The Edmonton Oilers have made Tommy Lafreniere their first pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, selecting him 83rd overall in the third round. Here are seven things to know about the newest Oilers prospect:
A Productive Season in the WHL: Tommy Lafreniere, a forward from the Kamloops Blazers, had a strong 2024-25 season in the Western Hockey League (WHL), scoring 24 goals and assisting on 32 others in 68 games. He finished fourth in scoring for the Blazers.
Early Hockey Career: Before joining the WHL, Lafreniere honed his skills at the Yale Hockey Academy. In 2023-24, he was named the U18 Prep Co-MVP after recording 27 goals and 58 points in 30 games. He also played nine games with Kamloops during that season, contributing four points.
Comparable to NHL Talents: Scouts have drawn comparisons between Lafreniere and established NHL players. One scout from Daily Faceoff likened him to "a smaller Nick Suzuki". Lafreniere himself sees similarities between his playing style and those of Nick Suzuki and Brayden Point, citing their strong hockey IQ and playmaking abilities.
Strengths and Areas for Improvement: Lafreniere is known for his top-end speed and puck possession skills, thriving in situations where he can utilize these assets. He isn't afraid to drive to the net and is both creative and effective in traffic, possessing a strong and accurate shot. Defensively, he is highly aware and uses his stick effectively to create turnovers. However, he needs to add strength to avoid being pushed off the puck by bigger players and continue working on his skating edges.
His Background: Tommy Lafreniere was drafted in the eighth round of the 2022 WHL Prospects Draft by the Blazers and debuted on Feb. 23, 2024. He is originally from Hornby Island, B.C., but was born in St-Sauveur, Quebec.
Oilers' Draft Strategy: The Oilers had to wait until the third round to make their first pick due to earlier trades. They acquired the 83rd overall pick as compensation from the St. Louis Blues as part of the Dylan Holloway offer sheet a year prior. Following the selection of Lafreniere, Edmonton went on to pick four other players in the draft: David Lewandowski, Asher Barnett, Daniel Salonen, and Aidan Park.
Pre-Draft Rankings: Prior to the draft, Lafreniere was ranked by multiple scouting services. NHL Central Scouting ranked him 57th among North American skaters. Other rankings came from Eliteprospects.com (124th), McKeen's Hockey (76th), FloHockey/Chris Peters (86th), FCHockey (89th), Daily Faceoff (110th), Draft Prospects Hockey (161st), Recruit Scouting (209th), and Dobberprospects (71st).
