We are finally into the final three of our Oil on Whyte prospects ranking, one that has taken longer than expected to complete. Following David Lewandowski at No. 4, we have fellow Oilers 2025 NHL Draftee, forward Tommy Lafreniere at third. He plays both centre and right wing, with average size at 6'0 and 183lbs.
The Oilers drafted Lafreniere in the third round, 83rd overall at the 2025 NHL Draft after playing with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League. In his draft year, Lafreniere played in 68 games while scoring 24 goals and 32 assists for 56 points with the Blazers.
Last season, his second in the WHL, Lafreniere saw a major jump in production scoring 77 points (41 goals, 36 assists) in 67 games.
TOMMY BOY😤#Condorstown pic.twitter.com/Pce12chnlf
— Bakersfield Condors (@Condors) April 13, 2026
After his season in juniors, he signed an amateur tryout contract and was given a short stint with the Oilers' American Hockey League affiliate, Bakersfield Condors. He helped finish their season, playing five games, scoring one goal and one assist. He also played three games in the postseason, notching one assist.
Future Outlook
Lafreniere enters this season as a freshman with the Western Michigan University Broncos of the NCAA. He brings with him lofty expectations as a player who saw a major jump year-over-year in the WHL, scoring over 40 goals with 41, ranking seventh league-wide.
He is a speedy two-way forward who is not afraid to get invovled physically, winning puck battles and digging into the dirty areas. He flashes high end skills with an obvious knack for scoring goals with the ability to make passes and create offence, driving play.
Lafreniere enters the NCAA and will likely spend the next few seasons developing at the collegiate level. At just 19 years old, he has plenty of time to develop and get his game ready for the professional ranks. His lack of pro size is something that will be positively impacted by the move to College, making this the best place for him to further his development.
NHL Potential
Lafreniere is one of the Oilers top prospects for a good reason. His blend of projectability and potential makes him a very valuable piece to the club going forward.
He brings a lot of interesting skills to the table as a responsible two-way player who plays a heavy forechecking game. He can chip in offensively where he flashes his dual-threat ability to drive play. His skillset gives Lafreniere a very projectable profile as someone who could slip in up or down the lineup.
At the very least, Lafreniere projects as an energy bottom-six player who can play in all-situations but his ceiling is higher. His offensive skillset gives him the potential to be a complimentary player inside the top-nine and do much more than what he may show on the surface.
It may take him time but Lafreniere has the ability to be an intriguing player for the Oilers' future with the potential to be a major piece.
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