The Edmonton Oilers have lost forward Raphael Lavoie to the Vegas Golden Knights after the 24-year-old was claimed off waivers. Despite being a promising talent, Lavoie struggled to secure a permanent spot on the Oilers’ roster and made his NHL debut last season, playing just seven games and recording no points. He averaged 7:17 of ice time per game but displayed flashes of potential.
Unfortunately, an untimely injury in preseason this year and a roster full of elite scorers made it hard for him to crack the lineup. He was placed on waivers and the Oilers were hoping he would slide through. He didn’t.
Lavoie has shown well in the AHL, yet he couldn’t make the jump to a consistent NHL role with the Oilers. His placement on waivers was partly a result of Edmonton needing to clear roster space and manage their cap situation. Ryan Rishaug described him as a “top-six AHL player and bottom-six NHL player” with size, a solid shot, and decent skating ability. But his game never fully came together in Edmonton.
While skilled, the Oilers needed more grit, and Lavoie didn’t really provide that.
The Oilers Have Some Talent Left, But Are Losing Key Prospects
This move signals an opportunity for Lavoie, who could benefit from a change of scenery in Vegas. Oilers fans are disappointed, but also hopeful he’ll be able to catch on and get the opportunity in Vegas he wasn’t necessarily afforded in Edmonton.
With other Oilers prospects like Matthew Savoie and Roby Jarventie rising in the organization’s depth chart, Lavoie risked being pushed out of a potential role. For Edmonton, losing Lavoie adds to a trend of young players departing, following the offseason losses of Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway.
For the Golden Knights, Lavoie represents a low-risk, high-upside pickup who could thrive in their system if given the right role.
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