The 2020 NHL draft was a weird one because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we’re starting to see more players from that class take massive steps toward their potential.
That 2020 draft didn’t take place until October, and almost all of the players had been off the ice for months when it occurred. The group’s development took a massive hit the following year as players had seasons cancelled, shortened and interrupted.
Many players were forced to play in leagues above their skill level, such as the AHL or men’s leagues in Europe. Because of restrictions on gatherings and various other things, the opportunity for on-ice and off-ice training was vastly lessened.
Basements, garages, and frozen-over ponds became the common training grounds. If you were lucky, you could convince the small town’s local rink to open the doors for a solo skate.
Four years later, we have seen many of the members of the 2020 NHL draft class start to become stars.
Tim Stutzle averaged a point per game over the last two seasons for the Ottawa Senators.
Lucas Raymond almost singlehandedly willed the Detroit Red Wings into the playoffs this year.
Marco Rossi, who suffered one of the worst COVID cases among any athlete, had a strong rookie season for the Minnesota Wild.
Despite being among the draft class’ best players so far, none of them have made their mark on the NHL playoffs.
That hasn’t stopped the 2020 class from making their mark this post-season, though.
Alexis Lafreniere, Quinton Byfield, Seth Jarvis and Matt Rempe have all made big impressions. Others, such as Mason Lohrei and Anton Lundell, may not be taking center stage, but they’ve been key cogs in their team’s success.
The top two picks in the class, Lafreniere and Byfield, each enjoyed breakout seasons, each eclipsing the 50-point mark. They’ve continued their strong play in the playoffs as well. They have done so in vastly different ways, but it’s been a long time coming for the highly touted duo.
Lafreniere has been the perfect fit alongside Artemi Panarin this season. He’s embraced the playmaking side of his game and continued to find success as a 5-on-5 goal-scorer.
Panarin likes to freelance and space out from his linemates, and Lafreniere can drift into space and present himself as a passing option who can finish or find Panarin when he wants the puck back.
Lafreniere has collected three of his four points in the playoffs on the power play. His passing and ability to spot lanes before he even has the puck allow him to exploit the extra space on the power play.
The New York Rangers are moving on to the second round after sweeping the Washington Capitals, so Lafreniere will have at least another handful of games to build on his solid playoff performance.
Byfield, the second overall pick, moved to the wing and has thrived since. Riding shotgun with Anze Kopitar, he has filled out his frame, going from lanky teen to strong young man, which has allowed him to blend power and skill at a high level.
Byfield’s complemented Kopitar perfectly, showing the ability to work the cycle with precision and then burst into space with his speed and pull off a skillful move.
Although the Kings lost their series in five games to the Edmonton Oilers, Byfield is far from the biggest problem. He finished second in scoring on the team and had the best plus-minus on the Kings.
Byfield has matured in so many ways this season, and he’s become an impact player in the NHL playoffs. Even though his run didn’t last long, we could have seen a precursor to a big season next year, building off his 55-point campaign.
On the flip side, we should see plenty of Seth Jarvis in the playoffs. He’s become one of the Carolina Hurricanes’ most dynamic offensive presences as they wait for the second round to begin.
Jarvis eclipsed the 30-goal and 60-point mark this season for the first time, and the waterbug winger has been just as good in the playoffs with seven points in five games.
The Hurricanes have traditionally been a tactical team, but with a wave of skill that very clearly includes Jarvis playing big roles, they finally seem to have the high-end skill and scoring they’ve lacked in recent years. Carolina could be in for a long playoff run, and Jarvis could be at the center of it all.
The Hurricanes will be going head-to-head against Lafreniere and the Rangers in the second round. As effective as Jarvis and Lafreniere have been, it could very well be a 2020 sixth-round pick that steals the show – for a variety of reasons.
Matt Rempe has been the talk of the NHL since his debut earlier this season. The 6-foot-7 winger hits, fights and always seems to find a way into the headlines.
Rempe has thrown some huge hits in his young NHL career, some clean and some dirty.
The hulking winger has developed a cult following with fans around the league looking for him to fight every enforcer across the NHL. His ability to get under his opponents’ skin seems tailor-made for this time of year. It will be plenty of fun to see how he affects the heavyweight tilt a Hurricanes-Rangers series should be.
Tom Wilson appeared to want to go with Matt Rempe but Rempe passed 😳 pic.twitter.com/7CUBW1an46
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 27, 2024
While these are the biggest names from the 2020 draft standing out in the playoffs, they are far from the only ones.
Anton Lundell has been a key cog in the Florida Panthers’ machine. His two-way acumen and depth scoring have been a nice addition to a title contender.
Mason Lohrei didn’t start the series in the lineup for the Boston Bruins, but he’s been a steadying presence on the back end for them in the three games since he’s been inserted. He has made effective plays at both ends of the ice. He’s been an underrated thorn in the side of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Boston goal!
Scored by James van Riemsdyk with 04:51 remaining in the 1st period.
Assisted by Mason Lohrei.
Toronto: 0
Boston: 1#BOSvsTOR #LeafsForever #NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/8tfItnCsVM— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) April 28, 2024
The 2020 NHL draft was a weird one. It took a while to recover from the effects of COVID-19. But this season and these playoffs, in particular, have been a coming-out party for the young players with plenty to prove.
We have seen the group take big steps this year, and next season, we could see a few of the players taken in the 2020 draft ascend to stardom.
Maybe for a couple of them, it starts this spring as they chase down the sport’s biggest prize, the Stanley Cup.
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News Summary:
- Lafreniere, Byfield and Rempe Are Part of the 2020 NHL Draft Class Emerging in the Playoffs
- Check all news and articles from the latest NHL updates.