Former Oilers Top Prospect Reaching Rock Bottom With New Team After Being Claimed on Waivers

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Liam McCormick
November 24, 2024 (4:18 PM)

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The Edmonton Oilers made a preventable mistake when they lost forward prospect Raphael Lavoie on waivers to the Vegas Golden Knights, but based on Lavoie now being healthy scratched in the AHL, it turned out to be no major loss for the Oilers.

Lavoie has been healthy scratched for the last three games for Henderson Silver Knights in the AHL.

In the 11 games that Lavoie's played, he's produced subpar results. Lavoie has only 1 goal, 2 points, and a -9 on ice rating.

The Edmonton Oilers selected Raphael Lavoie in the second round of the 2019 draft, and the winger spent 4 seasons developing in the Oilers organization.

With the Bakersfield Condors, Lavoie was a skilled offensive player, and grew to be ranked as high as the 7th best Oilers prospect in the offseason.

In 66 games with the Condors last year, Lavoie scored an impressive 28 goals and 50 points, and had similar production the year before.

Plenty of Oilers analysts suggested he has the talent and the history to make the jump to the NHL, but given his performance so far this year, he's taken a big step back from that goal.

Even if that's the case, the Oilers had extremely poor asset management to lose Lavoie for nothing on waivers. Oilers analysts had been warning to trade Lavoie, because losing him on waivers was bound to happen.

Lavoie simply had no path to the NHL this season, being blocked by the Oilers surplus of veteran wingers.

The Oilers showed they wanted to keep Lavoie when they claimed him back on waivers, but the reality was there was no way for Edmonton to sneak him back to the AHL.

Edmonton should've traded Lavoie in the offseason when he had value as a prospect, and they knew that he had no chance to make the team.

It's brutal to say, but it'll make Oilers fans feel better to know that he isn't looking like a rising star for a division rival in the Vegas Golden Knights. He'll need to be a lot better with his new team to ever sniff the NHL again.