The Carolina Hurricanes will have the 13th overall pick in the Draft.
Hendrix Lapierre could bring the Carolina Hurricanes much needed scoring depth and should be considered for the 13th pick.
As the NHL season winds to a close and Caniacs look to next season, one of the most apparent issues in the playoffs that must be addressed in the offseason is the lack of scoring depth. For the Hurricanes to be a top team in the always competitive Metro division, they have to create quality chances and produce points outside of the SAT line.
The Hurricanes now claim the 13th pick in the draft as a result of the Patrick Marleau trade. This year’s draft pool is deep, and this means that the Hurricanes will have no shortage of quality players to pick in the draft. Young center Hendrix Lapierre is a name that pops out in the list of players due to his speed and scoring prowess.
While Vincent Trocheck is coming into his own as a Hurricane, and Martin Necas is certainly a future top center for the Hurricanes, depth at the center position is key to anchor the third or fourth line.
https://twitter.com/SagueneensLHJMQ/status/1305530224554147842
Lapierre plays for the Chicoutimi Saguenéens alongside Dawson Mercer, another prospect I have written about prior. The Saguenéens ranked number one in the QMJHL before the pause of the season due to Covid-19. Mike Morreale for NHL.com had this to say about Lapierre:
“The left-shot forward has great hockey sense, compete and playmaking qualities. He was limited to 19 games because of an upper-body injury but may have the highest ceiling of any player projected to go in the first round.”
Despite the short season, Lapierre acquired 17 points in 19 games with two goals and 15 assists. His willingness to pass the puck is apparent, as is his vision on the ice which leads to these passes that create opportunities. Another aspect of his performance that stands out is his speed, which would ensure that he fits in with the young Hurricanes roster.
In 48 games with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens in 2018, Lapierre acquired 45 points. Without the injuries this season, he would have no doubt easily passed that milestone.
“If I can bring a little Kuznetsov with a mix of Barkov, could be a nice recipe...”#NHLDraft prospect Hendrix Lapierre spoke with Mark Masters about his recovery from an injury that derailed his season and which NHLer he models his game after: https://t.co/3gGgPHlDbD #TSNHockey pic.twitter.com/DDY2wrbrqk
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) April 9, 2020
Unfortunately, there isn’t only positive chatter surrounding Lapierre. In an article for TSN, Mark Masters details Lapierre’s injury history. Lapierre suffered three concussions in less than a year, although after visits with specialists it is possible that the root of a problem is damaged vertebrae in his spinal column.
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Despite the injury, Lapierre seems to be focused and ready to return to the ice. “…My focus is not on the draft, it’s to get back stronger and faster again and make sure everything is alright for next year and the draft will be a nice reward to that. I feel like I could go anywhere.”
While his injury history is concerning, I think it would be a bad move for the Hurricanes to pass up an elite player because of his injury history. If Lapierre is undrafted when the Carolina Hurricanes make their selection, I think they would be wise to add important center depth to their team by drafting the future NHL star.
Question for CC Readers: Who should the Hurricanes Draft?