Eric Alarie
2020-21 Team: Moose Jaw Warriors (#8)
Date of Birth: Jan. 27, 2003
Place of Birth: Winnipeg, MB, CAN
Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 198 pounds
Shoots: L
Position: LW
NHL Draft Eligibility: 2021 first-year eligible
Rankings
- NHL Central Scouting: 51st (among NA skaters)
- McKeen’s Hockey: 71st
Eric Alarie just finished up his second full season with the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors and played his most productive season in terms of points per game (P/PG). In 19 games played this season, Alarie scored 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points, just one point shy of his career-best, in 42 less games.
At just 18 years old, Alarie has already grown into his six-foot-one frame, weighing in at 198 pounds entering the draft. He is a big winger built like a power forward and has some offensive scoring ability to add to that. In four career playoff games in the WHL, he notched one goal and has managed to play a clean game, staying out of the box for the most part and registering just eight penalty minutes during his juniors career.
While Alarie might not have made his way on to many prospects rankings heading into the 2021 draft, he has upside as a prospect and is built like an NHL player needs to be to succeed in today’s NHL.
Other THW Draft Profiles:
Eric Alarie – NHL Draft Projection
Alarie did not make it on to many prospects rankings but was ranked #51 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and ranked #71 in the draft by McKeen’s Hockey. By those metrics, I would say Alarie is projected to be a mid-to-late round pick in the 2021 draft, probably going to a team anywhere from the third to the fifth round. At that point in the draft, teams select players with low risk and high reward, and Alarie fits into that category quite nicely.
Quotables
“He’s going to be an unreal player going forward. He has already shown his shot, size, and his ability. He is just growing into himself right now and he’s only going to get better.” – Tate Popple, Warriors’ teammate
“I think with Eric is that he is such a driven individual. Coaches love to coach and work with players like that; they’re coachable, they want to learn, and you can lean on them.” – Mark O’Leary, Warriors’ head coach
Strengths
- Motor
- Physicality
- Coachability
Under Construction (Improvements to Make)
In order to succeed at the NHL level and earn a permanent spot on a team’s roster, a player like Alarie needs to embrace and improve upon the qualities that make a good NHL power forward. Some things that Alarie could work on are his forechecking and pressuring the opponent in their defensive zone, controlling play in the neutral zone in all situations, and honing in on his net-front presence and “chippy” offensive playstyle.
NHL Potential
When it comes to his NHL potential, Alarie would best serve a team as a bottom-six power forward who can agitate the other team in their own end, backcheck and play sound defense, and occasionally play a net-front presence on his team’s power play, and be an effective penalty killer. Alarie should aim to become an “all situations” role player on a competitive team.
Risk-Reward Analysis
Risk – 1/5, Reward – 2/5
Fantasy Hockey Potential
Offense – 4/10, Defense – 5/10
