Oceanic’s Lafreniere named CHL player of the year for second straight season

TORONTO — Alexis Lafreniere of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Rimouski Oceanic has been named the Canadian Hockey League player of the year for the 2019-20 season.

Lafreniere had 35 goals and 77 assists in just 52 games for the Oceanic, leading the CHL with a point-per-game rate of 2.15.

The top ranked North American skater for the 2020 NHL draft, Lafreniere is just the second back-to-back recipient in league history following fellow Oceanic captain Sidney Crosby in 2004 and 2005.

Lafreniere, an 18-year-old from Saint-Eustache, Que., had 30 multi-point games, including a seven-point performance with a goal and six assists on February 16 against the Quebec Remparts.

He carried a 14-game point-streak from November 9 to January 11, and in between won gold with Canada’s team at the 2020 world junior championship in Ostrava, Czech Republic, where he was named tournament MVP.

Adam Beckman of the Western Hockey League’s Spokane Chiefs and Marco Rossi of the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s were the other finalists.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2020.

The Canadian Press