafted first overall in the 2017 QMJHL bantam draft, Lafreniere’s 42 goals are the most scored by a 16-year-old in the Q since Crosby sniped 54 in 2003-04. Fair or not, the inevitable comparisons follow.
“It’s nice, but I think Crosby’s on another level,” Lafreniere said this spring about the comparisons and hype surrounding him. “He’s already winning Cups and gold medals. I just try to do my stuff. That will be good.”
SOMETHING SPECIAL
With a roster laden with players projected to go in the first round of the 2019 draft, it says something about Lafreniere that Team Canada named him captain. “You’re talking about an elite offensive player,” says Craig Button, who talks about Lafreniere’s quick hands and quick mind. You can listen to Button’s full assessment here.
As for Lafreniere, he’s well aware of the buzz that follows him, but, like most kids his age, he’s most comfortable letting his actions out on the ice do the talking for him. Jim Matheson of Post Media and I caught up with the Team Canada captain after the speed-bagging of Team Switzerland Monday.
“I’m just starting my career so I want to focus on myself. I’m me,” said Lafreniere when asked about following in the sizeable footsteps of Lecavalier and Crosby out of Rimouski. “It’s a long road until I get there (NHL) so I just want to focus on my game and try to be myself.”
With a roster that includes Lafreniere as well as top prospects for the 2019 Entry Draft like Dylan Cozens of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Peyton Krebs of the Kootenay Ice, Kirby Dach of the Saskatoon Blades, Bowen Byram of the Vancouver Giants and Matthew Robertson of the Edmonton Oil Kings, there’s plenty of talent to see at Rogers Place this week. Stop by if you can, you’ll be glad you did.
DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?
No matter how long you’ve been around or how well-known you’d like to think you might be in hockey circles, it’s my experience that there’s always somebody who doesn’t have the first clue who you are, especially when it comes to issuing media credentials.
That’s how the handle Rubin Bronte was born – it was issued to me by the media relations crew of the Toronto Maple Leafs on my last trip into Maple Leaf Gardens before the team moved to the Air Canada Centre years ago. Instant keeper.
It happened again this week with the Hlinka Gretzky Tournament. I became Robin Brownless. No big thing and worth a laugh. That’s nothing, though, compared to Derek Van Diest of Post Media. He became Derek Van Diesel. Much hilarity ensued.
Previously by Robin Brownlee
- Aug. 4, 1995
- Homegrown Talent
- Hey Joe
- Radio Ga-Ga
- Top 10 Oilers Who Got Away: Ray Whitney
- At Random: Coach Grier
Robin Brownless is the Chris Gaines to your Garth Brooks.
I’ve kept every press pass I’ve ever had — became a habit so I could remember how many times I’d been to each NHL city. After 35 years, they fill a suitcase. I’ve been Rubin Bronte. Robin Brown, Ron Brown, Robert Brownley, Ronald Brawnlee, Brawley and now Brownless.
Rubin Bronte is an alright sounding name.
At least it isn’t Brawnless…you may need to hit someone for that.
I’m gonna sing a song for you…it goes like this.
Dubnyk, Dubnyk, Dubnyk…
Haaaaall, Haaall, Hall…
Eberle 4 Strome!
Reeiinhaaart Baaaarrzaaal
Luuuu wanting out?!
Dubnyk/Hall…already ouch!
Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch…..
Oooouuch!
Russell…Larsson psssst!
Sekera, Benning, Klefbom…
….pssssssssssst….!
Nuuuursssse is oookkk!
TALBOT dubnyk TALBOT dubnyk Tal!! ouuiichy…
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllll
(Fade to black)
“Anybody give a s*** aboouuuttt Yak…u…poovv!
Are you drunk or high??
Do you smell burnt toast or are you getting a head start on October 17?
Actually these are all quite factual. I just thought I would put it in a jangle so you Oiler fans could actually relate. Tell me I’m off in any of these misSTEPS?
I cant say youre wrong, because your “song” doesnt say anything, you just ramble peoples last names. stupidity at its best/worst.
Calgary traded a high 1st for Travis Hamonic. you have no place to speak.
Can’t wait to watch McDavid turnstyle Dougie…. wait Dougie isn’t a Flame?
Hockeysense, you posted this “song” tripe, verbatim, in another comments section. Please refrain from spamming the comments sections this way.
Really? Ok Brownlee…sorry to offend.
That’s “Brownless” to you bucko.
Ridiculously unnecessary. The fact that you took the time and energy to type all that garbage out is truly the sad part.
I know awesome isn’t it? More work ethic then half your wingers all year. Now only if I had a past with Oilers, I would have a job for life.
They’re not my wingers. But I am a fan of both teams more so Calgary Flames but how can you not love watching McDavid play and Draisaitl for that matter. Both teams Flames and Oilers have been losers for about 20 or more years now. So both sides win the “who is the biggest loser battle”. There is no Battle of Alberta and won’t be until they meet in the playoffs again if they ever do no matter how bad you try to force it. Uselessly coming over and hijacking an article like a brain damaged child is is the reason we get it over on the FN site all the time. It’s selfish to the writers who put in the work and to the hockey fans who want to talk about the article. Not sure why they just don’t ban you unless what you do is what they want.
That is a real passive aggressive way of looking at it there Hockey83. I tend to agree with you, being a hockey fan first before all. Hence why I think that it’s healthy to state an opinion that’s a little more educated then just being a homer citizen. You have your opinions as well as I do. No reason to get personal and hit with malice? Hockey fans go to all the forums to stimulate talk and have a little fun. FN gets it all the time…I don’t think the majority of us take it personally. Tell you what…you feel picked on? Then stay here where you feel safe and stay away from FN…cuz obviously you can’t hack it.
I don’t feel picked on at all. I just felt bad for the writer and the article you hijacked. There are very few folks over at FN who appreciate what you do over here. You do seem to have some educated opinions at FN but I’ve seen no evidence of you having any sort of an education over here on the ON site.
In the basement craving attention? Let me guess, parents are outta town? No one around to tell you you’re special?
The Flamers had no bad trades? Brett Hull, Dougie Gilmour?
The Flames have had an uncountable number of horrible trades over the years as well as pathetic UFA pick ups as recently as the embarrassment that was Jagr.
Al McInnis
Well at least he got off to a much better start than Joe Veleno had in the Q. Joe was the first player to get into the Q being granted exceptional status at 15 and at 16 many were projecting him to be a very high NHL pick like Tavares, Ekblad and McDavid were. He went 30th overall in the draft this year. Hopefully Alexis keeps trending upward.
Thank you for your article based comment! Much better than seeing the back and forth with Hockeysense9393.
No Hockeysense we did all those things and still had a winning record against your team for the last 2 years.
3 years actually.
So i guess your gonna accuse me of living in the past now ….. right?
Yup lol
Oh and speaking of the past do you remember the year the flames won every game against in the regular season. Then the playoffs came around and all of calgary thought they were gonna kick our asses and we swept you that must have scared you for life huh?
Ok…the Oilers have a 7-2 record in the past 2 years against the Flames. It took the Oilers 15 years (let that sink in) 15 years before they had a winning season against the Flames. Flames beat the Oilers the last 2 games played with a shutout. What were you saying again???
You are not going to win this one or many in the future, for that matter. Your an Oilers fan…I’m giving you numbers (past and present) and you’re still confused. You hate your team yet will defend it against a superior foe. Start comparing to the likes of Ottawa, Buffalo, and Arizona. That’s your season in a nut shell lol
You’re not your.
You have so much to brag about, after taking another look, you’re right when you look at the two organizations the Flames history has been so much better than the Oilers……………..snicker.
Ah you forget, Mickey Smith had to stand on his head to get those two wins lol. Other than that, our team was making your team look like a bunch of 2nd rate amateurs
Ummm well you only have mcdavid. If not for him you would be worse then arizona
If your aunt had balls she’d be your uncle.
Yawn … you still won nothing, You wasted all those years and won nothing just like us. We were down no question you were the better team.
So Brownlee writes an interesting article on a phenomal young player and the comments section gets jammed by a troll? Not to pit you guys against the sister site but credit to their thin skin for keeping these hijackings to a minimum.
My work is done here! lol.
Again…my apologies to Brownlee. It was a very good article and I do enjoy your words. This was somewhat retaliatory to trolls in our neck of the woods…but truth kind of hurts too. Let the games begin!!!
The Flames are full of dumb moves too bud. You guys traded Brett Hull for Rick Wamsley, drafted Trevor Kidd ahead of Martin Broduer, put Martin St.Louis on waivers as well as Daniel Briere, drafted Sam Bennett 4th overall and traded Noah Dobson and Jett Woo for Travis Hamonic, as well as trading away the Defenceman with the most goals in the league last year, because he didn’t fit in with the rest of the D Bags you guys have on your roster. So don’t come on here after smoking bath salts, we’ve won more cups than you’ve lost. Your guys arena was stupid looking when it was new, now 50yrs later it looks…. your guys football stadium looks like it used to be a landfill or still is or maybe there’s one close by? Calgary is Canada’s Detroit, do enough of you guys down there even still have jobs, so you can fill that ugly arena? I think you drank too much flood water pal.
I’m gonna remember your name there 2centz, only cuz you’re opinion isn’t even worth that lol. Wow…comparing the murder capital of Canada that can’t seem to get out of its own government kitchen? Ok…government workers step aside and then let’s count up who’s still standing. football stadium? Yeah it’s sucks…cuz we didn’t rely on government funding. Arena…yeah it’s old, from one of the only successfully run Olympics of all time. Big mall? Bankrupt government bailout. Arena? Government funded that was built mostly by Mexicans (couldn’t even make a deal to put Edmonton people to work). Government, government, government. Yeah I know…Calgary tends to take care of their own. Good one.
He’s not as good as crosby and obviously the qmjhl is not challenging enough for him. Move him to the OHL to help his development.
Sorry brownstone …. lol jk.
it’s summer. I just won EA18 Stanley Cup with the three center unicorn line-up and it was hard to deny how tough it can be to compete against 3 stud Cs – If Yammer and Pulj step up this year… or in the future, when we are making a run and we bring in a couple more wingers… I think we are going to like it (i get the cap challenge)…
Reider-McDavid-Yamamoto
Lucic-Draisaitl-Puljujarvi
Rattie-RNH-Strome
KBK
I’ll say this Spoils Sekra, Russell, and Lucic wont be here after 2 more years, how much cap space does that free up.
Speaking of the Not Legal in Vegas crowd. McDavid, Puljujarvi, Yamamoto and Bouchard should be fun to watch this season. I hope the kid from the Q does well. I always thought Lemiuex and Bossy were the best ever from PQ.
So Robin, about this kid Alexis. So yer saying there’s a chance?
I watched the game tonight but didn’t see “the next one” stuff by any means. He’s got great hands but needs to use his teammates better IMO
It’s so difficult to tell when they are young…I live in a whl city and so many times I’m thinking “what’s the big deal?” when a highly rated player comes through. But more often than not the scouts are right. (At least as far as first round goes). A 17yr old highly projected usually doesn’t stand out significantly but it’s because so many kids are older. Prob same with this kid playing a year up in this tourney….blends in a bit, but those in the know can see what he’s going to become.
He’s 16.
Which is why I said “playing a year up in this tourney”
I wasn’t replying to you.
Lafreniere is a LW………We don’t need any successful first round draft picks at LW….
What’s yellow and can skate? Stan Chiquita. A true legend has passed and part of my childhood with it. Penalty minute leader one year, Lady Byng the next? One of a kind.
Mikita had 154 PIM in 1964-65. He dropped into the 50s in PIM in 1965-66, when Alex Delvecchio won the Byng. Mikita won back-to-back Byng trophies in 66-67 and 67-68 with 12 and 14 PIM.
Dave Keon won back to back 61/62 & 62/63 Lady Byng’s with one tripping call against him each year. 2 PIM, that is incredible, especially in such a tough league. Granted, he was small, so I can see that he wouldn’t want to stir things up.