5 NHL prospects who are yet to reach their potential ft. Alexis Lafreniere

The NHL Draft is when teams try and find a franchise player and usually the first few picks are just that. But, sometimes those players don't pan out and don't reach the potential many thought they had.

For some reason, we see players who dominated junior hockey fail to make a difference in the NHL.

With that, let's look at five prospects who have failed to live up to the hype.

1. Alexis Lafreniere

Alexis Lafreniere was drafted first overall by the New York Rangers in 2020 and was hailed as a can't-miss prospect entering the draft.

Lafreniere dominated junior hockey and played well at the world juniors, as he made the team as a 17-year-old which not many players do, especially for Canada. In his draft year, he was named tournament MVP and was projected to go first overall.

After being selected first overall by the New York Rangers, Lafreniere has played in three NHL seasons and his highest point total is 39. Although he is an everyday NHL player, Lafreniere is not the star and first-line player many people thought he would be.

2. Quinton Byfield

Quinton Byfield was drafted second overall in 2020

The player selected right after Alexis Lafreniere was Quinton Byfield who was drafted second overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2020.

Byfield entered the draft as a big-body winger who could score goals, but the goals haven't come in the NHL. He has played parts of three seasons in the NHL, due to injuries and being sent to the AHL, and the most goals he has is five in a seasin. In 99 games, he has eight goals and 25 assists for 33 points.

Byfield is just 20 years old and will get a shot to play on the Kings' top line so the hope is he can finally live up to his potential.

3. Kaapo Kakko

Kaapo Kakko was drafted second overall in 2019 by the New York Rangers and like Lafreniere was expected to be a difference-maker on offense. However, that hasn't been the case as he has just 98 points in 239 NHL games.

Although Kakko is an everyday player, he is a third-liner in the NHL which is not what the Rangers were hoping to get with the second overall pick.

4. Filip Zadina

Filip Zadina had his contract terminated by Detroit

Filip Zadina was drafted sixth overall in 2018 by the Detroit Red Wings and after just parts of five seasons with the team, Detroit terminated his contract and he signed with the San Jose Sharks.

Zadina was expected to be a top-six forward and get 70 or 80 points a year, however, that has not been the case. The most points he has in an NHL season is 14 points and with San Jose, the hope is he can finally live up to his potential.

5. Jesperi Kotkaniemi

The final player on this list is Jesperi Kotkaniemi who was drafted third overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 2018.

When Kotkaniemi was drafted third, it was a bit of a surprise, but he was viewed as a second-line center in the league. In Montreal, he was just average and ended up signing an offer sheet.

With Carolina, Kotkaniemi has started to become the player that Montreal hoped but he still hasn't recorded more than 50 points in a season. The Hurricanes need Kotkaniemi to take another step and be a second-line center and chip in with 60 points next year.