According to Elliotte Friedman, 24-year-old forward has been claimed by the Vegas Golden Knights.
He was selected by the Oilers in the second round of the 2019 draft and has recently been rated as the team’s seventh-best prospect. Over the past two seasons with the Oilers’ AHL affiliate, he has excelled, netting 53 goals in 127 games. He also had a strong training camp, scoring several goals before getting injured. As an offensive talent, Lavoie is not suited for a checking role, which has limited his opportunities with the Oilers. Many prospect analysts think he has the potential to be a valuable player in the NHL.
Insiders had previously indicated that the forward was unlikely to clear waivers during training camp, suggesting the Oilers consider trading him. There was a glimmer of hope when Mark Spector reported that no Oilers would be claimed, but that turned out to be incorrect. Lavoie could have been a valuable trade asset later if he had cleared waivers, but it appears the team should have acted sooner. Now, a rival in Vegas will benefit as he begins his NHL career.
The other Oilers who were placed on waivers—Josh Brown, Drake Caggiula, and Olivier Rodrigue—did clear. The Oilers might have been hoping for another team to claim Brown to relieve their contract situation. Losing Lavoie is certainly a significant setback for the team. Hopefully, a new prospect like Matt Savoie can step up and fill the gap left by Lavoie this season.
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