Florida Panthers‘ 1st round pick in the 2015 draft (#11 overall) big right wing Lawson Crouse(17) turned pro after his third year of with Kingston Frontenacs.
Reassigned to affiliate Portland Pirates, he appeared in 2 AHL games scoring no points but was left off the playoff roster as the team had lots of returning players from the parent club that got ousted from the postseason in the first round.
The 6’4″ 215 lbs. power forward averaged more than a point-per-game in his 3rd and final run in the OHL and also won a gold medal with Team Canada in the 2015 World Junior Championships, where he scored 6 goals in 5 games.
He was a late cut from Panthers‘ training camp heading into 2015/2016, skating three preseason contests before being reassigned back to his junior squad.
The soon-to-be 19-year old will definitely compete for a roster spot in the big league as a rookie, if he can prove to be a force in front of the net and use his large frame to help protect smaller players.