EDMONTON -- Tommy Lafreniere is stepping up in weight class in his quest to eventually play with the Edmonton Oilers.
After three seasons with Kamloops of the Western Hockey League, the 19-year-old forward prospect will play at the Western Michigan University this season, hoping to expedite his journey to the NHL.
“It’s obviously stronger, bigger guys and it’s closer to pro,” Lafreniere said at Oilers development camp in June. “I’m not sure what to expect but I’m super excited about it. I’m just going to go out there and work as hard as I can, learn from the older guys, and do my best.”
Selected by Edmonton in the third round (No. 83) of the 2025 NHL Draft, Lafreniere was Kamloops' third leading scorer last season with 77 points (41 goals, 36 assists) in 67 games and had three points (two goals, one assists) in four WHL playoff games.
Lafreniere was eligible to return to Kamloops for another season but decided to accept an offer from Western Michigan and compete against older players.
“I think for me, it was about getting to the gym a little bit more,” Lafreniere said. “Having a set game schedule on Friday and Saturday and being able to work out from Monday to Thursday and being able to get stronger during the season, I think was really big for me and it’ll help me a lot.”
Edmonton believes it’s the right decision for Lafreniere, one of its top unsigned prospects.
“He’s still slight (6-foot, 183 pounds), and I think college is going to be great for him where he gets to focus on nutrition and working out and things like that,” Oilers assistant general manager, player development and innovation Kalle Larsson said. “Just with the nature of their playing schedule, compared to the CHL (Canadian Hockey League), they get to do more of that and I think that will really benefit him as a player.”
The Oilers are already big on Lafreniere and were happy to be able to get him in the third round last year after not having a pick through the first two.
He drew Edmonton's attention after he had 56 points (24 goals, 32 assists) in 68 games with Kamloops as a 17-year-old in 2024-25.
“I’m a big fan,” Larsson said. “He’s the definition of a hockey player; he just loves hockey and can play in any position. He skates well, he’s got great belief in himself, and he competes. He always has a smile on his face and has that happy energy. There is just so much to like about him.
“We’re hoping that he’s going to be a top-nine NHL forward in the future. He has enough grit, he competes and he has smarts. I think he’s a really exciting player. For us to be able to get him where we did in the draft, I think we hit a home run there.”
Lafreniere was on a young team in Kamloops, which improved as the season went on and qualified for the WHL playoffs, where it was swept by Kelowna in the best-of-7 first round.
After the season, Lafreniere joined Bakersfield of the American Hockey League and had a goal and assist in five games, along with one assist in three Calder Cup Playoff games.
“Bakersfield was a really great experience," he said. "All the guys were super welcoming, it’s fast hockey and you’re just living the life over there, so it’s pretty awesome. It’s a little bit of a taste of pro hockey, it was super fun, super cool."
The stint in Bakersfield was eye-opening for Lafreniere, giving him an opportunity to play against bigger and stronger opponents. It gave him a first-hand look at where he needs to improve in order to work his way up Edmonton’s development system.
“To I me, I think it’s just about getting stronger, that’s the biggest thing,” he said. “I think my mental game is there and it’s just getting bigger and stronger along the boards. When I was playing in ‘Bako’ it was a lot of wall play. It was a lot of fun, and I was super excited to get that opportunity.”
As a skilled two-way forward, Lafreniere takes pride in his play at both ends of the ice. Being a freshman at Western Michigan, he is ready to do whatever it takes to earn ice time.
“I’m going to work my way into whatever I can,” he said. “At Western Michigan, the big thing over there is to earn everything you have, so I’m just going to go in there and whatever line I’m on, I’m just going to work my way up, hopefully.”
