Hendrix Lapierre captivated his audience at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup during the first scene of the 2020 scouting season. He dangled through defenders, set up teammates with cross-ice passes, scored on breakaways, and picked up 11 points in five games, a tournament-leading eight assists among them.

Coming back to North America after the event, Lapierre truly looked poised for a great year in the QMJHL.

Unfortunately, that was the summit of Lapierre’s draft-year. He started slowly, other top players took his place, and on a fateful night in November, a neck injury derailed his season entirely. The prospect left the spotlight, and now his NHL future is lost, shrouded in the mystery of his short and long-term health.

Fast-forward some months, and Lapierre’s rejoined the Chicoutimi Saguenéens on