2026 Edmonton Oilers prospects rankings: #5 Tommy Lafreniere

Lafreniere is described as a two-way centre. He is known for his smart and determined play style that saw him picked in the third round in 2025. Lafreniere will make the jump to college hockey this upcoming season.

His professional development

Over his time in the WHL, Lafreniere has been on weaker teams. Often he has not had a lot of support. Regardless, he has posted respectable point totals and occupied a feature role.

While the point totals seem impressive to an extent, Lafreniere is not considered to have a high ceiling as a scorer at higher levels. The NCAA will be a nice challenge for him, and his production in that league will be telling. It is worth noting that he scored two points in five games in the AHL in a late season audition, adding an assist in three playoff games as well.

Strengths and weaknesses

Although some question his offensive upside, Lafreniere is known for his all-around game. He is seen as a tenacious player with an attention to detail. He is willing to do the legwork and prioritizes strong defensive efforts. These professional habits give him a higher floor, as his commitment to his craft and willingness to compete will make him a useful player beyond his individual offence.

Most of his offensive contributions will come as a support option. Using his smarts, Lafreniere should be able to help his team create some offence. His strong defensive play and positioning could make him a strong possession player.

Ultimately, Lafreniere will need to keep adding dimension to his game. His path to the NHL becomes more certain if he can sharpen his skills as a penalty killer, a forechecker, and a face-off expert, for example. Added strength will help Lafreniere along the boards and at either net front. He will need to be in fantastic shape to compete against bigger and stronger opponents in these crucial areas.

The good news is that the Oilers seem very happy with Lafreniere as a prospect. His attitude has been one focused on his growth, evidenced by his move to college hockey. It seems a self aware approach, as Lafreniere is willing to do the unglamorous work required to keep pushing to higher levels.

Opportunity for growth

Lafreniere has a big opportunity ahead of him this season. The jump up to college hockey will be a challenge, but a strong performance could help raise his profile. If he can make an offensive impact it would be encouraging for how his game translates to higher levels. Scoring over a half a point per game as a freshman would be significant.

There might be another opportunity for Lafreniere, as he has a chance to fight for a spot on Canada’s U20 World Junior Championship team. At this point, fans of other teams are unlikely to have eyes on Lafreniere. A World Junior appearance would go a long way towards his name recognition. While it is an outside chance, Lafreniere’s positional flexibility and defensive skills might be valued.