Tomas Lavoie
2023-24 Team: Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL)
Date of Birth: March 31, 2006
Place of Birth: Repentigny, QC, Canada
Ht: 6-foot-4 Wt: 225-pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Defenseman
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2024 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 57th (NA Skaters)
- Horn’s Top 100 for April: 58th
- Baracchini’s Top 96 March Rankings: 94th
- Forbes’ Top 96 February Rankings: 64th
- Bob McKenzie’s Mid-Season Ranking: 52nd
- FC Hockey: 60th
- Draft Prospects Hockey: 38th
For a 6-foot-4, 225-pound defenseman at 18 years old, Tomas Lavoie has a fantastic skillset that could end up seeing him be a wildcard in this draft. When you see a defenseman of this size, most assume two things. Strong physical play and some speed and pace issues with skating. One of those things are true, and that is the physicality. Using his reach, size, and toughness, he does a great job separating the puck from the player when defending, whether it be his strong stick work or making a hit.
On top of that, his skating is actually pretty strong considering his frame. Back and forth, side-to-side, and gap control are all assets that help his team on a nightly basis. With good defensive awareness collaborating with all these skills, he makes for a top shut-down option for the Cape Breton Eagles.
While his stat line doesn’t necessarily reflect it, Lavoie can move the puck well. He doesn’t use his booming shot often, but his breakout passes and play at the offensive blue line make for a good option at any strength, whether it is 5-on-5, penalty-killing, or the power play. Having shut-down abilities with the adaptability to fit in anywhere is something an NHL team will notice when scouting Lavoie, and it is something that could raise his draft value.
Related: THW’s 2024 NHL Draft Guide
Lavoie is one of the hardest-working players every time he touches the ice. He takes pride in his defensive responsibilities and has the compete level to match it. He is in on every battle, often winning them in the defensive zone, and has the positioning to ensure the responsible play comes before the flashy play.
Other Draft Profiles
Tomas Lavoie – NHL Draft Projection
Lavoie’s rankings are all over the board. A team prioritizing a versatile right-handed defenseman in this draft could take him as high as the middle of the second round, but I would expect to see him go closer to the early third round. There are a lot of things to like about his game, but he does have some areas that still look a bit raw to work on.
Quotables
“A future NHL horse who can develop into an offensive threat at the highest levels. Moves well in all directions and possesses above-average speed. He is fluid in his stop & starts and pivots well. He is enormous including his wingspan on the sheet. He is looked upon to be a future shutdown defenseman.” – Bill Placzek, Lines.com
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“Lavoie is a huge D with surprising mobility, solid 4-directional speed, with good edges and agility in his pivots. He is deployed as a shutdown defenseman by Cape Breton and has the awareness, smarts, and quality gap control to fulfill the role, and he likes the physical game. He’s solid defensively, and plays against the top offensive players in the league.” – Upside Hockey
“Lavoie hasn’t produced or shown the offense you’d expect out of a player of that notoriety coming out of minor hockey, but he’s now playing huge, tough minutes in the league, regularly logging 25-plus a game. He looks heavy out there, with skating that can kick and splay out, which has limited his ability to play in transition offensively with his feet and at times one-on-one defending faster players. But he moves pucks efficiently, has a good head for the game, and plays an effective, trusted style.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic (from 2024 NHL Draft ranking: Top 64 prospects led by Celebrini, Eiserman, Levshunov, The Athletic, Nov. 8, 2023)
Strengths
- Skating
- Positioning
- Breakout pass
- Defensive awareness
- Physicality
- Hockey IQ
Under Construction – Improvements to Make
- Shot utilization
- Offensive awareness
NHL Potential
Lavoie has a path to the NHL and could sit comfortably on the third pair of a defense group. He brings a little bit of everything, but where he will thrive is in a shutdown role with a veteran of the same style of play.
Risk/Reward Analysis
Risk – 3/5, Reward – 3/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense – 3/10, Defense – 7/10