Hendrix Lapierre has just had his first full season as a pro. The 2020 Washington Capitals first-round pick will long remember that learning campaign.
“It’s been full of ups and downs for me personally. Of course, there were times that were easier than others. I absolutely come out a winner, ”said the Quebecer at the microphone of RDS during the eighth edition of the Classique KR which was held at the end of July.
“I think it was the year I learned the most in my career. ”
Hendrix Lapierre has had success offensively everywhere he has gone. Add to that being a first round pick and you have the perfect recipe for putting a ton of pressure on a young player. However, that’s not how he approached things.
“As an offensive player, you try to bring attack. Sometimes it didn’t work that well. I was making video with coaches and we try to learn from it. It is sure that there is perhaps a little pressure that I impose on myself. Not necessarily because I’m a first-round pick, but because I know what I can do. I know if I bring my best hockey every night, good things will happen. I just need to find a way to do this. ”
In a professional career, rare are the moments when we live a seventh game of a playoff final. Yet that’s exactly what the 21-year-old experienced in his first year with the Hershey Bears en route to the Calder Cup title.
“We lost 2-0 and, as I said earlier, I didn’t really feel panic. It was a bit weird. All our veterans were thinking that everything is fine. We went for a goal on the power play. When we scored the first I said: “ok, we left”. ”
“Finally, in overtime, no matter what happened during the game, it took a shot from anyone and it went in. ”
Lapierre tied the game to force overtime, then Mike Vecchione capped the win.
“It’s probably the best moment of my career so far. Of course my goal was the fun, but that was all the work for the year, all the work for the series. The ups and downs. All that. It was crazy. ”
Now that the trophy has been lifted, Lapierre is focusing on his training to ultimately return to the NHL, having played six games there at the start of the 2021-2022 season.
“I saw what the guys were doing on a daily basis. It helped me a lot. It is sure that by tasting it two years ago, it makes you want to go back because you know what it is. I don’t think it’s a negative if I go back to the American League, but for sure I want to stay on top, and I’m going to do everything during camp to show that I want to stay on top. I know that with the work I put in every day, good things will happen,” concluded Lapierre.
