2020 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Hendrix Lapierre Scouting Report
Our latest prospect report takes a look at center Hendrix Lapierre of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, who is eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft.
The 2020 NHL Draft is stock-piled with high-end talent. Each week, I will attempt to give you at least one scouting report on all the prospects you need to know!
I’ve previously written deep-dives on Alexis Lafreniere, Quinton Byfield, Lucas Raymond, Cole Perfetti, Anton Lundell, Alexander Holtz, Tim Stutzle, Noel Gunler, Marco Rossi, and Jamie Drysdale. Today, I’ll be looking at Hendrix Lapierre.
Before I begin, for those that don’t know, here’s how these scouting reports go. First, I will begin with some general background information and statistics from that player. Then, I will break down that players’ tendencies, habits and roles on special teams.
Following that up, I will break down the positives and negatives in the prospect’s game. Finally, I will look at what I feel is the potential of that player, as well as his NHL-readiness.
Background
Lapierre, born on February 9th, 2002, in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, is a center for the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the QMJHL. He stands at 6’0″ and 181 pounds. The left-handed center has been ranked 27th by HockeyProspect.com and Elite Prospects, 26th by Future Considerations, and 17th by ISS Hockey in the upcoming 2020 NHL draft.
Lapierre was a QMJHL rookie in the 2018-19 season for the Sagueneens. He played 48 games in his age 16 to 17 season, recording 13 goals and 32 assists for 45 points. Lapierre played in an additional four playoff games, posting three goals and two assists for five points. He was not invited to any international games, however.
LaPierre followed up his stellar rookie year with a very good sophomore season. However, he only played in 19 games, recording two goals and 15 assists for 17 points. His injury concerns prior to the suspension of QMJHL play due to COVID-19 casts a lot of doubts on his NHL future. Registering three concussions within one calendar year is not something that raises your draft stock either. He yet again did not play in any major international tournament.
Based on his skill set alone, LaPierre is certainly a top 15 player in this draft class. With his injuries, it’s unlikely a team inside the top 20 would take a big risk in selecting the oft-injured youngster.
LaPierre’s Tendencies
Before I get into the scouting report, I just want to give a big thanks to ProspectShifts for providing the shift-by-shift film on a bunch of 2020 draft prospects, including LaPierre.
LaPierre is an interesting prospect. He has a mindset of being a pass-first player, but if given the time and space, he doesn’t think twice about getting a shot on net. He’s one of the few prospects I’ve seen swap sides on the power play, depending on whether it’s a 5-on-4 or 5-on-3.
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Part of the reason why LaPierre switches sides is because he is a very good shooter, but struggles with getting shots through traffic. Countless times, I saw LaPierre wind up and fire one off the shin pads of a player in front of him. So, when a 5-on-3 presents itself, LaPierre finds room and is able to utilize his shot to the max.
To stay with power play tendencies, LaPierre plays on the half-wall and point area. On 5-on-4 power plays, he plays on his passing side and tries to find back-door options and set-up plays using his vision. On 5-on-3 power plays, he works the half-wall and point area on his shooting side, always sliding up and down the boards, looking for room to allow a teammate to send it his way for a one-timer.
A negative habit that LaPierre has which, sometimes, makes him an exciting player to watch is his ability to dangle. The bad habit is that he does it way too much. There are several times where he can skate wide and beat a defenseman with speed, but instead tries to make a pretty move to break the defenseman’s ankles, and oftentimes leads to a turnover.
Finally, and honestly one of the most frustrating bad habits LaPierre has, is that he doesn’t keep his stick blade on the ice, which leads to him mishandling or completely whiffing on passes sent his way. All he has to do is put his stick on the ice if a pass is expected. He needs to be better prepared. Luckily, this is a fairly coachable aspect of his game, though it will likely take a bit of time to completely remove from his game.
Positives and Negatives
To start, LaPierre is a very fast skater. His smooth strides are a huge reason for that, as he effortlessly glides his way up the ice. He also has very good edges, as he can make quick cuts, sharp turns, and stop on a dime. Those qualities allow him to stick with the play if the puck changes directions, or he loses the puck and has to get back possession.
Offensively, LaPierre has a strong arsenal to choose from. Do you need a guy who can dice up opposing defenseman with ease and put on a show for the fans? LaPierre is your guy. However, the overuse of his stickhandling prowess does lead to some facepalm-inducing turnovers.
Do you need a playmaker? LaPierre can fill that role too. He has a good feel for the puck and a good sense of who’s around him. His excellent vision adds to his ability to find open teammates that some players couldn’t locate. His passing ability in itself is at a high-level. He has a nice touch on his passes, putting the right amount of power behind every pass, with pin-point accuracy.
Do you need someone who can score goals? LaPierre can step up to the plate and deliver on that, too. His shot is fairly underutilized. He does struggle to get pucks through traffic, so he tends to look for passes if a shooting lane isn’t immediately there. But his shot features a decent amount of power and very good accuracy. His shot isn’t exactly NHL-ready yet, but it’s certainly close.
His game revolves around his high-level awareness and hockey IQ. His off-the-puck movement showcases his awareness more than anything. He keeps his head up and does an exceptional job finding soft spots in the opposition’s coverage. He also fills-in for teammates when they step out of their zone to make a play.
LaPierre can play physically as well. He certainly isn’t a one-dimensional player. He holds his own in net-front battles and board battles. He isn’t afraid to step up and play the body when an opportunity presents itself either. He doesn’t consistently step up and play physical, nor does he lay punishing hits, but he certainly holds his own.
LaPierre is at the center of attention on the transition through the neutral zone. He is really good at weaving through traffic with the puck to get up ice. He is also good at moving the puck up to teammates in order to gain entry with possession of the puck.
On the forecheck, he usually goes in slow and tries using his high IQ to out-smart the opposition and intercept their breakout passes. He uses an active stick while doing so, which can force the opposition to make a bad play or create hesitation, which allows him to attack the puck carrier.
LaPierre is an effective back checker. He uses his speed and active stick to disrupt plays from behind. He is good at pick-pocketing players as well, with stick lifts and poke checks. If he amps up his physical play a bit, he could become one heck of a back checker. However, as is, he is efficient in this area.
He is a solid defensive forward. LaPierre’s IQ and active stick, paired with his skating ability and positional awareness make him a very reliable forward in defensive zone play. He’s good at clogging up passing lanes and taking away one-time lanes while keeping his head on a swivel to see if there’s anything else he needs to do. He supports the defense down low, and his active stick is effective in forcing turnovers.
Potential, NHL Comparison, and NHL Readiness
To me, LaPierre is extremely well-balanced and checks just about every box. He needs to build up certain aspects of his game, but overall, is a solid all-around prospect. The issue is his injury proneness. The concussions can really hurt his overall play, and if he continues getting them, he could have an extremely short career, if he even makes the NHL with them. All-in-all, if things go well, he could be an NHL-capable player within 3 years. However, if things don’t go his way, he may never see the NHL-level, as injuries could derail his career.
LaPierre has incredible potential. Again, he is extremely well-rounded, and he could easily slot in as a 1st line player if he hits his full potential. However, I don’t see him being considered elite, even if he grows well. He could also be a great penalty killer and a solid power play specialist. At worst, injuries aside, he could be a solid two-way 3rd line center, with penalty kill opportunities.
Before I get into his NHL comparison, keep in mind that this is based solely on his style of play and tendencies. This is in no way a comparison to the player he could become in the future.
LaPierre is a dangler with a well-balanced offensive arsenal, while also maintaining a reliable defensive ability. Mikko Koivu is a guy who fits that same mould. Koivu has great hands and isn’t afraid to use them.
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He’s also well-balanced offensively while maintaining a solid defensive reputation. LaPierre could also have a similar career path because Koivu has always been a bit under-the-radar and has been in the league for quite some time. If LaPierre doesn’t get derailed by injuries, he could have a long, somewhat under-the-radar career.