Should the Canucks trade for Hendrix Lapierre?

The Vancouver Canucks are reportedly still in search of finding another centre who can complement Elias Pettersson and Filip Chytil.

On the opening day of the NHL season, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman mentioned that the Canucks were continuing their search for a centre. However, they are not alone, as most of the league is reportedly in search of another centreman.

The Canucks opened their season with Pettersson, Chytil, Braeden Cootes and Aatu Räty as their four centres. Following Tuesday’s practice, Head Coach Adam Foote informed us that Cootes will be returned to the WHL Seattle Thunderbirds for the remainder of the season. And with Teddy Blueger not ready to return, Max Sasson was called up in his place earlier on Wednesday.

Regardless of when Blueger returns, the team is still poking around the NHL, trying to get a feel of who may be available. That brings us to somebody that NHL Insider Frank Seravalli brought up on Insider Notebook: Hendrix Lapierre.

“One name that I have been keying in on the last few days to start the season is Hendrix Lapierre from the [Washington] Capitals. The centre has been healthy scratched to start the season. Obviously, a first-round pick talent, [he] can fly; what do the Caps do with Hendrix Lapierre down the middle?”

Could Lapierre be an option the Canucks should target? Let’s dive in.

Hendrix Lapierre

Lapierre is a 23-year-old left-shot centreman, who the Capitals drafted 22nd overall in the 2020 NHL Draft. Here is what EliteProspects had to say about Lapierre coming out of his draft class:

“His puck skills and the ability to wield them with the same effectiveness at speed as he does at a standstill make him a dazzling puck-carrier. Lapierre can effortlessly weave his way through an entire team on a moment’s notice, and he did that seemingly once a game during his tear at the Hlinka.”

The Quebec native was praised for his creative playmaking ability and excellent on-ice vision, which helped him find his teammates in tight spaces. However, Lapierre played just 19 games in his draft season after suffering a concussion and a neck/vertebrae injury. He did make the most of his limited games with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens, scoring two goals and 17 points.

There were mixed reviews on Lapierre, some thinking he could be a top-10 talent, while others were hesitant about his injury history. So, the Capitals were thrilled to see him fall to them at 22nd overall. However, it hasn’t exactly panned out as either party had hoped.

Since joining the professional ranks, Lapierre has split the seasons between the NHL and either the AHL/CHL. Before this season, Lapierre suited up in 84 games, scoring nine goals and 31 points with a minus-2 rating. His best year came in 2023-24, where he scored eight goals and 24 points in 52 games.

The scouting report was dead on about Lapierre. His speed is evident, as he has ranked in the 70th percentile in top skating speed in both of the last two seasons. The playmaking is there as 22 of his 31 points have come via assist, a 0.25 assist per game average – which, for a player who’s struggled to stay in the NHL, is decent.

However, this season, he has failed to really find his footing in the NHL. He started opening night, centring the third line with Anthony Beauvillier and Ryan Leonard, but only played 10:56 minutes of ice time – the second-lowest on the team. The next three games saw Lapierre play the lowest ice time (9:09), a healthy scratch, and the lowest ice time (8:16) on the Capitals.

He clearly hasn’t earned the trust of his Head Coach Spencer Carbery, and would benefit from a change of scenery.

The deployment and production in Washington might not look promising, but the speed and playmaking ability make him an intriguing option for the Canucks – who could certainly use a player like this in their centre depth.