Since they’ve been in ‘win-now’ mode over the last few years, the Edmonton Oilers have traded away many draft picks in exchange for active players.
These deals have helped the Oilers assemble a veteran supporting cast around Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid that has advanced to the Stanley Cup Final each of the last two seasons. But it’s also left Edmonton without much to work with on draft day.
That was never more apparent than at the 2025 NHL Draft in Los Angeles last June, when Edmonton didn’t make a pick until the third round, 83rd overall. It was the first time since Edmonton joined the NHL in 1979 that the Oilers did not have any selections in Rounds 1 or 2.
Research by Jacob Billington of The Hockey Writers shows that only 28.2% of Round 3 selections have an NHL career lasting at least 100 games. Needless to say, without a pick until the end of the third round, Edmonton faced long odds of drafting a player that could one day become impactful with the Oilers.
But half a year later, it looks like the Oilers might have found themselves just such an individual in forward Tommy Lafreniere.
Lafreniere Ranks Among WHL Leaders
Drafted 83rd overall by Edmonton at the Peacock Theatre in L.A. on June 28, Lafreniere is quickly emerging as a potential sleeper pick of the 2025 NHL Draft. The Kamloops Blazers winger is tearing up the Western Hockey League (WHL) this season, with 25 goals and 22 assists through 37 games.
Tommy Lafreniere, Kamloops Blazers (Photo credit: Rembrant Rivas Photography)
Through Monday (Jan. 5), Lafreniere is tied for the fourth most goals in the WHL, just three back of Medicine Hat Tigers forward Bryce Pickford for the league lead. He is also tied for seventh in power-play goals (nine), third in short-handed goals (three), and fifth in game-opening goals (four).
Lafreniere Has Produced Consistently
Lafreniere is proving to be both consistent and potent. This season, he has yet to go more than two games without a point, and already has five games putting up at least three points.
Over a 20-game span from Oct. 13 to Nov. 29, Lafreniere failed to register a point only once, and had a point streak of 12 consecutive games. In Kamloops’ victory over the Calgary Hitmen on Dec. 27, he erupted for a career-high five points, with a pair of goals and three assists.
Lafreniere Takes Huge Step This Season
With 25 goals in 2025-26, Lafreniere has already bested his total from all of 2024-25, when he scored 24 times and recorded 32 assists in his first full WHL season. He’s also scored three game-winning goals thus far, surpassing his total of two in 2024-25.
Lafreniere’s increased production has, not coincidentally, coincided with a massive improvement by his team. After missing the postseason in 2024-25, the Blazers are well on their way to the playoffs this year, as they currently sit fourth in the Western Conference standings with a record of 18-13-3-4 through Monday.
Future Looks Bright for Lafreniere
The ceiling seems to keep getting higher for Lafreniere, who already took a huge step last year, when he appeared at No. 57 on Central Scouting’s final ranking of North American skaters for the 2025 NHL Draft, a massive jump from his midterm ranking of No. 86.
Lafreniere, who will turn 19 on Jan. 16, recently announced that he has committed to play NCAA Division I (NCAA D1) men’s hockey with the Western Michigan University Broncos. Western Michigan is the defending NCAA D1 men’s hockey champion, after winning their first national championship in 2025.
Related: 7 Things to Know About Oilers’ Top Draft Pick Tommy Lafreniere
The NCAA has proven to be a great development path for later-round draft picks. Lafreniere is obviously still a few years away from the NHL, but his accelerated rate of progression is a tremendously exciting development for the Oilers and their fans.