The Edmonton Oilers are facing a competition for two fourth-line spots during training camp, and if top prospect Raphael Lavoie doesn’t secure a position, he may be leaving the organization.
The 24-year-old forward, drafted by the Oilers in the second round of 2018, has had a successful four seasons in the AHL, even being ranked as the team’s fourth-best prospect by OilersNation.
This season, Lavoie is waiver-eligible, and it’s likely another team would claim him if he were waived. Over the past two years, he has scored 53 goals in the AHL and showcased his offensive skills several times this preseason. With a contract worth only $775K this season, any team would be wise to take a chance on him. If the Oilers want to retain him, he may need to earn a spot on the NHL roster.
Lavoie has impressed during the preseason, but the Oilers may struggle to find a suitable role for him. As an offensive player, he wouldn’t excel on a checking third or fourth line. Given that the Oilers’ third line wingers scored only eight goals last year, there might be a case for keeping Lavoie to provide secondary scoring. However, if the team doesn’t have a place for him and decides to cut him, they risk losing him for nothing on waivers.
Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal recently proposed that the Oilers might consider trading Lavoie rather than sending him to the AHL.
“Lavoie is not waiver-exempt. He cleared waivers last October after two goals in six pre-season games when sent to the farm, before his 28-goal Bakersfield season. Would he do so again?
Maybe the Oilers trade him for a draft pick as Vancouver did with the waiver-eligible winger Vasily Podkolzin before his trade here last month.”
– Jim Matheson
As training camp nears its end, the Oilers face a crucial decision regarding Raphael Lavoie. Within the next week, they must determine whether to keep him on the NHL roster, trade him, or risk losing him to waivers. With several young players vying for spots, the Oilers will have to make some difficult choices, especially regarding veterans like Derek Ryan and Corey Perry.
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