For Alexis Lafreniere, June 26 was more than just a date circled on the calendar.
It was slated to be his moment – the projected No. 1 overall prodigy with franchise-changing ability stepping onto the stage, slipping on his new sweater for the first time.
Not just any stage, either.
The planned arrival of the next Great Quebec Hope inside a roaring Bell Centre was either a stroke of luck or a stroke of choreographed genius by the NHL to host the 2020 Draft in Montreal – a stone’s throw from the suburb where he grew up in Saint-Eustache, Quebec.
Draft week was quickly coming into focus. A dinner reservation was set for his family and the proud agency representing him in the Old Port. Key sponsor events were lined up. Family and friends were ready to snap up tickets.
And now …?
The NHL officially postponed the 2020 Draft and Draft Lottery on Wednesday. With the season’s end undetermined, it is unclear when either will take place, or if a scaled-down version will be required – like the one held in late July of 2005 in a downtown Ottawa hotel where the Pittsburgh Penguins picked Sidney Crosby coming out of the 2004-05 lockout-cancelled season. It is also unclear whether Montreal would still host the Draft, whether it would be open to fans, or whether it might be conducted via video conference online.
There is no doubt that would bring disappointment, but it’s a brave new world since the COVID-19 outbreak and Lafreniere says he isn’t sweating the details.
“You know, for sure, it would be a little bit different,” Lafreniere said on Wednesday on a conference call with reporters when asked about a Draft different than he might’ve envisioned. “I think it’s still an honour to get drafted by an NHL team. It’s really special.
“Maybe it’s going to be different, we don’t know yet. But day-by-day, we’ll see what happens.”
Just about the only certainty is that Lafreniere will be the first player chosen in the NHL Draft, whenever and wherever that occurs. He emerged from the World Junior Championship in January with a gold medal and as the undisputed No. 1 overall prospect.
Since the Canadian Hockey League announced last week the cancellation of the remainder of the major junior seasons, league playoffs and Memorial Cup tournament, coupled with the IIHF’s previous cancellation of the World Under-18 tournament, no one else will be able to mount a challenge.
Lafreniere, 18, finished his final season of junior hockey with a staggering 35 goals and 112 points in just 52 games. His number 11 will one day be hanging in the rafters among the other Oceanic greats, including Crosby and Vincent Lecavalier – in a veritable No. 1 pick factory in Rimouski.
When asked whether he thought he’d done enough to carry on that tradition, Lafreniere responded: “I tried my best to play as good as I could in every game I was in. There’s some really good players around the world. You never know who is going to go No. 1, but I tried my best to play as good as I could.”
The tougher pill to swallow, Lafreniere said, was not being able to mount a challenge for the Memorial Cup. The Oceanic had been building towards this season for three years.
“For sure, it was tough news for me. We all understand and it’s serious,” Lafreniere said. “It’s a little bit sad that the season came to an end quickly like this. We had a great team this year and we believed we could do something special.
“It went by really quick. It’s sad that I won’t get to play with these guys again, but it’s hockey and you’ve got to move on at some point.” Really, the COVID-19 outbreak and resulting cancellations were a cap for Lafreniere’s rather strange draft-eligible campaign. He was suspended twice in the QMJHL for illegal checks and also suffered a knee injury while playing for Team Canada that kept him out of two games at the World Junior Championship.
He also showed scouts an impressive physical edge in the Czech Republic that helped cement his status, notching 10 points in five tournament games, along with a gritty return from what appeared to be a gruesome knee injury.
Lafreniere was looking forward to translating that win on the world stage to a win on the Memorial Cup stage.
“It was a really big moment for me,” Lafreniere said of the World Juniors. “Growing up, you dream about it and last year [2019] we didn’t get the result we wanted. To be able to win that, that was for sure one of the big moments in my career so far.”
So now, Lafreniere waits – like the rest of the hockey world. He believes he can be ready to step into the NHL next season with the help of the exercise equipment at home in Saint-Eustache.
“I think I can get stronger even if I train at my house,” Lafreniere said. “I stay in shape, you know, just work as hard as I can to try and gain some strength so when [hockey] is going to come back, I’m going to be ready.”
He is getting reacquainted with his family, familiar faces that he hasn’t had much time with since he’s been living with a billet family in Rimouski for the last three seasons. And he is cracking the books. Lafreniere is hunkered down and studying to complete his high school courses on time.
Most importantly, Lafreniere is handling everything with the proper dose of perspective. Whether he ends up with the Ottawa Senators or Detroit Red Wings, or the Draft is held at a packed Bell Centre or via teleconference, it’s all out of his hands.
“I really live it day-by-day and try to control what I can control. If the Draft is online, it will be different for us, but we’ll still enjoy our time and be happy.” Lafreniere said. “The most important thing is that everyone stays healthy.”
Contact Frank Seravalli on Twitter: @frank_seravalli
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
