Zakary Lavoie – 2022 NHL Draft Prospect Profile

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Zakary Lavoie

2021-22 Team: Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
Date of Birth: Mar 13, 2004
Place of Birth: Ottawa, Canada
Height: 5-foot-11, Weight: 170 pounds
Shoots: Right
Position: Right Wing
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2022 first-year eligible

Rankings

EliteProspects.com: 107th
NHL Central Scouting (NA Skaters): 134th

Zakary Lavoie is a shoot-first right winger who had a great rookie season this year with the Mississauga Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He is an excellent player in the offensive zone, with a good enough shot to score some difficult goals and decent offensive instincts to regularly find open space without the puck to present himself as a target for the playmakers on his team.

Related: 2022 NHL Draft Guide

Lavoie’s shot is the strongest part of his game, which he frequently took advantage of, scoring 23 goals and 44 points in 64 games. That was enough to tie him for 18th in scoring amongst OHL rookies, which is a respectable number. He also led all rookies in shots on goal with 210. His release is quick, and his mechanics are sound enough that he gets some good power on his shots, despite being slightly on the smaller side build-wise.

Zak Lavoie Mississauga Steelheads
Zak Lavoie, Mississauga Steelheads (Image courtesy of Mississauga Steelheads)

Skating is another one of Lavoie’s best skills as his edgework and posture give him excellent agility, though he currently lacks the high-end speed that would see him rise significantly higher on draft boards. Despite not having ideal NHL height (5-foot-11), he has a solid physical build which, when paired with his low skating posture, makes him very difficult to knock off the puck due to his remarkable stability.

Lavoie’s effort without the puck is also admirable, though he would benefit from some improvements in the defensive zone, as he tends to buzz around with no real structure. He could also stand to improve his playmaking, but his goalscoring ability is good enough that you can look past that deficiency for the time being.

Other THW Draft Profiles

Zakary Lavoie – NHL Draft Projection

Lavoie has been overshadowed this year by his teammates Owen Beck and Luca Del Bel Belluz, two centermen who have a chance at being drafted in the first round. Having said that, he was third in goals on the team and second in points among wingers so I believe he should be getting a bit more credit. It’s likely that the earliest he hears his name called is in the fourth round, though he could very well slide to the later rounds, or even go undrafted.

Quotables

“Lavoie is an opportunistic winger who is constantly pushing the pace in the offensive zone and has the shot to capitalize on difficult chances. He shows a good understanding of how to find open ice to get a clean look, where he has a quick release and gets good power without much of a load.”  – Joseph Aleong, FCHockey

Strengths

  • Goal scoring (quick release)
  • Skating (edgework)
  • High effort level
  • Sturdy with the puck

Under Construction (Improvements to Make)

  • Defensive structure
  • Playmaking (decision making)
  • Stickhandling

NHL Potential

If Lavoie can continue to build on his offensive production and improve his defensive game in the coming seasons, he has the potential to be a solid bottom-six winger in the NHL who can provide offensive depth while possibly spending some time on the penalty kill. The dream scenario would see him having a similar role and career to Tyler Motte, who most recently played for the New York Rangers.

Risk-Reward Potential

Risk – 3.5/5, Reward – 2.5/5

Fantasy Hockey Potential

Offense – 6/10, Defense – 6/10

Awards/Achievements

  • Drafted 7th overall by Mississauga Steelheads in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection

Statistics

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