FC’s Draft Eligible Plays of the Year

With how talented the 2020 NHL Entry Draft class is, there have been plenty of highlight reel plays.

Recently, our team of scouts sat down and reviewed the best plays of the season. Each of us ranked our top ten plays and then we averaged them. So, without further adieu, let’s take a look at the top ten plays.

#10 – Jean-Luc Foudy, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

Jean-Luc Foudy, C, Windsor (OHL), 5-11, 168, 05-13-2002
Owen Sound Attack @ Windsor Spitfires – November 24, 2019
Future Considerations’ Spring Ranking: 31

Towards the end of the overtime period against the Owen Sound Attack, the Windsor Spitfires rely on one of their top offensive producers in Foudy. In the clip, Foudy collects the puck behind the Windsor net. Foudy uses his edges to weave across the ice as he transfers from his own zone to the offensive zone. Once Foudy gets just beyond the perimeter, he runs into two members of the Owen Sound Attack. At this point, he makes a tight turn to circle around traffic. Once he evades his opponents, he ends up going one-on-one against Attack netminder Mark Guzda. Foudy attempts to sneak the puck past the goaltender on his glove side. After the failed attempt, he collects the rebound and tries his luck again. This time around, the puck ricochets off of Gudza and goes into the back of the net.

#9 – Brett Budgell, Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL

Brett Budgell, LW, Charlottetown (QMJHL), 6-0, 187, 06-01-2001
Cape Breton Eagles 2 @ Charlottetown Islanders 6 – February 28, 2020
Future Considerations’ Spring Ranking: NR

With the game tied at two in the third period of play, the Charlottetown Islanders are on the hunt for a goal. Budgell collects a pass in the neutral zone and enters the offensive zone. Once he enters the zone, he comes into contact with a Cape Breton Eagles defenseman. Budgell maneuvers the puck further away from the Eagles defenseman. Once Budgell evades the blueliner and gets into the slot, the other Eagles rearguard attempts to slow him down. At this point, Budgell toe drags and wraps the puck around Eagles goaltender William Grimard.

#8 – Yaroslav Likhachev, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

Yaroslav Likhachev, LW/RW, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL), 5-10, 170, 09-02-2001
Blainville-Boisbriand Aramada 5 @ Moncton Wildcats 8 – November 29, 2019
Future Considerations’ Spring Ranking: NR

In the Armada defensive zone, Carolina Hurricanes prospect Luke Henman manages to strip the puck away from Moncton Wildcats defenseman and Anaheim Ducks prospect Axel Andersson and completes a pass to Likhachev. Likhachev skates up the ice and stickhandles through his legs to get past Andersson in the slot. Once he is clear of Andersson, Likhachev skates to Wildcats goaltender Charles-Antoine Lavallee and throws the puck past him.

#7 – Noel Gunler, Lulea HF (SHL)

Noel Gunler, RW/LW, Lulea HF (SHL), 6-2, 174, 10-07-2001
Rogle BK 4 @ Lulea HF 7 – January 16, 2020
Future Considerations’ Spring Ranking: 14

In the third period of play, Gunler strips the puck from Rogle BK defenseman Kodie Curran along the blue line. Curran attempts to regain the puck in the neutral zone. Gunler decides to pass the puck to his teammate Isac Brannstrom to ensure that Curran does not steal the puck back. Shortly after, Gunler gets the puck from Brannstrom. Gunler skates into the offensive and scores a goal from just beyond the faceoff circle hashmarks.

#6 – Mavrik Bourque, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)

Mavrik Bourque, C, Shawinigan (QMJHL), 5-10, 165, 01-08-2002
Shawinigan Cataractes 7 @ Halifax Mooseheads 4 – February 1, 2020
Future Considerations’ Spring Ranking: 18

Bourque completes a controlled zone entry into the Halifax Mooseheads zone. Halifax forward and Calgary Flames prospect D’Artagnan Joly skates after him and the two fight for the puck in the slot. Bourque evades Joly by spinning around him and finishes off the play by completing a top shelf wrist shot goal.

#5 – Alexis Lafreniere, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)

Alexis Lafreniere, LW, Rimouski (QMJHL), 6-1, 192, 10-11-2001
Halifax Mooseheads 2 @ Rimouski Oceanic 6 – February 28, 2020
Future Considerations’ Spring Ranking: 1

In the Oceanic zone, Lafreniere intercepts a pass from Joly. Lafreniere carries the puck from zone to zone. Once he gets into the offensive zone, he faces a tough challenger in Halifax defenseman and NHL Draft eligible Justin Barron. Lafreniere dangles the puck around Barron and immediately fires a backhand shot for a Rimouski goal.

#4 – Alexis Lafreniere, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)

Alexis Lafreniere, LW, Rimouski (QMJHL), 6-1, 192, 10-11-2001
Gatineau Olympiques 4 @ Rimouski Oceanic 3 – November 9, 2019
Future Considerations’ Spring Ranking: 1

Lafreniere collects a rebound off Gatineau Olympiques goaltender Creed Jones. While controlling the puck, he plays the puck along the half-wall, but runs into traffic as Gatineau Olympiques forward Manix Landry applies pressure. Lafreniere dangles around Landry, shifts the puck from forehand to backhand and then fires a backhand shot past Jones for an Oceanic goal.

#3 – Jacob Dion, Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)

Jacob Dion, LHD, Drummondville (QMJHL), 5-9, 181, 11-01-2001
Quebec Remparts 2 @ Drummondville Voltigeurs 7 – December 4, 2019
Future Considerations’ Spring Ranking: 82

At the Voltigeurs blue line, Dion collects a pass from fellow NHL Draft eligible Dawson Mercer. Dion weaves around former Quebec Remparts forward Andrew Coxhead and then splits the Quebec defense as he skates towards the net. Once Dion gets to the crease, Remparts blueliner Darien Kielb hooks him and he falls, but Dion still manages to score on Remparts goaltender Carmine-Anthony Pagliarulo.

#2 – Yaroslav Likhachev, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

Yaroslav Likhachev, LW/RW, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL), 5-10, 170, 09-02-2001
Blainville-Boisbriand Armada 2 @ Chicoutimi Sagueneens 1 – October 27, 2019
Future Considerations’ Spring Ranking: NR

Likhachev has had plenty of highlight-reel goals this season, but this one is the best of the best. Likhachev manages to score a ‘Michigan,’ or what is known as a lacrosse-style goal. Behind the Chicoutimi net, Likhachev collects a pass from Zachary Roy. When Likhachev is right behind Chicoutimi goaltender Daniel Moody, and in stride he lifts the puck using his stick blade and flips it in for an Armada goal.

#1 – Alexis Lafreniere, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)

Alexis Lafreniere, LW, Rimouski (QMJHL), 6-1, 192, 10-11-2001
Drummondville Voltigeurs 4 @ Rimouski Oceanic 5 – December 1, 2019
Future Considerations’ Spring Ranking: 1

Lafreniere drives the rush on the power play against Drummondville. He skates past Mercer and Isiah Campbell as he enters the Drummondville zone. After he evades the pair, Voltigeurs defenseman Thimo Nickl applies tight pressure on Lafreniere. Lafreniere attempts to stickhandle around Nickl, but Nickl deploys solid gap control. When that fails, Lafreniere turns around Nickl and completes a one-handed pass to Joly. Joly takes a shot and the puck bounces off Voltigeurs goaltender Anthony Morrone. Cedric Pare collects the rebound and quickly fires a shot into the net to complete the play.