We’re going to do something a little different this offseason with our Washington Capitals report card series since A LOT of players made their NHL debuts with the team. We’ll take their small sample size and grade their performance on their brief time with the Caps and look at how they’re doing in the minors. First up is Hendrix Lapierre.
It’s always a thrill for any kid to make their NHL debut but to score in their first game, at home, in front of a full house, is an even bigger dream come true. That’s what happened for Hendrix Lapierre and boy was it epic.
It was opening night against the New York Rangers. T.J. Oshie had just did a backhanded no look pass to a charging Lapierre. The rookie buried it right before crashing into the boards. He wasn’t hurt, he was picked up by Oshie and the two were screaming.
Lapierre played in just six games with the Capitals this past season. That goal was the only point he scored. He also had two penalty minutes, two blocks, one hit, three takeaways, and one giveaway while averaging 9:35 minutes of ice time.
In November the Capitals assigned Lapierre to Acadie Bathurst Titan of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League to continue his development. In 40 games with them, Lapierre scored 21 goals and added 30 assists for 51 points. He also scored four goals and seven assists for 11 points in seven playoff games.
Grade C: We didn’t get a big enough sample size from Lapierre in the big leagues but he passes in his brief test here. Look for Lapierre to prove himself during the upcoming training camp to vie for a roster spot. If he doesn’t make the big club, he could tear it up in the AHL. Overall though, the future is bright for the 20 year old.